This study investigates the emotional characteristics of the violin and erhu in multiple musical excerpts. Participants assessed 52 musical excerpts played by both instruments using the Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) scale. Pairwise comparisons explored the impact of playing techniques (Vibrato, Portamento, and Trill) and instrument on emotional perception. Fifty-eight participants evaluated four versions of 13 musical pieces. Significant agreement was found between the emotion categories and Valence-Arousal (VA) ratings. Ambiguity between calmness and sadness emerged, with VA tending to classify ambiguous excerpts as sad. Playing techniques enhanced the energetic qualities of both instruments. The violin consistently evoked more positive and energetic perceptions compared to the erhu, which were further enhanced when playing techniques such as vibrato were employed. Although erhu with playing techniques tended to be more negative, it still elicited greater energy and positivity than erhu without techniques.
Valence-Arousal means were used to determine the emotional qualities of the 13 musical pieces. A subsequent pairwise comparison involving 33 participants revealed that versions with playing techniques had stronger emotional impact than those without techniques. Furthermore, emotional impact was higher when the piece was originally composed for the instrument being played, which was manifest in higher Bradley-Terry-Luce (BTL) values.
