Syncopated auditory polyrhythms: Discontinuous reversals in meter interpretation

Abstract

Subjects tapped the beat (i.e., meter) of a polyrhythm in which one tone occurred three times per pattern repitition while the second tone occurred four times per pattern repitition. At one presentation rate, the polyrhythm underwent a figure-ground reversal —the beat shifted from one tone to the other. Rhythmic organization is thus a function of the absolute tempo.

The contextual nature of rhythmic interpretation

“…Because previous work (Handel &: Oshinsky, 1981;Oshinsky &: Handel, 1978) had demonstrated individual differences in rhythmic interpretation, every subject's response was coded on the basis of the above classification. Thus, for a 2 x 3 x 7 polyrhythm, the possible rhythms would be : (I) 2 x 3 x 7 cross-rhythm; (2) 2-pulsetrain meter; (3) 3-pulse-train meter; (4) 7-pulse-train meter; (5) 2 x 3 cross-rhythm; (6) 2 x 7 cross-rhythm; (7) 3 x 7 crossrhythm; (8) unit; and (9) a catch-all nonresponse category.…”

Sensorimotor synchronization: A review of the tapping literature

“…Isochronous tapping is frequently used as a way of determining the period and phase of the perceived metrical beat(s) in rhythmic patterns or in music (see, e.g., Drake, Jones, & Baruch, 2000;Drake, Penel, & Bigand, 2000;Handel & Lawson, 1983;Handel & Oshinsky, 1981;Jones & Pfordresher, 1997;Oshinsky & Handel, 1978;Parncutt, 1994;Snyder & Krumhansl, 2001;Toiviainen & Snyder, 2003;van Noorden & Moelants, 1999;Vos, van Dijk, & Schomaker, 1994). However, these beat-finding studies have usually been concerned only with the approximate position of the taps, not with synchronization accuracy or error correction; therefore, they are somewhat outside the scope of this review.…”

The effect of tempo and musical experience on perceived beat

“…In this research, we focus on those studies specifically investigating the effect of tempo on perceived beat. These have mainly involved asking people to tap out the most salient metrical level for simple and complex rhythms presented at different tempos (Duke, 1989;Handel, 1984;Handel & Lawson, 1983;Handel & Oshinsky, 1981;Oshinsky & Handel, 1978;Parncutt, 1994). Some of the earliest research on rhythm (Bolton, 1894;Woodrow, 1909) demonstrated subjective preferences for 1 :2, 1:3, and 1:4 ratios (grouping tones by twos, threes, and fours) for simple isochronous sequences, such as the Pulse pattern in Figure 1.…”