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Syncopation as Transformation

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Sound, Music, and Motion (CMMR 2013)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 8905))

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Abstract

Syncopation is a rhythmic phenomenon present in various musical styles and cultures. We present here a set of simple rhythmic transformations that can serve as a formalized model for syncopation. The transformations are based on fundamental features of the musical meter and syncopation, as seen from a cognitive and a musical perspective. Based on this model, rhythmic patterns can be organized in tree structures where patterns are interconnected through simple transformations. A Max4Live device is presented as a creative application of the model. It manipulates the syncopation of midi “clips” by automatically de-syncopating and syncopating the midi notes.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Alternatively we could have encoded the transformation as the pair of pulses, the initial pulse of the onset and the pulse it is shifted to. This way of encoding correctly describes the particular transformation. However, as it will become apparent in the following, using the level differences is a more general and more flexible representation.

  2. 2.

    The duration of the beat is offset by a single pulse to what commonly is considered the duration of the beat (Fig. 7). The beat duration here ends ON the beat and includes all preceding pulses between the current and the previous beat.

  3. 3.

    In order for the end pattern to be the same, all transformations in a given permutation must result in the shift of an event, i.e. the permutation should not result in forbidden or blocked transformations.

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Acknowledgments

This research was partly funded by the Media Arts and Technologies project (MAT), NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000061, financed by the North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by national funds, through the Portuguese funding agency, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Doutor Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    George Sioros

  2. NYU Abu Dhabi, 5th St., Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Carlos Guedes

Authors
  1. George Sioros
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  2. Carlos Guedes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to George Sioros .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS - LMA, Marseille, France

    Mitsuko Aramaki

  2. Toulon-Var University and CNRS - LMA, Marseille, France

    Olivier Derrien

  3. CNRS - LMA, Marseille, France

    Richard Kronland-Martinet

  4. CNRS - LMA, Marseille, France

    Sølvi Ystad

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Sioros, G., Guedes, C. (2014). Syncopation as Transformation. In: Aramaki, M., Derrien, O., Kronland-Martinet, R., Ystad, S. (eds) Sound, Music, and Motion. CMMR 2013. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8905. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12976-1_39

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12976-1_39

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-12975-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-12976-1

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