Maths in Music and Rhythms | Kartik

Music is usually described as a universal language, one that surpasses boundaries of culture, tradition, age, and experience. Music isn’t something that I only listen to but it is something I live with and I believe that it is the same for many people in our generation. My journey with music truly began in 8th standard, when I first discovered Spotify. Until then, music was just something I came across casually, but this was the moment it became my staple. The first artists who pulled me into this world were Imagine Dragons and Lil Nas X. Imagine Dragons, with their powerful anthems and emotional lyrics, made me feel unstoppable, while Lil Nas X brought in a playful boldness that showed me how music could be both fun and fearless.  

When I thought about my journey with music, I realized that it wasn’t just the emotions or the lyrics that shaped me but there was also a hidden layer of mathematics and computer science behind it all. My first playlists on Spotify with Imagine Dragons and Lil Nas X weren’t just random but they were created and recommended through algorithms fuelled by maths. Mathematically, music itself is numbers in disguise. Each note is a sound wave with a specific frequency, rhythms are based on ratios of time, and harmonies are combinations of mathematical patterns. Even something as simple as the 4/4 beat in most songs is a fraction that structures how we perceive rhythm. 

On the Computing side, every time I started a song, Spotify’s system was quietly studying my choices. It relied on machine learning techniques, statistical probabilities, and complex mathematical computations to predict what I would enjoy next. Thanks to this, I discovered artists and songs beyond Imagine Dragons and Lil Nas X.  

Another shift in my music journey came when someone jokingly made fun of me for being fixated on just one genre. At first, it stung a little but then I realized they were right. Up until then, I had been comfortable sticking to the same kind of music, repeating the same playlists without venturing out. It felt like I was staying in my comfort zone believing my music taste was good and not exploring other genres to broaden my perspective. That small comment became an unexpected wake-up call. Instead of feeling bad, I decided to take it as a challenge. I began exploring different genres, from Ghazals to energetic rap, from classical pieces to new sounds. Each new genre opened up a fresh viewpoint, some helped me relax, others motivated me, and some simply expanded my idea of what music could be.  

One thing I realized while exploring different genres is that, no matter how different they sound, every type of music depends heavily on timing. Whether it is a fast-paced rap verse, a slow classical romantic song or an EDM drop, timing is what keeps the rhythm alive and makes music flow smoothly. 

In music, timing shows up as beats, tempo and rhythm and all of these are deeply mathematical.  

For example: 

• Beats per minute (BPM): Every song has a tempo, measured in BPM. A pop song might be 120 BPM, while a lo-fi track might be 70 BPM. This is nothing but a ratio of beats to time. 

• Fractions in rhythm: When we say a song is in 4/4 time, it literally means there are 4 beats in each measure, and a quarter note gets one beat. Similarly, 3/4 timing (waltz style) means 3 beats per measure. These are mathematical fractions shaping how the music feels. 

• Patterns and symmetry: Timing allows patterns to form like syncopation in jazz or the symmetrical beats of electronic music. Musicians often “play with time” by stretching or compressing beats, which is mathematically like dividing or multiplying fractions. 

Hence, the influence of mathematics is clearly evident in each and every type of music.  

When I entered 11th standard, my music journey took another big turn. Until then, I mostly listened to English and Hindi songs, but curiosity pushed me towards exploring music in other languages. That’s when I discovered the magic of Japanese and Chinese music. I started listening to Japanese artists like Yuuri, Fuji Kaze and Ado whose voices carried emotions that I could resonate with. Even though I didn’t always understand the lyrics, the timing, melody, and energy made me feel connected. Around the same time, I discovered Chinese artists such as Higher Brothers and Howard Lee, who introduced me to an entirely different soundscape. Through these artists, I was introduced to genres I had never explored before. Along with familiar pop and rap, I found myself enjoying hyperpop, lo-fi, J-pop, C-pop, R&B, and even some rock and electronic music. Each genre had its own rhythm and mathematical structure; hyperpop with its fast and glitchy beats, lo-fi with its slow and steady timing perfect for studying and J-pop with its layered harmonies and upbeat tempos. 

One thing that made exploring Japanese and Chinese songs easier was the way Spotify integrates technology to help listeners connect with music beyond language. When I first started listening to artists like Yuuri, Fuji Kaze, Higher Brothers etc. I couldn’t fully understand the lyrics but Spotify’s system often provided translated lyrics in real time. Behind the scenes, this is powered by natural language processing (NLP) and machine translation algorithms. Just like Google Translate, Spotify uses computer models trained on large datasets to convert words from one language into another, while keeping rhythm and meaning intact. Sometimes the translations weren’t perfect, but they gave me enough context to feel the emotions behind the songs. My journey into foreign music wasn’t just about sound, it was also about how computers and mathematics were working together to remove the language barriers. 

Music has been more than a hobby in my life; it has been a journey of growth, comfort, and discovery. From starting with Imagine Dragons and Lil Nas X in 8th standard, to exploring new genres after a push and later embracing Japanese and Chinese artists, every phase has added a new rhythm to my story. What fascinates me is how mathematics and computers have silently shaped this journey whether through timing and beats, algorithms recommending fresh songs or translations surpassing language barriers. Together, they’ve shown me that music is not just sound, but a bridge between art, science, and human emotion. 

~Kartik