A recent study has found that the type of indoor lighting can significantly influence how people experience music. Researchers from three universities, including the University of California, Davis, conducted experiments to determine how different lighting hues affect listeners’ emotional responses to music.
Jae Yong Suk, associate professor in the Department of Design and director of the California Lighting Technology Center at UC Davis, commented on the findings: “Some performance halls and auditoriums are already using color-changing LED systems during their programs, but most don’t really know which colors are most effective for shaping different emotional responses as there is no scientific evidence.” He added, “Our study helps give them a clearer direction, so lighting choices can be more intentional and emotionally supportive rather than just aesthetic.”
The lead author of the study, Dongwoo (Jason) Yeom from Clemson University, noted that these results could also benefit well-being and mood regulation in healthcare settings. The research was published in November in Lighting Design & Application.
The team studied how 22 participants responded to happy and sad music under four types of lighting: blue, cool white, red, and warm white. Happy music received higher positive ratings when paired with warm white lights but lower ratings with blue lighting. In contrast, sad music was rated lowest under red lights and highest under blue lights—a finding that differed from earlier studies suggesting blue light is stimulating or energizing.
Cool-white lighting was generally acceptable visually but did not fit well with happy music according to participant feedback. The researchers concluded that matching specific types of lighting to certain kinds of music may enhance listeners’ emotional experiences.
Kristina Knowles from Arizona State University’s School of Music and Seonghyuk Son from Clemson were also co-authors on the paper.
