Sound Is Better Than Touch in Helping People Keep Rhythm

Rhythm produced more on-beat, steady brainwaves and finger taps when delivered as sound than as touch.

Rhythmic stimuli presented to the ears, instead of the fingertips, help the brain synchronize to a musical beat.

Humans have an inherent ability to coordinate their movement to music—it's no surprise that song and dance are so deeply embedded across cultures.

But how does the type of stimulus, for example, whether it’s sound or touch, affect people’s ability to stay in rhythm?

Recently, neuroscientists discovered that sound is better than touch when it comes to helping people keep the beat.

Their findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, revealed that the different senses may not play equal roles in people’s ability synchronize to rhythms.

Beat or rhythm refers to repeated, periodic pulses in music.

Although this recurring pattern may not always be obvious, human brains have an extraordinary ability to pick it up.

Author summary: Sound helps people keep rhythm better than touch.

The Scientist — 2025-10-13

Sound Is Better Than Touch in Helping People Keep Rhythm

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