Embodied Responses to Harmony and (Poly)Rhythm: An Integrated Ratio-Based Perception-Action Framework

Area of Science:

• Auditory Cognitive Science
• Neuroscience
• Music Perception

Background:

• Harmony and rhythm perception are traditionally studied separately.
• Both domains involve oscillatory and periodic structures.
• Low-order integer relationships in music enhance perception and processing.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate shared mechanisms underlying perception of harmonic and rhythmic patterns.
• Explore the extension of these advantages into the motor domain.
• Propose an integrated framework linking perception to sensorimotor synchronization.

Main Methods:

• Review of converging evidence on auditory perception.
• Theoretical framework grounded on neural resonance theory.
• Analysis of perceptual and processing advantages related to integer ratios.

Main Results:

• Low-order integer relationships in harmony (e.g., 2:1, 3:2) correlate with consonance and encoding ease.
• Simple ratios in rhythmic patterns (e.g., 2:1, 3:1) and polyrhythms (e.g., 2:3, 3:4) improve detection, production, and memory.
• Perceptual advantages for simple ratios likely reflect shared underlying neural mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• A unified ratio-based framework can explain perceptual salience in both harmony and rhythm.
• Enhanced perception of simple integer relationships extends to sensorimotor synchronization.
• Neural resonance theory provides a basis for integrating auditory and motor processing of musical patterns.