factual
Speech modulation rate is 4-5 Hz across languages
The amplitude modulation spectrum of speech is 4 to 5 Hertz—the signal's loudness rises and falls four to five times per second—and this rate is independent of language, corresponding roughly to syllable rate, while music's modulation spectrum is slower at about 2 Hertz (~120 beats per minute).
factualpending
Speaker
David PoeppelEvidence Quote
“it's between 4 and 5 Hertz. So, the amplitude modulation of the signal... The signal is a wave.”
Source
15 | David Poeppel on Thought, Language, and How to Understand the Brain— Sean Carroll's MindscapeCreated: 6/13/2026, 12:19:52 AM
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