The effect of synthesizer accompaniments on the perception of choral music

In this study, I investigated whether adding synthesizers to choral accompaniment increased listener enjoyment. I was curious if incorporating synthesizers into choral selections made them feel more familiar and enjoyable. I surveyed 371 people, including college and community choir singers, as well as audience members. After indicating various demographic details, participants listened to choral recordings with different accompaniments: some with just piano and some with added synthesizers.

I found that most people preferred choral accompaniments that had synthesized bass lines added into the musical texture. However, when the synthesizer completely replaced the piano, participants preferred the traditional piano accompaniment. Additionally, people who liked classical and choir music tended to prefer the traditional piano accompaniment, while those who liked rock, EDM, and hip-hop preferred the synthesizers. How familiar people were with synthesizers also affected how much they liked the choir songs with synthesized accompaniments. Audience members were somewhat more interested in performing selections with piano accompaniments enhanced by digital bass lines, while choir participants preferred singing with traditional piano accompaniment over a synthesizer replacement.

These findings suggest that using digital instruments in choir music could attract a wider audience and could encourage composers to utilized modern instrumentation when creating new works. Additionally, training choral conductors to use digital instruments could provide a path to make choral music more relevant to individuals who might not typically consume classical or choir music. While many of these results are limited in their generalizability, further study may provide possibilities for incorporating digital instruments into choir music in new and creative ways.