Could smart sound design actually make calling a hospital a less stressful experience? And what if the sound of a cello could be scientifically mapped to our emotions?

These are just some of the questions we’ll be exploring today with our guest, Caitlyn Trevor. Caitlyn holds a PhD in Music Theory, a Master’s in Cello Performance, and is an award-winning film score composer. As a researcher and UX professional, her work sits at that fascinating intersection of performance, science, and user experience.

In our chat, we trace Caitlyn’s journey from discovering the Lord of the Rings soundtrack to conducting neuroscience research in Switzerland. We’ll get into the specifics of how playing music acts as a full-body exercise for the brain, and why she’s applying that knowledge to improve everyday sonic experiences. We also discuss her fantastic LinkedIn series, "Sound Effects," which shows how sound can drive behaviour change. For example, one post reveals how adding a simple warning sound to an e-scooter can cut the number of times it goes unnoticed by pedestrians from a staggering 97% down to just 3%. It's a wonderful conversation packed with insight.

Show notes

Connect with Caitlyn via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caitlyn-trevor/
The Sound Effect series on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sonicuxr
Video Music in the tunnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Irk1leLxfk
What is Music Cognition, video by David Heron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R76p5B9nyPk

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Sonic UX research with Caitlyn Trevor - The Power of Music Thinking