This two-part study was designed to investigate the influence of melodic activity (ornamented and plain) on the perception of tempo. Additional variables were an audible beat (present or absent) in Experiment 1 and the size of the tempo change (92 and 118 beats per minute) in Experiment 2. Subjects, 46 third graders and 49 sixth graders (Experiment 1) and 47 fifth graders (Experiment 2), indicated whether the tempo of the second example in each paired comparison item was faster, slower, or stayed the same. Melodic activity was the only influential variable affecting tempo discrimination.
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