The Psychology of Sound: Why Certain Chords Make Us Feel Deep Emotions

We’ve all been there, a song comes on, and suddenly you’re not just hearing it, you’re feeling it. Maybe it takes you back to a childhood memory, or maybe the sound just makes your chest tighten and you don’t even know why. That’s the strange beauty of music. It bypasses logic and speaks straight to the part of us that feels.

For me, music has always been more than just background noise. It’s been a kind of companion, sometimes a mirror when I needed to face myself, sometimes an escape when things got heavy. The psychology of sound is something I’ve grown fascinated with because it explains, at least partly, why certain chords and songs resonate so deeply. And for me, it ties directly into my own journey with mental health.

The Psychology of Sound: Why Music Resonates   

Music has a unique way of reaching into our emotions. Sometimes just a tiny tune can flip your whole mood. Scientists say our brain releases dopamine when we hear certain melodies. That’s the same chemical that makes us feel happy and rewarded. So yeah, even a short piece of music can change how we feel.

• Major chords usually sound bright. They lift you up, make things feel a little more hopeful.
• Minor chords have a different pull. They remind us of old memories, sadness, or that deep sense of longing.
• Dissonant chords feel a bit uncomfortable. They create tension and can leave you on edge.
• Rhythm and tempo matter too. Slow beats calm you down, while faster ones make you feel charged up.

That’s why a love song can bring tears, or why a movie scene feels so much stronger with music behind it. It’s also the reason music therapy is becoming popular. Sound doesn’t stop at our ears, it moves through the whole nervous system, shaping both body and mind.

Music and Mental Health Go Hand in Hand

It’s not just me saying this, there’s research backing it up. According to Billboard, nearly 73% of independent musicians report symptoms of mental illness. That number might seem shocking, but it makes sense. Creating music often means working alone, dealing with financial stress, and exposing very raw parts of yourself to the world.

On the flip side, listening to music is one of the most common ways people take care of themselves. A playlist can be therapy. A favorite song can get you through a hard night. And for people who don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, music fills the gap.

I think that’s why songs about struggle or survival resonate so widely. They remind us we’re not the only ones going through something.

My Story: Living With Schizoaffective Disorder

My name is Ben Ruppel, and I live with schizoaffective disorder, a combination of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. I was diagnosed in 2008, but my journey started before then. Between 2006 and 2013, I was hospitalized multiple times under what’s called a 5150 or 5250 psychiatric hold here in California. That meant days or weeks at a time where I couldn’t leave the hospital while doctors tried to stabilize me.

Treatment is part of my everyday life now. I take medication (Aripiprazole, the generic of Abilify), see a psychiatrist regularly, and do my best to maintain structure in my day. In the past, I’ve lived in supervised housing and dealt with dual diagnosis issues where substance use made things more complicated.

And through all of it, music has been a thread that runs alongside the story. Certain songs helped me through nights when nothing else worked. Sometimes it was the comfort of repetition. Other times it was the raw honesty of an artist putting words to feelings I thought only I had. Music doesn’t fix everything, but it steadies me.

Why Music Resonates With Everyone

My story is just one example, but I think everyone has their own version of it. Maybe for you it’s a song that reminds you of a person you lost, or a track that got you through a breakup, or even a random tune that just makes you feel like yourself again.

That’s what fascinates me about the psychology of sound: it’s both universal and deeply personal. Two people can hear the same chord and experience totally different emotions. Yet somehow, we all understand that music means something.

Closing Thoughts: Finding Harmony

I don’t think I’ll ever live a life completely free from treatment. That’s my reality. But what I’ve learned is that music makes the journey lighter. It gives shape to feelings I can’t always explain and reminds me that dissonance doesn’t last forever, it resolves eventually.

The psychology of sound shows us that music has real power. It influences mood, triggers memory, and connects us to each other in ways few other things can. For me, it’s been both comfort and structure. For you, it might be something else entirely.

So let me ask you: What’s the one song or chord progression that has stuck with you through your hardest times?