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Abstract:
THIS STUDY EXAMINED PRODUCTION
an
d synchro-
nization of eight uneven rhythms (set A: 2
3, 3
2; set
B: 2
2
3, 2
3
2, 3
2
2; set C: 2
3
3, 3
2
3,
3
3
2) at rates that made it difficult to subdivide the
component intervals into elementary metrical pulses.
The main questions were how interval ratios would
change as a function of tempo within this range, and
wh
ether metrical downbeat location (which distin-
guishes the rhythms within each set) would be reflected
in any of the dependent measures. Musically trained
participants tapped each rhythm cyclically in syn-
chrony with an auditory template and then continued to
tap in three ways: self-paced, paced by a sequence of
downbeats, or paced by a rapid stream of isochronous
subdivisions. Each task was carried out at eight tempi.
The third task assessed the temporal limit of subdivi-
sion for these rhythms (about 6 Hz), which was
exceeded by most tempi. Results showed that the mean
long–short (3:2) interval ratio was already larger than
1.5 at the slowest tempo in rhythm sets A and B, and
increased with tempo in sets B and C, but did not
appr
oach 2. Uneven rhythms thus can be produced
without mental subdivision, but only with substantial
enhancement of the contrast between long and short
intervals. Metrical downbeat location had no reliable
effect on interval ratios but was reflected in more force-
ful
downbeat taps and in different alignments of taps
with a pacing sequence. In general, effects of temporal
grouping (between rhythm sets) outweighed those of
metrical interpretation (within rhythm sets).
