Validity of Rhythm Timing Software with College Age Adults
John W. Flohr and Harry J. Meeuwsen
Texas Woman’s University and The University of Texas at El Paso
Synchronization, or the ability to coordinate one’s music making rhythmically with another musician, is a "skill that is distinct from the mere perception, production, or reproduction of rhythms" (Obeler & Fein, 1988, p. 147). The skill of rhythm pattern imitation involves the ability to remember and repeat a rhythm pattern. Consequently, one should be able to measure differences in rhythm pattern imitation in differentially skilled individuals using a well-designed tool. The development of new technology has enabled the study of various aspects of expressive timing (Clark, 1999; Duke, 1989; Epstein, 1994; Johnson, 1997; Krumhansl, 2000; Repp, 1998, 1998a). The RPT-R measurement software was initially developed to measure timing and rhythm pattern performance ability of children 4-12 years of age. The RPT-R measures the variability and accuracy of timing and rhythm pattern replication, but not the expressiveness of the timing. The tool was recently standardized and validated using representative samples of 450 children (Flohr, 2000).
Previous research has shown that age, background, major field of study, and instruction may influence rhythm performance in children and adults. Frego (1996), Flohr (1991, 1992), and Flohr and Rose (1996) found age differences in rhythm performance of children. The RPT-R standardization sample (Flohr, 2000) revealed significant differences among children aged 4-12. Duke, Geringer, and Madsen (1991) found that the levels of music participation (music major/band member vs. no enrollment in music activity) influenced perception of the steady beat. The environmental background and type of instruction influenced rhythm performance as well (Rohwer, 1998; Rose, 1995).
Instrumentation, Dependent Variables and Data Analysis
The RPT-R is a two-part computer generated test developed on the MS-Windows™ platform. The research version of the RPT-R was used in this experiment. Details on this version were reported by (Meeuwsen, Flohr, & Fink, 1998). Test-retest reliability for the RPT-R was reported at r = .90 (Flohr, 2000, p. 18).
Results
Data from the Synchronization Section of RPT-R
Analysis of Absolute Error. The ANOVA results indicated a significant main effect for item, Huynh-Feldt F (2.54, 109.2)) = 4.63, p = .007. The main effect for group was also significant, F (2,43) = 7.19, p = .002. The percussion majors (mean AE = 20.74) performed with less error than the music majors (mean AE = 32.23) and the non-music major (mean AE = 36.53). The difference between the non-music and music majors was not statistically significant (see Figure 1).
Analysis of Variable Error. The main effect for item was significant, Huynh-Feldt F (3.59, 154.36) = 2.614, p = .043, as well as the groups main effect, F (2,43) = 5.77, p = .006. The percussionists (Mean VE = 28.39) performed with significantly less VE than the non-music majors (Mean VE =52.4, p < .0001), but similar to the music majors (Mean VE = 44.31, p = .069). VE scores were not different between the music and non-music majors (see Figure 2).
Data from the Echo Tapping Section of the RPT-R
The results of the MANOVA indicated significant differences using Hotelling's Trace, F (8,96) = 4.701, p < .0001. The follow up one-way ANOVAs indicated significant main effects for AE, F (2,52) = 9.01, p < .0001, CE, F (2,52) = 5.50, p = .007. Post-hoc analysis using the LSD indicated that for AE the percussionists (Mean AE =27.21) were significantly better than the music majors (Mean AE = 41.25) and the non-music majors (Mean AE = 52.11). The same was true for CE. The percussionists (Mean CE = 12.84) were again significantly different from the two other groups (Music major mean = 23.63; Non-music major mean = 24.37), while they did not differ from each other. The group effect for VE failed to reach significance, but the VE score for the percussionists (Mean VE = 53.05) was smaller then the VE for music majors (Mean VE = 59.02) and non-music majors (Mean VE = 81.21).
Figure 1. Average Absolute Error scores across the Five Items of the Synchronization Section of the RPT-R.
Discussion
Results indicated a significant difference in rhythm timing abilities among percussionists, other music majors, and non-music majors. The percussionist variable error was significantly less than the music majors and the non-music majors. The percussionists’ CE scores reflect their ability to perform close to the beat from the first item through the last. The other groups tapped before the beat on the first item and close to the beat on the second through fifth item. Similar differences among groups were evident during Part II of the RPT-R. The percussionist AE and CE were significantly better than either the music majors or non-music majors.
Data from this study supports the prior research findings about the effect of background, major field of study, and instruction on the ability to synchronize to the steady beat. The percussionist group’s synchronization skill was significantly superior to both the music major group and the non-music major group. The type of instruction and training that the percussion students experienced should have resulted in superior synchronization performance on the RPT-R test. Consequently, we conclude that the RPT-R is software instrument that allows valid measurement of adults’ ability to synchronize to a steady beat and echo tapping
Figure 2. Average Variable Error scores across the Five Items of the Synchronization Section of the RPT-R.
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