An Exploration of Physiological Responses to the Native American Flute Eric B. Miller† and Clinton F. Goss‡ †Montclair State University, Montclair, New Jersey; Email:
[email protected] ‡Westport, Connecticut; Email:
[email protected] ARTICLE INFORMATION ABSTRACT Presented at ISQRMM, Athens, This pilot study explored physiological responses to playing and listening to the GA: July 26, 2013 Native American flute. Autonomic, electroencephalographic (EEG), and heart Revised: January 24, 2014 rate variability (HRV) metrics were recorded while participants (N = 15) played flutes and listened to several styles of music. Flute playing was accompanied by This work is licensed under the an 84% increase in HRV (p < .001). EEG theta (4–8 Hz) activity increased while Creative Commons Attribution- playing flutes (p = .007) and alpha (8–12 Hz) increased while playing lower- Noncommercial 3.0 license. pitched flutes (p = .009). Increase in alpha from baseline to the flute playing This work has not been peer conditions strongly correlated with experience playing Native American flutes (r reviewed. = +.700). Wide-band beta (12–25 Hz) decreased from the silence conditions when listening to solo Native American flute music (p = .013). The findings of increased HRV, increasing slow-wave rhythms, and decreased beta support the hypothesis that Native American flutes, particularly those with lower pitches, may have a role in music therapy contexts. We conclude that the Native Keywords: music therapy, American flute may merit a more prominent role in music therapy and that a Native American flute, heart rate variability (HRV), study of the effects of flute playing on clinical conditions, such as post-traumatic EEG, alpha stress disorder (PTSD), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, anxiety, and major depressive disorder, is warranted.