This Is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession

Rhythm, tempo, and meter are closely related concepts associated with the duration of notes and the pace of a piece of music. Tempo describes how fast or slow a song is, generally referring to the beat, or “tactus,” which reflects how one would naturally tap their foot or snap their fingers along with a song. Tempo plays a big role in conveying emotions: Slow songs generally seem sadder, while fast songs typically come across as more upbeat and energetic. Tempo is processed in the cerebellum, and most people can recall tempo quite accurately, typically with only a 4% deviation from the original.

In songs, some beats are perceptually stronger, as though the musicians are playing them louder or heavier. These heavy beats distinguish the meter of the piece. In Western musical tradition, the standard duration of a note is four beats, and the most common pulse is a “quarter” note, which is a fourth of a whole note. The most common meter is therefore four quarter notes grouped together, written 4/4, with the strongest emphasis on the first quarter note in the group and the secondary emphasis on the third. The lyrics and