New research from the Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music suggests that subtle variations in drumming can significantly enhance mental imagery. The study, published in Scientific Reports in September 2025, involved 100 participants who imagined a journey while listening to drumming.
Participants exposed to drumming with random micro-variations in loudness and timing reported more vivid mental imagery compared to those who heard consistent beats or silence. Lead researcher Ceren Ayyildiz commented on the impact of these subtle details, stating, "What excites me is that these little details in music are something we can all feel, even if we don't always notice them consciously."
These findings indicate that micro-variations, often introduced by performers unintentionally, can deepen imagination and emotional resonance. Senior author Dr. Steffen A. Herff noted the practical applications, suggesting, "Deliberately tailoring background music—through subtle changes in timing and loudness—could be used to either stimulate or dampen imagination depending on the specific therapeutic target."
The research highlights how human imperfections in rhythm can make music feel more alive and stimulate imagination. Individuals with musical training or a higher capacity for absorption experienced even more vivid mental imagery when exposed to these micro-variations. The study also suggests that repetitive drumming can act as an attentional anchor, assisting in the organization of mental representations of space and movement.
The Sydney Music, Mind and Body Lab continues to investigate the complex relationship between music, memory, imagination, and emotion. Utilizing behavioral, computational, and physiological methods, the lab aims to understand how music influences higher-order cognition and to support musicians' well-being by addressing issues such as performance anxiety and musculoskeletal injuries.