Presentation at RPPW 2019

Poster presentation at Rhythm Production and Perception Workshop 2019 with Dr. Rebecca Schaefer 18-20 June, 2019 Traverse City, Michigan United States RPPW 2019 Abstract The experience of speed when tapping to polyrhythms Ned McGowan-1,2; Rebecca Schaefer- 1,3 1. Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, Leiden University, The Netherlands 2. Utrecht Conservatory, University of the Arts, Utrecht, The Netherlands, 3. Health, Medical & Neuropsychology, Leiden University, The Netherlands Different rhythmic patterns are hypothesized to be able to induce varying levels of subjective speed, irrespective of actual tempo. In an empirical study, subjects tapped to fragments of piano music in which polyrhythms were systematically varied between the pulse, played in the lower register, and a series of chords, played in a higher register. To standardize the actual tempo, they were instructed to tap with the lower pulse, and after each fragment they were asked to rate the fragment on several dimensions (i.e. subjective speed, ease of tapping, induced activation level, induced fatigue, and preference). Concurrently, heart rate was collected using an ECG measurement. Each polyrhythm is presented at three tempi, and the tonal structure is similar but different in each exemplar in terms of exact chord series and key. It was theorized that there are three classed of speed, relating to the ratio between the lower and higher register, based on whether the periodicity in the higher register was faster than the pulse, between 1 and 2 beats of the pulse, or 2 beats and longer. As the experiment is currently in progress, no results can yet be reported, but it is hypothesized that these three classes will be reflected as linearly decreasing in subjective speed. The other measures that are collected will be informative about measures of arousal, and effects of preference.