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Task-set control, chunking, and hierarchical timing in rhythm production

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Abstract

We investigated task-set control processes and chunking in 16 novices and 16 amateur musicians, who produced unimanual rhythms in three experimental conditions: low-level timing tasks required isochronous tapping at constant target durations; sequencing tasks consisted of individual rhythmic patterns comprising multiple target durations; the task-set control condition required alternations between two rhythmic patterns. According to our hierarchical timing control model conditions differed in their task-set control demands necessary to provide rhythm programs for the sequencing of individual intervals. Transitions at predicted chunk boundaries were marked by increased frequencies of sequence errors, relative lengthening of intervals preceding the switch to a new rhythm chunk, and increased variabilities in intervals immediately following a switch. Amateur musicians showed superior timing (less variability) in complex rhythm tasks. Moreover, they made fewer sequence errors than novices at set-switch points with their error patterns suggesting that they relied on larger chunks compared with novices. Our findings elucidate the time course of task reconfiguration processes in rhythm production and the role of chunking in the context of musical skill.

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Acknowledgements

Discussions during a precursor of this study by Ulrich Mayr and Dirk Vorberg and their help in designing the sequences are gratefully acknowledged.

Funding

L. Dietmar Hestermann, Johan Wagemans and Ralf T. Krampe, University of Leuven, Belgium. Completion of his work was possible through FWO grant (Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, Belgium) G.0379.06 to Ralf Krampe and by a long-term structural grant from the Flemish government to Johan Wagemans (METH/08/02 and METH/14/02).

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  1. Brain and Cognition, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, PO box 3711, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Lars D. Hestermann, Johan Wagemans & Ralf T. Krampe

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  1. Lars D. Hestermann
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  2. Johan Wagemans
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Correspondence to Lars D. Hestermann.

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All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Hestermann, L.D., Wagemans, J. & Krampe, R.T. Task-set control, chunking, and hierarchical timing in rhythm production. Psychological Research 83, 1685–1702 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1038-z

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