GUARDIAN-MT (GUarded by Advanced Radar technology-based Diagnostics Applied in palliative and intensive care Nursing – Music Therapy) was the music therapy subproject within a research examining the reliability of non-contact vital parameter measurements using radar, compared to validated measurement methods. The focus of GUARDIAN-MT was on evaluating live-played sounds during a cold-pressor induced pain stimulus using a mixed-method approach. In addition to direct standard measures, a content-analytical procedure was applied to analyze telephone interviews regarding the retrospective experience of the pain event according to psychologically relevant experiential categories. It was found that particularly the arousal ratings, assessed by independent evaluators, had a substantial influence on the perceived valence of the pain event. Arousal-reducing interventions, such as well-coordinated performance of individual live music, can contribute to experiencing the pain not only as milder, but also less prolonged. The analysis of qualitative data can help uncover and deepen the essential qualities and effects of music therapy interventions.