| Title | In the Beginning Was the Beat: Evolutionary Origins of Musical Rhythm in Humans |
| Publication Type | Book Chapter |
| Year of Publication | 2016 |
| Authors | Iversen J |
| ISBN Number | 9781107472433 |
| Abstract | Every known culture has music with a sense of pulse, or beat, that organizes time, enlivens our bodies and can enable groups of people move in time in dance, music making, or work. There can be a sheer joy in coordinated action with others, and pulse in music is one vehicle for achieving this. While the basic idea of being able to perceive and move in time with the pulse of music may seem simple, this simplicity belies a rich complexity of central interest not only to musicians, but also scientists of many stripes. The underlying neural mechanisms are fascinatingly complex, providing insights into how the brain shapes our reality and connects sensation with movement, while its evolutionary origins are matter of vigorous speculation and ongoing debate. So, when and how did the beat begin? The universe is full of repeating patterns of light and dark, ebb and flow, swinging to and fro, and this is the milieu for all life. For organisms to be able to track and predict, for example the coming of day or night, has adaptive value, and synchronization with the light/dark circadian cycle is observed throughout nature. Most organisms create other rhythms of their own, of locomotion, breath, and heartbeat. Despite the pervasiveness of oscillation and entrainment in the world, the ability to synchronize motor output to auditory input as humans do when dancing, performing, or just tapping a foot along with music turns out to be extremely rare in other animals. There are at least two levels to this paradox, which are explored in the following review of evolutionary theories of beat. |
The Sound Health Network is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts, in partnership with the University of California, San Francisco, in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Renée Fleming.