The use of a simulated model to improve visual perception of expressiveness in a sport routine through synchronisation between music and movement

While many activities that involve human movement customarily use music or sound as an accompaniment to enhance the overall experience of the performers and viewers, the details of musical aspects have often been neglected. Issues on synchronization between music and movement have often been debated particularly in the field of dance since music can to certain extent be abstract and subjective. Although regulations in many sports routines emphasize that using music merely as background is prohibited, the match between the two has not always been convincing for many reasons such as preference, lack of musical knowledge and musicianship. To address the issue, through composition technique and computer music software, this research constructed simulated models to illustrate the importance of fundamental musical aspects in transforming the visual perceptions of viewers towards the same action or movements. This paper reports a section from a study on how visual perception of expressiveness in a Tai Chi routine is enhanced by increasing the synchronization between music and movement. In the experiment, two videos were produced and then evaluated by thirty viewers. One video features the original music used by the athletes and the other is accompanied by a new composition with increased synchronization between music and movements. The result shows a significant difference between the videos in which the enhanced synchronized video provides a better visual perception of the expression of the performance. This research proposes a simulation approach using theories in multimedia and perception to assist athletes in achieving an optimal combination of music-movement synchronisation.