Accuracy of Tempo Judgments in Disk Jockeys Compared to Musicians and Untrained Individuals

Metronome-guided cochlear implantation for slower and smoother insertions of lateral wall electrodes

INTRODUCTION

Achieving a slow and smooth electrode array insertion is paramount for preserving structural and functional integrity during cochlear implantation. This controlled study evaluates the efficacy of a metronome-guided insertion technique in enhancing the smoothness and speed of electrode array insertions.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study, patients undergoing cochlear implant surgery between 2022 and 2023 with lateral wall electrode arrays were included. Metronome guidance was delivered through an acoustic signal via headphones during electrode array insertion in cochlear implantation and compared to a control group without metronome-guidance.

RESULTS

In total, 37 cases were evaluated, including 25 conventional insertions and 12 metronome-guided insertions. The results indicate that metronome-guided insertions were significantly slower (- 0.46 mm/s; p < 0.001) without extending the overall procedure time. This can be attributed to fewer paused sections observed in the metronome-guided technique. Moreover, metronome-guided insertions exhibited superior performance in terms of insertion smoothness and a reduced number of re-gripping events.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings support the recommendation for the systematic application of metronome guidance in the manual insertion of cochlear implant electrode arrays, emphasizing its potential to optimize surgical outcomes.

Exploring the accuracy of musical tempo memory: The effects of reproduction method, reference tempo, and musical expertise

Although people commonly remember and recreate the tempo of musical pieces with high accuracy, comparatively less is known regarding sources of potential variation in musical tempo memory. This study therefore aimed to investigate musical tempo memory accuracy and the effects of reference tempo, reproduction method, musical expertise, and their interaction. A sample of 403 individuals with varying levels of musical training participated in the experimental online study, including nonmusicians, amateur musicians, and professional musicians. Participants were tasked with reproducing the tempos of 19 popular pop/rock songs using two methods: tempo tapping and adjusting the tempo of the audio file based on the previously tapped tempo. Results from multilevel models revealed overall high accuracy in tempo memory, with tempo adjusting yielding greater accuracy compared with tempo tapping. Higher musical expertise was associated with increased accuracy in tempo production. In addition, we observed a quadratic effect of reference tempo, with the greatest accuracy in tempo reproduction around 120 bpm. Gender, age, familiarity with the pieces, and accompaniment strategies were also associated with greater accuracy. These findings provide insights into the factors influencing musical tempo memory and have implications for understanding the cognitive processes involved in tempo perception and reproduction.