The effects of rhythmical grouping on produced inter-onset-intervals : Will the produced inter-onset-intervals change when tapping ”musically”?

Using algorithms that introduce variations in timing based on actual human rhythmical performance, could be a helpful tool when trying to emulate what an actual recording of a musician would sound like. Therefore, a tapping-experiment was conducted to study the effects of rhythmic grouping on the inter- onset-intervals of notes in proximity of the transition between two rhythmic groups/phrases. The experiment involved tapping both with as high rhythmic accuracy as possible and tapping ”musically”. The variations in IOI-length introduced when tapping with as high rhythmic accuracy and ”musically” was compared. The results confirmed tendencies to lengthen the last IOI of a rhythmic group in all except one example. The standard deviation was higher when the subjects tapped ”musically”, suggesting more variation in the lengthening/shortening of IOI’s, or similar preferences between tapping ”musically” and with as high rhythmic accuracy as possible. A possible tendency to lengthen the time- interval between rhythmic groups when tapping ”musically” was found in one of the examples. Tendencies of ”fill-in-haste” was found in the same example. Possible tendencies of emphasising the meter by shortening certain IOI’s was found in another example.