Rhythm and Transforms (2007)

People naturally identify the rhythm of music as they tap their feet and sway in time with the beat. Underlying such motions is an act of cognition that is not easily reproduced in a computer program or automated by machine. This unique book asks (and answers) the question: How can we build a device that can "tap its foot" along with the music? The result is a tool for detecting and measuring the temporal aspects of a musical performance. The impact of such a "rhythm meter" on music theory and on the design of sound processing electronics is described. It allows discussion of the relationship between cognitive processing of temporal information and mathematical techniques used to describe and understand regularities in data.