Aksak Patterns and Entrained Interaction in Transylvanian Village Music

Authors

  • Martin Clayton Durham University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18061/emr.v10i4.4886

Keywords:

aksak, nonisochronous rhythm, entrainment

Abstract

In this response to Filippo Bonini Baraldi, Emmanuel Bigand and Thierry Pozzo’s article ‘Measuring aksak rhythm and synchronization in Transylvanian village music by using motion capture’, I present supplementary analyses of (a) the ratio between Short and Long beats, and (b) the entrainment between the two musicians in the motion capture recordings. The main findings reported are: the mean S:L ratio is close to 1:√2, although there is some evidence for the role of 2:3 as an attractor ratio; the distribution of S:L ratios and other measures vary depending on whether the period is taken as S+L or L+S; and the S:L ratio varies with tempo. Since the viola part is much less variable than the violin part, the former should be taken as a reference; the violinist tends to play ahead of the beat articulated by the violist, significantly so except for the Short beat in one recording (Duo 14), in which the musicians exhibit a form of soft entrainment, alternating between small and large phase differences.

Downloads

Published

2016-01-28

How to Cite

Clayton, M. (2016). Aksak Patterns and Entrained Interaction in Transylvanian Village Music. Empirical Musicology Review, 10(4), 292–301. https://doi.org/10.18061/emr.v10i4.4886