Distinct Rhythmic Competencies Identified via Internet-Based Assessment

Rhythm is a fundamental element of music that recruits perception and production pathways in the brain, and occurs across different timescales. Research suggests that rhythmic processing is composed of several related, yet potentially distinct competencies, including perception, production, beat-based processing, and sequence memory-based processing. Based on a recent lab-based study by Fiveash et al., the current experiment investigated whether these distinctions could be replicated with more participants (n = 300) completing an internet-based protocol, with the potential to be scaled up to larger samples. Production tasks included unpaced tapping and paced tapping to music (from the Battery for the Assessment of Auditory Sensorimotor and Timing Abilities). Perception tasks included the beat alignment test, the Burgundy best Musical Aptitude Test (synchronization), and the beat-based advantage task. Principal component analyses revealed strong overlap across tests. However, separations were shown between perception and production tasks, and unpaced and paced tapping tasks. Cluster analyses revealed participants with different rhythmic profiles, for example, (1) strong beat-based rhythm perception, weak sequence memory-based rhythm perception; and (2) strong production, weak perception. These results have implications for future research investigating individual differences in general and clinical populations, with the potential to guide clinical interventions.