About this Course

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The course will explore the tone combinations that humans consider consonant or dissonant, the scales we use, and the emotions music elicits, all of which provide a rich set of data for exploring music and auditory aesthetics in a biological framework. Analyses of speech and musical databases are consistent with the idea that the chromatic scale (the set of tones used by humans to create music), consonance and dissonance, worldwide preferences for a few dozen scales from the billions that are possible, and the emotions elicited by music in different cultures all stem from the relative similarity of musical tonalities and the characteristics of voiced (tonal) speech. Like the phenomenology of visual perception, these aspects of auditory perception appear to have arisen from the need to contend with sensory stimuli that are inherently unable to specify their physical sources, leading to the evolution of a common strategy to deal with this fundamental challenge.

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

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Approx. 17 hours to complete

English

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Skills you will gain

Biology
Music
Evolution
Neurobiology

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Coursera Labs

Includes hands on learning projects.

Learn more about Coursera Labs

Approx. 17 hours to complete

English

Could your company benefit from training employees on in-demand skills?

Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.56/5 (75 Ratings)

Dale Purves

M.D.

Duke Institute for Brain Sciences

89,372 Learners

2 Courses

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating95%(6,699 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

24 minutes to complete

Course Introduction

24 minutes to complete

1 video (Total 4 min), 1 reading

2 hours to complete

Sound Signals, Sound Stimuli, and the Human Auditory System

2 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 36 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

Week2

Week 2

2 hours to complete

The Perception of Sound Stimuli

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 45 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week3

Week 3

2 hours to complete

Vocalization and Vocal Tones

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 45 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

Defining Music and Exploring Why We Like It

2 hours to complete

9 videos (Total 72 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

9 videos

Defining Music11mThe Chromatic Scale and Some More Musical Terminology6mConsonance and Dissonance6mTonality vs. Atonality: Frequency of Consonant vs. Dissonant Intervals4mTension and Resolution5mCadences8mMathematical Explanations of Consonance5mA Physical Explanation of Consonance7mA Biological Explanation of Consonance16m

1 reading

Module Resources10m

1 practice exercise

Defining Music and Exploring Why We Like It30m

Week5

Week 5

2 hours to complete

Musical Scales

2 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 62 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

Week6

Week 6

3 hours to complete

Music, Emotion, and Cultural Differences

3 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 65 min), 3 readings, 2 quizzes

7 videos

Introduction to Emotion8mEmotions Elicited by Major versus Minor Scales14mComparision of Major and Minor Music with Vocalization in Different Emotional States6mExpression of Emotion in Eastern and Western Music7mLanguage, Speech, and Cultural Differences in Music19mMbira Music: Background and Cyclical Structures4mMbria Music: Nonhamronic Frequencies3m

3 readings

Module Resources10mMozart Variation 8, "Minor"10mMozart Variation 9, "Major"10m

2 practice exercises

Music, Emotion, and Cultural Differences30mSumming Up30m

3 hours to complete

Additional Resources

3 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 38 min), 16 readings

6 videos

Mozart: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star8mDerivations of the Harmonic and Melodic Minor Scales8mCadences8mBerg Lieder4mBackground and Cyclical Structure4mNonharmonic Frequencies3m

16 readings

Mozart Theme10mMozart Variation 2, ornamentation10mMozart Variation 5, rhythmic sync10mMozart Variation 8, "Minor"10mMozart Variation 9, "Major"10mMinor Scale Analysis in BWV 00210mMusic Theory Rules10mBWV 002 Harmonic Analysis10mBWV 65.2 Harmonic Analysis10mBWV 133.6 Harmonic Analysis10mSchliesse Mir Die Augen Beide10mTonal Version Sheet Music10mAtonal Version Sheet Music10mGlossary A-O10mGlossary P-W10mBibliography10m

Reviews

4.3

172 reviews

5 stars
57.27%
4 stars
24.84%
3 stars
12.42%
2 stars
3.48%
1 star
1.96%

TOP REVIEWS FROM MUSIC AS BIOLOGY: WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR AND WHY

by MMSep 21, 2016

This course has helped me to understand biological psychology of humans towards music. Based on this knowledge i am confident to create music which will seem good to the ears of humans.

by OJSep 21, 2020

I really enjoyed this course. I am really passionate about music and evolution, so this gave me a lot of really useful information for my future research.

by SMAug 6, 2021

It was an incredible experience! Mr. Dale Purves's way of explaining the material is just wonderful! and goes into details which was really helpful!

by NLSep 30, 2022

Good introductory course on science behind music. Solid and interesting content. Little dry. Pianist is excellent.

View all reviews

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
Will I receive a transcript from Duke University for completing this course?
No. Completion of a Coursera course does not earn you academic credit from Duke; therefore, Duke is not able to provide you with a university transcript. However, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

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Music as Biology: What We Like to Hear and Why