Delayed Auditory Feedback (DAF)
How time-shifted sound alters motor planning, error correction, and perceived timing.
Research Program
Exploring Rhythm, Stress, and the Brain
Interdisciplinary research combining drumming performance, neurophysiology, and stress science to understand how rhythmic activity influences neural adaptation, attention, and resilience. Methods include fNIRS, EEG, heart-rate variability, and behavioral analysis.
About the Researcher
Led by Rainer Lindquist,
this program integrates music performance,
neurophysiology, and cognitive science to investigate
how rhythm interacts with timing, stress, and
coordination systems in the brain.
“Drumming provides a unique experimental window into how the brain organizes movement, synchronizes with sound, and adapts under pressure.”
Background & Focus Areas
Using drumming as a model of sensorimotor control and emotional regulation, this research examines how timing, feedback, and training interact with neural efficiency and adaptability.
Bimanual Coordination
Hemispheric communication and neural coupling during complex, asymmetric drumming tasks.
Stress & Flow States
Physiological regulation and performance variability under cognitive load and time pressure.
Neural Adaptation
Long-term plasticity and cross-limb learning arising from ambidextrous practice.
Publications & Manuscripts
Peer-reviewed work and in-progress manuscripts on rhythmic behavior and neurophysiological dynamics.
Lindquist, R. (2025). Neural Correlates of Motor
Control and Stress Response During Ambidextrous
Polyrhythmic Drumming: A Multimodal fNIRS-EEG
Investigation
Characterizes cortical activation patterns during
asymmetric, stress-loaded drumming tasks.
Lindquist, R., (2025). New Breed Practice Variations - Comprehensive Research Summary
Practice structure matters more than content
complexity, with effects that increase proportionally to
rhythmic difficulty. This pattern is predicted by four
converging theoretical frameworks from motor learning
and cognitive psychology.
Lindquist, R. (2025). Exploring synaptic plasticity in response to auditory delay during ambidextrous drumming exercises using functional Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy (fNIRS) and EEG
A proposed variation of the
above research would include creating a digital
'delay' in the audio feedback for the limbs. The delay
is estimated to be between 100-1000 milliseconds.
Manuscript in progress
Lindquist, R. (2025). Physiological Stress Responses During Musical Practice: An Integrated Analysis of Genre-Specific and Practice Structure Effects
Musical genres and practice structures create distinct,
measurable physiological signatures. Practice structure
findings demonstrate that strategic rest intervals can
reduce physiological demands by ~44% while maintaining
learning effectiveness.