Ever wonder why some concerts make you want to dance non-stop?

Daniel Cameron and his team at McMaster University found one key element that drives people unconsciously to stay longer on the dance floor. They wanted to see if sneaky, very low frequency (VLF) bass sounds — so low you can’t even hear them — could turn on the audience’s dance moves without them even knowing it.

During a live concert by the electronic music duo Orphx at the LIVELab, the researchers gave people from the audience motion-capture headbands and alternated VLF speakers (8–37Hz) on and off every 2.5 minutes during a 55-minute performance.

They measured how much people moved when the bass was thumping versus when it was off.

The difference wasn’t subtle.

• When those VLFs were on, audience movement shot up by 11.8%. That’s almost 12% more spice just from some stealthy bass.

• After the concert, people reported feeling the bass in their bodies but they didn’t even realize those bass notes were making them move more.

• Further tests showed participants couldn’t consciously detect the VLFs. So, their feet were moving to a beat they couldn’t even hear.

These frequencies activated the body without the participant’s awareness, and people loved it.

Turn up the magic

Imagine your fans leaving your show saying, “I don’t know what it was, but I couldn’t stop dancing!”. But you would know why. You could add some barely-there bass magic and watch the crowd lose it in the best way possible. With that kind of word-of-mouth, you’ll be boosting your career in no time.

When fans are dancing their hearts out, they’re more likely to have a positive memory of your show, buy your merch, stream your music, and follow you on every social platform.

Embrace the invisible bass.

More engagement, happier fans, and more money in your pocket.

Why do we love to dance?

We find most pleasure in rhythms with medium complexity — not too simple, not too complicated — according to a study from 2020. When you listen to these rhythms, your brain’s motor and reward networks light up like a Christmas tree.

The prefrontal and parietal regions of the brain are not only involved in beat perception but also in the pleasure you get from moving to the beat. So when you hit that sweet spot, you get a higher pleasure and a stronger urge to move.

As a musician, you need to get people moving. When they dance their brains associate your music with pleasure and reward. This emotional connection makes them more likely to stick with you, stream your music, and attend your concerts.

Think of it as as a dopamine hit every time they hear your track, making them crave more.

Find that groove that makes people want to dance and you’ll hit the lottery.

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