The invention relates to a method and system in which the content and intelligibility of communication by telephone are improved by means of music. Musical compositions are typically works that create in a listener an association with a certain emotion. In the invention, a suitable piece of music (10a, 10b, . . . , 10n) describing the state of mind of the caller (32) is set to be played in the background of a message to be conveyed by phone. The caller may thus communicate his affective state to the conversation partner without expressing it directly in words. Conversely, the music playing in the background of the message gives the called party (34) immediately an idea of the state of mind of the caller so that he can adopt a suitable attitude in the situation. In the invention, the musical compositions are placed in a directory (30) which may be located in the cellular phone (33, 35) of the caller or called party or in the equipment of the operator (36) switching calls. A suitable musical composition is selected by means of a menu (28) in the cellular phone or by an automatic state of mind recognizer connected to the phone.
Method and system for expressing affective state in communication by telephone