Definition

The Grief pattern is a set of auditory cues that humans and animals produce when we experience loss. Crying, sobbing, wailing, and other anguished sounds all share a set of distinct, rare acoustic features. These features are highly unstable and difficult to fake, which helps grief cues serve as honest signals of emotional pain and an effective way to attract comfort. The more abruptly artists introduce grief cues into their music, and the more performers intensify the unique features that distinguish them, the more likely we are to experience chills.

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Mechanism

There are two theories of how the Grief pattern works. One theory is that grief cues make us vicariously “feel” the emotional pain of a performer. When we hear the Grief pattern in a song, the music makes us imagine what it would be like if we lost a loved one. And through this empathizing process, we feel a moment of fear and are moved to chills. A second theory is that grief cues trigger a part of our brain that evolved for infant care-giving. Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp argues that we all have a “separation-distress” brain system. This system makes us feel momentary cold chills when we hear an infant crying. These chills, according to the theory, prompt us to physically go to and hold the infant in distress in order to warm up. Regardless of which theory is correct, musicians generally have to make themselves imagine and feel anguish to achieve authentic grief cues in their music.

Technique #1: Rapid, irregular trembling

The first Grief pattern technique is to use sounds with very fast pitch oscillations. Researchers have confirmed that the more emotionally upset we become, the more rapidly and unpredictably our voice shakes. While many musicians can pull off steady vibratos, it takes special skills to achieve irregular, grief-like trembling (either in lead vocals or on instruments). 

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique include:

• Fast, non-linear vibrato or rhythmic stuttering: string instruments and unique voices where the rate and size of vocal oscillations is abnormally high and irregular (e.g. Freddie Mercury, Dolly Parton, Edith Piaf, Carlos Gardel are all frequent submissions to our dataset)

• Certain high-oscillation instruments: Hammond organ, MOOG synthesizers, cello, Uelian pipes, and saxophone, typically with extreme dynamics (either very loud or very soft)

• Feature during opening sections or exposed transitions: typically in long intros with sparse arrangements, or transitions where the ensemble drops out, to focus listener attention

Technique #2: Breaking voice

The second Grief pattern technique involves voice “breaks”.  When we cry, a part of our throat called the pharynx tightens, resulting in random, unpredictable swings between the modal and falsetto registers (i.e. breaks). Researchers have confirmed that breaking voice is one of the most consistent features of human grief vocalizations.

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique include:

• Prominent breaks in lead vocals: talented singers achieving authentic breaks during exposed points in songs, often right before the end of cadences when they are least expected

• Instruments mimicking breaking voice with disjunct motion: alternating octaves on solo violin, muted synths with abrupt swings in pitch, all with smooth, legato onset of the notes

• Yodeling and other extended vocal techniques: typically a cappella or surrounded by sparse orchestration (e.g., the opening sequence of The Grand Budapest Hotel film)

Anecdote: Breaking voice is especially common in American country music. Frisson expert David Huron conducted a study that found a strong correlation between voice breaks and grief-related lyrics in country music. Many of the moments from Huron’s study also appeared in our dataset of listener frisson moments.

Technique #3: Pharyngeal voice

The third Grief pattern technique involves a nasal sound in lead vocals referred to as pharyngeal voice. When we cry, our pharynx tightens and our tears mix with nasal mucus. This results in an unstable, nasal sound that passes more air through the sinus and head cavity than the mouth. You know pharyngeal voice when you hear it. It’s the sound thats produced if you hold and exaggerate the “ng” in the last part of a word like young or rung.

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique include:

• Lead vocalists lowering their soft palette: sudden switching from chest voice to head voice and increasing the singing volume, often at the high point of a phrase or end of a cadence

• Child singers: especially young male singers on the verge of puberty, whose transitioning voice naturally has a more nasal-heavy sound (these young singers are frequently used in choirs)

• Lyrics emphasizing ng, m, n, and i sounds: typically on long hold notes to bring out the nasal sound of these letters and make sure listeners catch it

Technique #4: Gliding pitch contours (usually descending)

The fourth Grief pattern technique involves sounds with sweeping, asymmetric pitch contours. These gliding sounds, which can be arced with a pronounced peak or simply long slow descents, are typically referred to as wailing or howling. Researchers have confirmed these falling pitch contours are a consistent features of human and animal grief vocalizations. 

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique include:

• Single slow glides: typically during exposed sections on lead vocals where the accompaniment drops out or is reduced to focus listener attention 

• Fast repeated glides with pronounced peaks: on voice-like instruments like electric guitar, cello, and lead vocals, mimicking a fit or burst of sobbing like humans sometimes experience

• Certain progressions that mimic falling pitch contours: chord changes like I-iii and IV-iv, typically sounded repeatedly at slow tempos and quiet dynamics

Technique #5: Falsetto

The fifth Grief pattern technique involves sudden shifts into the falsetto vocal register. When singers use falsetto, or when certain string instruments sound in upper registers above their comfortable range, it produce a thin, “airy” sound. Researchers have confirmed that uncontrolled shifts to falsetto register are a consistent features of human grief vocalizations.

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique include:

• Sudden shifts to the falsetto vocal register: typically with male vocalists (e.g. Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Muse, Maroon 5, etc.)

• Prominent, strained breathing sounds: punctuated gasping, sobbing, and exhaling 

• Artificial harmonics on string instruments: violin and electric guitar sounding artificial harmonics or other notes at the very top of their range