Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026

fMRI Mapping of Brain Activity Associated with the Vocal Production of Consonant and Dissonant Intervals
Published on: May 23, 2017
Coordination dynamics in singing with human and artificial partners: the role of visual information
Rina Nishiyama1, Tetsushi Nonaka1
1Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
Introduction:
This study examined whether coordination dynamics in singing differ when a person sings along with a human partner vs. an artificial partner generated by voice synthesis software (VOCALOID 6). We further investigated how the presence or absence of visual information shapes these coordination patterns.
Methods:
Thirteen female participants sang a chorus excerpt of Silent Night in unison with a partner heard through earphones. The task crossed two partner types (a human singer and an artificial VOCALOID 6 singer) with two visual conditions (with and without partner video). Artificial-partner videos were created using an AI video platform (Hedra Character 3) that combined the artificial partner's synthesized voice with a still image of the human partner. Coordination was assessed through cross-correlation and Granger causality analyses of vocal amplitude envelopes, evaluated using linear mixed-effects models.
Results:
Singing with a human partner elicited stronger anticipatory synchronization and greater similarity in amplitude envelopes than singing with an artificial partner. With the human partner, participants tended to sing slightly ahead of their partner, indicative of anticipatory coordination. Notably, this tendency was further strengthened when visual information was available.
Discussion:
These findings indicate that the temporal variability of the human singing voice, together with the fine-grained bodily movements characteristic of naturalistic vocal production, provides perceptual information that supports anticipation and synchronization in joint singing.
Related Concept Videos
Facial Feedback Hypothesis
Nonconscious Mimicry
Non-Verbal Cues
Social Facilitation
Channels of Non-Verbal Communication
Muscle Coordination and Action
Agonists
Agonist muscles, often called prime movers, are the primary muscles responsible for producing a specific movement.
