Traditional / experimental practice

Ancient Rhythms · West African Polyrhythms

In many West African dance pieces a bell pattern repeats above the polyrhythmic texture: a time line. First the 'standard pattern': seven strokes in twelve units, spaced 2-2-1-2-2-2-1. Then the Mpre bell pattern from Ghana, another arrangement of seven strokes. Finally the tresillo: three strokes in eight units, 3+3+2. The bell is an abstract metal timbre; the tempos were chosen. This is the skeleton of the cycle, not a performance: the positions and order of the strokes come from the sources, the sounds are abstract percussion timbres. There is no claim of any effect.

7 minNo headphones neededEvidence level S: Soundscape, no claim

Liner notes

Strikes: Percussion ×3
What do you hear?: tonal · bright · busy

3 layers, one sound engine; generated on this device every time it plays.

How is this sound made?

Percussion−12 dB
Percussion · a 7-stroke pattern, cycle 2.5 s
Percussion−12 dB
Percussion · a 7-stroke pattern, cycle 2.5 s
Percussion−12 dB
Percussion · a 3-stroke pattern, cycle 2.08 s

Reverb: room, 12% mix

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S · Soundscape, no claim

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