Groove (sväng) is the quality of music that makes people tap their feet, rock their head, and get up and dance. Although this quality is central in jazz and much of folk- and dance-music, its formal characteristics are virtually unknown. The connection between groove and movement, and thus between music and dance, is important for our understanding of the biological basis and social functions of music.


This project draws on biology, psychology, musicology, and computer science to investigate the mechanisms and functions of groove in music, and its possible role in our adaptation.


Preliminary results suggest that different listeners experience similar tendencies to move regardless of whether they like or are familiar with the inducing music or musical style, and that the tempo of the music plays a minor role.


Future studies aim to identify the specific properties of the sound signal associated with the experience of groove. To this end listeners’ movements and ratings of groove will be compared with (1) measures of rhythmical properties based on music content processing of real music, (2) manipulations of these properties in real music examples, and (3) synthesized sound examples with systematically varied properties.


The team members are Guy Madison, expert in human timing and synchronization, Björn Merker, neuroscientist acknowledged for his theoretical work concerning the development and organisation of the brain, and Fabien Gouyon, expert on music content processing