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Chapter 13, Hannon & Trehub (pp. 124-125)

This is a more elaborate demonstration. Take your time.

1) Answer the question below (you can be honest):




2) Listen carefully to the Folksong 1 below, and especially focus on the rhythm:
Folksong 1

3) Listen to these two variations and answer the question below:
Fragment 1A
Fragment 1B




4) And another example. Again focus on the rhythm:
Folksong 2

5) Listen to the two variations and answer the question below:
Fragment 2A
Fragment 2B





(The answer is mentioned below under Comments.)

Hannon, E., & Trehub, S. (2005). Metrical Categories in Infancy and Adulthood Psychological Science, 16 (1), 48-55 DOI: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2005.00779.x

Comments

Henkjan Honing said…
In both comparisons B is the right answer.

Folksong 1 has a simple meter, Folksong 2 a complex meter. Western listeners tend to find the first set easier to judge than the second set.

The prediction is that after about a hundred reactions, the majority will have given the right answer for Folksong 1, but just 50%-50% (chance-level) for Folksong 2. Is that indeed the case now?

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