[microsound] AI & rhythm perception - 'groove' heuristics?

[Damian Stewart <damian@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

Does anyone know of any research into rhythm perception which talks about 
possible heuristics for determining whether a 1/2/4-bar rhythmic pattern in 
4/4 has a 'good' 'groove' or not?

I know from my own composition efforts with looping rhythmic material (read 
'electronic dance music') that, during the construction of a 'groove' in 
4/4 time, adding particular sounds to particular places in a pattern can 
make it 'groovier', while adding the same sounds to other places in the 
pattern can make it distinctly less 'groovy'. By the same token, removing a 
particular sound that is 'getting in the way of the groove' can vastly 
increase the 'grooviness' of the pattern. (Sorry about the scare quotes, I 
don't know any other language that would convey what I mean effectively.)

Having done this for about four years now I've reached a point of skill 
where I can do this mostly intuitively; ie, I can listen to a 'groove' and 
tell in my mind (or by beatboxing with my mouth) what sounds to add, and 
where to add them, to make it 'groovier'. The development of this intuitive 
skill has led me to believe that my brain is somehow hooking into the maths 
of the pattern, that said additions work to enhance certain mathematical 
properties of the pattern. I'm fairly certain that a lot of the 'organic' 
'funkiness' of a good funk band is paradoxically due to the performers 
being metronomically precise with their rhythms and accents, and I believe 
this mathematical basis could be extended further.

So I'm looking for some research into the heuristics of 'groove', or even 
just analysis along these lines. I'm well aware that such heuristics may 
not even exist, but I'd like to believe otherwise :-)

--
Damian Stewart
+64 27 305 4107

f r e y
live music with machines
http://www.frey.co.nz
http://www.myspace.com/freyed

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