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Theoretical and empirical advances in understanding musical rhythm, beat and metre

Nature Reviews Psychology (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The rhythmic elements of music are integral to experiences such as singing, musical emotions, the urge to dance and playing a musical instrument. Thus, studies of musical rhythm are an especially fertile ground for the development of innovative theories of complex naturalistic behaviour. In this Review, we first synthesize behavioural and neural studies of musical rhythm, beat and metre perception. Then, we describe key theories and models of these abilities, including nonlinear oscillator models and predictive-coding models, to clarify the extent to which they overlap in their mechanistic proposals and make distinct testable predictions. Next, we review studies of development and genetics to shed further light on the psychological and neural basis of rhythmic abilities and provide insight into the evolutionary and cultural origins of music. Last, we outline future research opportunities to integrate behavioural and genetics studies with computational modelling and neuroscience studies to better understand musical behaviour.

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Fig. 1: Perception and production of rhythm, beat and metre.
Fig. 2: Two leading theories of beat and metre perception.
Fig. 3: Developmental trajectories for rhythm, beat and metre.

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  1. Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, USA

    Joel S. Snyder & Erin E. Hannon

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA

    Reyna L. Gordon

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Snyder, J.S., Gordon, R.L. & Hannon, E.E. Theoretical and empirical advances in understanding musical rhythm, beat and metre. Nat Rev Psychol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00315-y

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