How to Become a Music Sommelier

Add some sonic seasoning to people’s tasting experience

Photo by beboplu from Pixabay

Eating is the only thing we do that involves all the senses.

But sound is rarely considered part of this experience.

Our senses are intertwined and what we hear while eating will influence our sense of taste. Our brain picks up all these environmental signals and sound is also part of this taste mix whether we realize it or not.

Maybe you’ve felt it while eating a potato chip or popcorn.

I bet you like hearing the crunchy sound in your mouth while you eat these things. It’s a pleasurable experience. However, if we didn’t hear the crunch, would it be equally tasteful?

Science tells us it wouldn’t.

Let’s dive into the effects of sound on our sense of taste.

The right music fit

There’re two main outcomes on our eating experience when we apply sound to the equation.

The first one is on what we choose to eat.

Playing certain songs in a food environment (e.g. restaurant, supermarket) can guide our purchasing behavior.

One study in British supermarkets found that when playing French music, people bought more French…