Musical Emotions

Answer choices

1. A

   Too Strong6% picked this

   The more complex a piece of music, the more it is likely to be enjoyed

   Too Strong: the more x, the more y This kind of Volume Dial relationship is one of the most extreme types of claims on LSAT. It extends infinitely; that's what makes it so extreme. The author of Passage B would definitely disagree with this, since she said that too much complexity would make us not like music as much ("tends to be overwhelming").

   6%
2. B

   Out of Scope Passage A: knowledgeable1% picked this

   More knowledgeable listeners tend to prefer music that is discontinuous

   Nothin in Passage A gets into knowledgeable vs. novice listeners.

   1%
3. C

   Too Strong: the central determinant9% picked this

   The capacity of music to elicit strong emotional responses from listeners is the central determinant

   Both authors would surely agree that the capacity of music to elicit strong emotion from listeners is a big part of its artistic value. But we can't find any maximalist language claiming it is the central determinant.

   9%
4. D

   Correct74% picked this

   Music that lacks a predictable course is unlikely to cause a listener

   Why this is right

   Do both passages talk about music's potential to cause a listener to feel relaxed? Yes, passage A's final paragraph explains how certain music can have a relaxing effect Which type is that? it tends to be continuous and rhythmical Okay, so music that is discontinuous or doesn't have a clear rhythm would be likely to cause a listener to feel relaxed. Is "discontinuous and w/o clear rhythm" a good match for "music that lacks a predicable course"? It's not terrible. But the final sentence of passage A gives us one more nugget to chew on: a continuous sound, particularly one that is judged to be safe, relaxes. So our support for A comes from thinking that "If music lacks a predictable course, then it probably hasn't been judged to be safe, probably isn't continuous, and probably doesn't have an obvious rhythm. Thus, it's less likely to relax." The first paragraph of A is talking about how we are more likely to be curious about a melody when it's following a predictable course (a principle that connects the sounds and makes them comprehensible), but that paragraph is more about positive effects, not specifically relaxation. The support from B is more explicit and comes from its first paragraph. certain elements create expectations about the future development (course) of the music. The expectation (prediction) the listener has about the further course is a key determinant of "musical emotions" ..... when resolution occurs, relaxation follows. Since passage B ties relaxation to the Causal Difference-Maker of "resolving the expected course of the music", we can flip the causal difference-maker to say that "when an unpredictable course of music does not allow for this resolution, it's less likely to cause a listener to feel relaxed."

   Skill tested: Author Opinion · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.

   74%
5. E

   Too Strong8% picked this

   Music that changes from soft to loud is perceived as disturbing and unpleasant

   Too Strong: most Out of Scope Passage B: soft/loud Passage A probably doesn't say anything specific enough to weigh in on whether over 50% of people would find soft to loud disturbing. She'd definitely say, "yes, for many people, especially if the switch from soft to loud was sudden and unexpected (it would feel like danger)." But Nirvana got rich and world famous (beloved by most) playing music that went from soft to loud. That was just the formula of songs in the 90s ... clean verses and then stomp your distortion pedal for the big chorus. As long as we judge that to be safe, we're not necessarily turned off by dynamics. But the quick and easy way to get rid of this one is that Passage B never talks about dynamics (differences in volume).

   8%