— 7 6 5b 3 3 — 3 Ha. 16 14 8 10a 6 10 5 9 5 10 7 8a 5 9 5 7 2 8 4 11b 4 7 2 8 2 8 4 6b 1 9 4 8 7 12 7 10a — 10 6 10 3 10 5 8a 5 8 6 10 2 8 3 11b 3 7 3 10 — 7 5 9b 4 8 6 12 Am. 4 9 9 10a 4 7 4 5 4 8 9 7a 5 7 4 6 1 8 5 10b 4 6 3 6 — 10 10 7b_ 3 5 2 7 15 15 10 13a_ 9 11 — 11 5 12 7 9a 4 10 4 9 5 8 8 9b 4 7 — 6 7 8 5 9b 2 4 — 3 G. 2 6 6 8a 1 7 2 3 — 10 7 12a 1 9 4 8 4 9 6 9b 8 8 2 7 — — — -b — — — — 4 9 5 11a — 7 4 6 — 8 6 7a 2 7 4 5 — 9 7 6b — 7 3 6 — 7 3 5 — 5 — 3 D. — — — — — — — — 7 11 11 9a 7 11 6 10 11 15 11 11a 8 11 9 14 6 10 10 8b 7 8 7 11 12 13 10 10a 7 1? 8 11 6 10 9 8a 5 8 5 9 9 12 12 13b 8 10 7 9 7 11 10 7b 4 8 4 8

   The values surrounded by ’’s (Transcriber’s Note:  Original
   italics) show the increase in intensity.  Rhymes are indicated
   by ‘a’ and ‘b.’

IV.  SUGGESTIONS FOR A MOTOR THEORY OF RHYTHM.

If the basis of rhythm is to be found in muscular sensations, rather than in the supposed activity of some special ‘mental’ function, the nature of the movement cycle involved is of the greatest interest.

In every case where a rhythm comes to peripheral expression, there are two opposing sets of muscles involved.  If a rhythmic movement be attempted with but a single set of muscles at work, it is very unsatisfactory and soon ends in the tonic contraction of the muscle set.  One may assume that in all cases of rhythm perception there is a cycle of movement sensations involved, and that the simplest possible case of a peripheral rhythmic movement is the type of any rhythm.  In tapping a rhythm with the finger, the flexors which bring the finger down become the positive muscle set, and the opposing extensor muscles which raise the finger for the next blow become the negative muscle set.

In Fig. 9 the upper curve represents the actual movement of the finger tip, and the heavy lines a, a’, a’’ represent the pressure-tension-sound sensation which we call the ‘beat,’ and which is the limiting sensation of the rhythm, and the regulating factor in the movement cycle of the rhythm.  The movement is divided into two phases; B, the phase of relaxation, during which the finger is raised, and A, the phase of contraction, during which the finger delivers the blow which produces the beat.