Singing researchers uncover cross-cultural patterns in music and language

A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances has uncovered fascinating cross-cultural patterns in music and language, with Queen Mary University of London's Dr Emmanouil Benetos, Reader in Machine Listening at the School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, contributing to the research. 

The study, involving 75 researchers from 46 countries, examined the rhythms, pitches, and timbres of traditional music and speech from a diverse range of cultures. The findings revealed striking similarities in the way music and speech are structured across different languages, suggesting that these patterns may have deep evolutionary roots. 

Dr Benetos, an expert in machine listening and music technology, contributed his expertise in analysing the acoustic features of the recorded music and speech samples. His insights were instrumental in identifying the subtle patterns that emerged from the vast dataset. 

"This study is a remarkable achievement that brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to explore the fundamental connections between music and language," commented Dr Benetos. "The findings have the potential to shed new light on the evolution of human communication and the role of music in our social and cultural lives." 

The research also highlighted the importance of diversity in scientific research. By including participants from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, the study captured a broader and more representative picture of human musical and linguistic behavior. 

"This study is a testament to the power of collaboration and the importance of diversity in scientific research," said Dr Benetos. "By bringing together researchers from different parts of the world, we were able to gain a deeper understanding of these universal patterns in music and language." 

The findings of this study have significant implications for our understanding of music, language, and human communication. They also pave the way for future research into the evolutionary origins of music and the role of technology in preserving and analysing cultural traditions.