Why do fifths sound scary?
Bernd Willimek, Daniela Willimek · 2022
In literature, the interval of the fifth is described with terms like "spooky", "eerie", "desolate", "gloomy", "dark" "harsh," or "cold". Sometimes the fifth is associated with loneliness or with death. Until now, there has been no generally accepted explanation for these descriptions. In this paper, a reasoning, based on the Theory of Musical Equilibration, is presented. The peculiarity of this interval is that it can be perceived as incomplete sound, since in it represents a triad without third. In the sense of the theory of Musical Equilibration, the third is crucial for us to identify with a "will content" in a chord. Missing the third, one can perceive the fifth as soulless and lifeless, which explains the descriptions quoted above.