Jessica Grahn
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How does our brain respond when we perceive a beat?

Stimuli
These stimuli were used in a rhythm reproduction task and an fMRI discrimination task. (Grahn and Brett, 2007)

The metric simple and complex rhythms are composed of intervals related by integer-ratios (1:2:3:4), whereas nonmetric use noninteger-ratios (1:1.4:3.5:4.5).

The metric simple rhythms also have a regular grouping which induces a stronger perception of a beat than in the metric complex rhythms. As the behavioural data show below, integer-ratios are not enough to lead to better rhythm performance--regular grouping is also required.