Subject: Re: Rhythm From: Jont Allen <jba(at)RESEARCH.ATT.COM> Date: Wed, 19 Nov 1997 09:41:36 -0500HARTMANN(at)PA.MSU.EDU wrote: > > Dear List, > > This is a question about the ability to perceive irregularity in > rhythm. It comes from Boogie Bob, Lansing's foremost rhythm and blues > artist. > > What is the JND for perceiving an unequal division of a beat into > two notes? > > A quarter note beat could be divided into two eighth notes. > Theoretically, that would be a 50-50 division. > > It could be divided into a dotted quarter and a sixteenth. > That would be a 75-25 division, clearly different from 50-50. > > Can you distinguish between 75-25 and 67-33? How about 75-25 > vs 70-30? > > Presumably the answer depends somehow on the tempo. How? > > Because this is a question about rhythm and not about the perception of tone > duration, there needs to be a context. Probably it's best to think of a > regular and indefinite repetition of the two-note sequence in question. > That establishes the tempo and context. > > Anybody out there with information on this subject? > > Next: how about the ability to reliably PRODUCE such a division? > > Thanks, > Bill I believe that Saul Sternberg did some research on this topic back in the early 80s. I dont know where he is right now, but maybe at U of Penn. Jont -- Jont B. Allen, Room B009; AT&T Labs-Research 180 Park AV; Florham Park NJ 07932 973/360-8545voice, x8092fax; http://www.research.att.com/info/jba;