We listen to music with our ears – and that amazing electric meatball between our ears: our brain! But why do our brains find some music scary?

We’re born with some fears baked into our brains, because our ancestors thought they were scary too! That’s why sudden loud noises startle us sometimes. But there’s another reason certain sounds freak us out – we’ve been taught to find them scary.

We’ll hear how composer Heather McIntosh uses these fears to write scary film scores, and we’ll explore some of the ways scary sounds make their way into music with pianist and musical magician, Jae Kyo Han. Plus an extra mysterious mystery sound!

This episode was sponsored by:

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AHH! How music can make scary movies even scarier 33:25

Brains On! Science podcast for kids

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AHH! How music can make scary movies even scarier