Move Your Body! Low-frequency Amplitude and Syncopation Increase Groove Perception in House Music

Studies demonstrate that low frequencies and syncopation can enhance groove—the pleasurable urge to move to music. This study examined the simultaneous effect of low-frequency amplitude and syncopation on groove by manipulating basslines in house music, a subgenre of electronic dance music (EDM). One hundred and seventy-nine participants listened to 20 novel house music clips in which basslines were manipulated across two levels of low-frequency amplitude and syncopation. Music and dance-related experience, as well as genre preferences, were also assessed. Groove perception was most pronounced for house tracks combining high low-frequency amplitude (LFA) and high syncopation, and least pronounced for tracks with low LFA, irrespective of syncopation. Exploratory correlation analysis revealed that groove perception is influenced by listeners’ preferences for energetic and rhythmic music styles, their urge to dance, and their propensity to experience an emotional connection to music. Our findings reveal that the urge to move when listening to music is shaped by the interplay of rhythmic complexity and sonic texture, and is influenced by dance and music experiences and preferences.