Meter without rhythmic pattern repetitions increases pre-attentive processing

Processing musical meter—the organization of time into regular cycles strong and weak beats—requires abstraction from the varying rhythmic surface. Several studies have investigated whether meter processing requires attention, or if it can be both pre-attentive attentive. While findings on temporal expectation (processing per se) indicate benefits in complex, dual-task contexts (meter used for orientation) consistently report processing. Also, while surface-based approaches to aided by pattern repetition) show some structural not repetition, increased complexity) find pre-attentive-only Therefore, present study, we hypothesized that increases with cognitive load, compared surface Supporting our hypothesis, saw improved behavioral performance meter, as well electroencephalogram (EEG) evidence elicits does not. Our highlight need awareness support idea demand may recruit structure. At practical level, suggest focusing listeners’ attention example, when practicing dance, increase their understanding