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Enhancing EDM Dance Experience

February 28 @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
A high-energy graphic titled "Enhancing EDM Dance Experience with the Addition of Ultra-low Frequency Sound and Vibrotactile Stimulation". There are silhouettes of four illustrated people dance on a stage bathed in purple spotlights. A massive, glowing sound wave visualizer in pink, white, and blue dominates the centre, while concentric circular ripples on the floor suggest physical vibrations.

Enhancing EDM Dance Experience
with the Addition of Ultra-low Frequency Sound and Vibrotactile Stimulation

The LIVELab at McMaster University is a purpose-built, 106-seat research concert hall designed to bridge the gap between rigorous scientific laboratory control and the ecological validity of a real-world performance. This unique facility features instantly reconfigurable acoustics and integrated biosensing systems that capture synchronized motion, neural, and physiological data from large groups of performers and audience members simultaneously.  One of our most important areas of research is studying how and why people move to music.
The sensation of groove is defined as the pleasurable desire to move to music. While traditionally viewed as an auditory phenomenon, our research demonstrates that groove is a multimodal experience where the “feel” of the music is as critical as the sound. This talk explores how tactile and subsensory low-frequency stimulation drive motor behaviour and reward processing in the brain. In experiments using both special very low frequency subwoofers and vibrotactile backpacks (Subpac), we found that adding tactile stimulation to music significantly increases subjective ratings of groove and enjoyment, and causes audience members to move significantly more at an EDM concert.

 

Speaker Bio

Dr. Dan Bosnyak is a neuroscientist and the Technical Director of McMaster University’s LIVELab, where he spearheads research into the physiological impact of live performance and the mechanics of human hearing. A key pillar of his work involves investigating hearing impairment and tinnitus, specifically how neural plasticity can be harnessed to mitigate the effects of hearing loss through auditory training.

Dr. Bosnyak’s expertise in the LIVELab’s specialized acoustic environment has also led to groundbreaking studies on Very-Low Frequency (VLF) energy in electronic dance music (EDM). By utilizing high-density EEG and the lab’s sophisticated “active acoustics,” he explores how sub-sensory bass frequencies—those felt by the body rather than heard by the ear—directly influence human motor systems and drive the urge to dance. His research bridges the gap between the physics of sound and the neurobiology of performance, offering new insights into how both high-energy music environments and therapeutic auditory interventions reshape the human brain.

 

Details

Venue

  • Spice Factory
  • 121 Hughson St. N
    Hamilton, Ontario L8R 1G7 Canada     + Google Map