Trilsbeek, P., Desain, P. & Honing, H. (submitted). How performance style is revealed by spectral analysis of expressive timing.

Abstract

Japanese and Western musicians may give different impression to the listener when performing western music, as has sometimes been discussed. However, these discussions are mostly based on subjective impression and only a few studies provide an empirical basis for it. The aim of this study is to compare Japanese and Western musicians with regard to timing. Japanese and Dutch percussionists performed nine kinds of rhythmic patterns consisting of two intervals, under two conditions of performing modes, in three tempi. A greater variation in performed timing was observed for rhythmic patterns with larger duration ratios. Most of deviations tended to reduce the ratio between two different intervals and there was a systematic effect of the temporal order of intervals. Although there seemed to be a trend, which distinguished the Japanese participants, performing 4:1, 5:1, 1:4 and 1:5 patterns with a smaller duration ratio than instructed, the performance of the patterns with ratios closer to one were similar between the participant groups.

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