Time Perception for Musical Rhythms: Sensorimotor Perspectives on Entrainment, Simulation, and Prediction

Abstract

Neural mechanisms supporting time perception in continuously changing sensory environments may be relevant to a broader understanding of how the human brain utilizes time in cognition and action. In this review, we describe current theories of sensorimotor engagement in the support of subsecond timing. We focus on musical timing due to the extensive literature surrounding movement with and perception of musical rhythms. First, we define commonly used but ambiguous concepts including neural entrainment, simulation, and prediction in the context of musical timing. Next, we summarize the literature on sensorimotor timing during perception and performance and describe current theories of sensorimotor engagement in the support of subsecond timing. We review the evidence supporting that sensorimotor engagement is critical in accurate time perception. Finally, potential clinical implications for a sensorimotor perspective of timing are highlighted.

Pace setting as an adaptive precursor of rhythmic musicality

“…109,110 Entrainment to the beat may take place through physical movement, but also through activation of the associated neural networks in the absence of movement-in other words, mental entrainment. 111 This process of entrainment also involves a transition from an awareness of a pattern of rhythmic beats to the perception of meter-that is, to the perception and anticipation of the structure of rhythm in time. When fully developed musically, this form of attunement can be disassociated from the rhythmic stimulus, and further learned, practiced, and shared, not only in music, but in other contexts such as dance and language use.…”

“…For rhythmic entrainment, a regular beat or pulse must be both generated and maintained, and only humans appear to be consistently able to do both 109,110 . Entrainment to the beat may take place through physical movement, but also through activation of the associated neural networks in the absence of movement—in other words, mental entrainment 111 . This process of entrainment also involves a transition from an awareness of a pattern of rhythmic beats to the perception of meter—that is, to the perception and anticipation of the structure of rhythm in time.…”

Multiscale Approaches to Music and the Embodied Brain

“…Both resonance and entrainment in brain and body speak to the synchronisation of sensory modalities to aspects of the environment at varying scales, yet differ in the sophistication of phase alignment and dynamics of entrainment. [58] usefully distinguish between three types of entrainment as it occurs across different scales; neural entrainment, overt motor entrainment, and covert motor entrainment (p.2). Neural entrainment comes about through the synchronisation or phase locking of neural oscillations in time with an external stimulus.…”

Journal of Multiscale Neuroscience

“…Both resonance and entrainment in brain and body speak to the synchronisation of sensory modalities to aspects of the environment at varying scales, yet differ in the sophistication of phase alignment and dynamics of entrainment. Ross & Balasubramaniam (2022) usefully distinguish between three types of entrainments as it occurs across different scales; neural entrainment, overt motor entrainment, and covert motor entrainment (Ross & Balasubramaniam, 2022). Neural entrainment comes about through the synchronisation or phase locking of neural oscillations in time with an external stimulus.…”