Beatmatching in DJing : An analysis of temporal coordination using electroencephalogram (EEG), motion capture, and audio analysis

Abstract

DJing is a sophisticated musical skill involving complex temporal perception and active manipulation of multiple, often polyrhythmic patterns simultaneously. In the process of beatmatching, DJs synchronise two different records that are out of phase or playing at different tempo. This is an embodied, dynamic activity relying on a coordinated system of processes in the body, the brain, the turntables and the sonic patterns in the music. The aim of this work is to explore the interactions occurring between these dynamic processes and to compare them over a set of behaviours commonly exhibited during beatmatching. We collected 121 audio, EEG, and motion capture data from 28 DJs. The task was to beatmatch two tracks initially playing at different phases (shifted one sixth of a bar) or tempi (130 vs 135 bpm) using digital turntables with the automatic sync function turned off. We then extracted a phase representation for each dataset to study synchronisation between the two tracks and body movement. In initial analysis of the audio, we extracted the dynamic changes to the tracks over time, identifying windows of distinct behaviour. In the movement data, we identified associated windows of rhythmic movement locked to the beat. Together, these analyses provide a clear picture of the behavioural modes. Using these results, we then compared functional neural connectivity across different behavioural modes including slip cueing, nudging the platter, adjusting the pitch control, and monitoring the resulting mix. In this poster, we will present preliminary EEG analyses relating the combined audio and motor modes to features of the functional networks. This research has potential to improve understanding of the role of movement, brain states, and their interactions in coordinating the beatmatching process. More broadly, this work supports an embodied approach to studying how humans coordinate complex rhythmic behaviours to complex rhythmic stimuli in their environments.