Papers by Mari Romarheim Haugen
Instructed timing and body posture in guitar and bass playing in groove performance
Musicae Scientiae
Body movements play a crucial role in music performance and perception, and they do so well beyon... more Body movements play a crucial role in music performance and perception, and they do so well beyond those devoted to sound production itself. Various movements related to the performer’s emotional intentions or structural aspects of the music are also part of the performance and crucial to the listening experience. In the present study, we investigated the effect of instructed timing on such non-sound producing body movements, focusing on musicians’ body posture. We used an infrared motion-capture system to record the movements of skilled guitarists and bassists while they were playing electric guitar and electric bass, respectively. We instructed the musicians to perform under three different timing-style conditions: laid-back (behind), on-the-beat, and pushed (ahead). We also conducted short semistructured interviews to gain further insight into their movement strategies. The results show that performers generally leaned forward when instructed to play systematically slightly ahead...
Empirical Musicology Review, 2017
The pulse level in music is often described as a series of isochronous beats that provides an und... more The pulse level in music is often described as a series of isochronous beats that provides an underlying reference structure against which we perceive rhythmic patterns. This notion is challenged by music styles that seem to feature an underlying reference structure that consists of beats of uneven duration, such as certain traditional Scandinavian dance music genres in so-called asymmetrical meter. This study investigates periodic body motion as a reference structure in a specific style of traditional Norwegian dance music called telespringar. The intimate relationship between music and motion is often highlighted in rhythm studies of telespringar, so this study encompasses both sound and motion analyses. It is based on a motion capture study of three telespringar performers; one fiddler and two dancers. Motion analysis of the fiddler's foot stamping indicates a stable long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. Motion analysis of the dancers' vertical motion of the h...
Certain traditional Norwegian and Swedish dance tunes in triple meter are referred to as being in... more Certain traditional Norwegian and Swedish dance tunes in triple meter are referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical meter—that is, the three beats in the measure are of uneven duration. Norwegian telespringar is recognized for a type of asymmetrical meter featuring a systematic long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. These systematic microtiming patterns are often described in terms of deviations from an underlying isochronous pulse. However, it has been argued that performers’ body motion may offer a more perceptually relevant structure of reference than an abstract fixed clock pulse. This study investigates whether the asymmetrical beat patterns previously shown in telespringar music are also represented in the body motion of performers who are playing and dancing. It is reported from two motion capture studies: first, a fiddler playing telespringar on a traditional Hardanger fiddle; second, a couple dancing telespringar. Motion analysis of the fiddler’s foot stampi...
The MYO armband from Thalmic Labs is a complete and wireless motion and muscle sensing platform. ... more The MYO armband from Thalmic Labs is a complete and wireless motion and muscle sensing platform. This paper evaluates the armband's sensors and its potential for NIME applications. This is followed by a presentation of the prototype instrument MuMYO. We conclude that, despite some shortcomings, the armband has potential of becoming a new "standard" controller in the NIME community.
Investigating Music-Dance Relationships
Journal of Music Theory, 2021
This article studies the rhythm of Norwegian telespringar, a tradition with an intimate relations... more This article studies the rhythm of Norwegian telespringar, a tradition with an intimate relationship between music and dance that features a nonisochronous meter; that is, the durations between adjacent beats are unequal. A motion-capture study of a fiddler and dance couple revealed a long-medium-short duration pattern at the beat level in both the fiddler's and the dancers' periodic movements. The results also revealed a correspondence between how the fiddler and the dancers executed the motion patterns. This correspondence suggests that the performers share a common understanding of the underlying “feel” of the music. The results are discussed in light of recent theoretical perspectives on the multimodality of human perception. It is argued that the special feel of telespringar derives from embodied sensations related to the dance and how music and dance have developed in tandem over time. The study advocates a holistic view of music and dance, the importance of insider ex...
The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music... more The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music. Underlying structures such as pulse, meter, and metrical subdivisions are often described as successive points in time. This paper investigates whether experienced musical meter may not only include such points in time, but also trajectories between the points–that is, metrical shapes. Previous studies have pointed out that there seems to be a relationship between musical meter and periodic body motion like foot tapping, head nodding and dancing. This paper investigates musical meter in music styles with an intimate relationship with dance, and whether metrical points and trajectories can be understood by investigating performers’ periodic body motion. Two motion capture studies form the empirical basis of this paper; first, a percussionist and a dancer performing Brazilian samba; second, a fiddler and two dancers performing Norwegian telespringar. The analysis showed that it seemed to...
Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on ... more Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on audio recordings of samba music, report that the 3 rd and the 4 th 16 th -notes are played slightly ahead of their corresponding quantized position, and that this seems to be a prominent feature of samba groove. Considering that samba derives from a culture where music and body motion are intrinsically related, may suggest that we should include both sound and motion data in studies of its rhythmical structures. In this paper we investigate whether the microtiming features, previously shown in samba music, may also be represented in the body motion of performers playing and dancing samba. We report from a motion capture experiment where two skilled samba performers, a percussionist and a dancer, were recorded using an advanced optical infrared motion capture system. Our audio analysis confirms the existence of systematic microtiming patterns on the 16 th -note level in samba music. In ad...
This thesis investigates the interaction between perceived rhythm and underlying reference struct... more This thesis investigates the interaction between perceived rhythm and underlying reference structures in the experience of rhythm in music. The point of departure is that both music performers’ and perceivers’ body motions are relevant to the study of rhythm. Accordingly, in music genres with an intimate relationship to dance, here referred to as music–dance, rhythm needs to be understood in relation to the corresponding dance. The studies included in this thesis investigate rhythm patterns in sound and body motion in two music–dance styles, Brazilian samba and Norwegian telespringar, based on motion capture and sound recordings of professional musicians and dancers. Both samba and telespringar consist of complex rhythm patterns. Samba is often characterized by so-called systematic microtiming at the sixteenth-note level. This was confirmed in our sound analysis of the samba groove, showing a medium–medium–medium–long duration pattern at the sixteenth-note level. In addition, motion...
Norwegian telespringar is often referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical triple meterâtha... more Norwegian telespringar is often referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical triple meterâthat is, the three beats in the measure are of uneven duration. Previous studies report that a systematic longâmediumâshort beat duration pattern seems to be a prominent feature of telespringar. This paper investigates how motion data can be incorporated into studies of rhythmical structures in Norwegian telespringar using motion capture technology. It is reported from two motion capture studies: first, a fiddler playing telespringar on a Hardanger fiddle; second, a couple dancing telespringar. Participantsâ movements were recorded using an advanced optical infrared motion capture system. Motion analysis of the fiddlerâs foot stamping confirms the longâmediumâshort beat-duration hypothesis. In addition, the fiddlerâs upper-body movements seem to be in synchrony with the bar level of the music. Motion analysis of the up/down movement of the bodyâs center of gravity in telespr...
Journal of New Music Research
Previous studies have revealed uneven duration patterns at the sixteenth note level of samba. In ... more Previous studies have revealed uneven duration patterns at the sixteenth note level of samba. In the present study, we investigated the influence of tempo on such sixteenth-note patterns in a performed samba groove.The results revealed an uneven duration pattern in all tempi. Interestingly, the shortest note becomes relatively shorter and the longest relatively longer as the tempo increases. We suggest that the differences in relative durations between tempi reflect the need to maintain the samba sixteenth note 'template' in all tempi: producing the samba 'feel' requires that relative durations have to be adjusted to tempo.
Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on ... more Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on audio recordings of samba music, report that the 3 rd and the 4 th 16 th-notes are played slightly ahead of their corresponding quantized position, and that this seems to be a prominent feature of samba groove. Considering that samba derives from a culture where music and body motion are intrinsically related, may suggest that we should include both sound and motion data in studies of its rhythmical structures. In this paper we investigate whether the microtiming features, previously shown in samba music, may also be represented in the body motion of performers playing and dancing samba. We report from a motion capture experiment where two skilled samba performers, a percussionist and a dancer, were recorded using an advanced optical infrared motion capture system. Our audio analysis confirms the existence of systematic microtiming patterns on the 16 th-note level in samba music. In addition, motion analysis of the percussionist's heel tapping and the dancer's steps revealed motion patterns in synchrony with the systematic microtiming features found in samba music. These observations support the view that the systematic micro timing of 16 th-notes in samba playing is not a deviation from an underlying perceived pulse with isochronous subdivisions, but rather constitutes an essential feature of samba.
Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on ... more Samba groove is often characterized by its complex rhythmical patterns. Recent studies, based on audio recordings of samba music, report that the 3 rd and the 4 th 16 th-notes are played slightly ahead of their corresponding quantized position, and that this seems to be a prominent feature of samba groove. Considering that samba derives from a culture where music and body motion are intrinsically related, may suggest that we should include both sound and motion data in studies of its rhythmical structures. In this paper we investigate whether the microtiming features, previously shown in samba music, may also be represented in the body motion of performers playing and dancing samba. We report from a motion capture experiment where two skilled samba performers, a percussionist and a dancer, were recorded using an advanced optical infrared motion capture system. Our audio analysis confirms the existence of systematic microtiming patterns on the 16 th-note level in samba music. In addition, motion analysis of the percussionist's heel tapping and the dancer's steps revealed motion patterns in synchrony with the systematic microtiming features found in samba music. These observations support the view that the systematic micro timing of 16 th-notes in samba playing is not a deviation from an underlying perceived pulse with isochronous subdivisions, but rather constitutes an essential feature of samba.
Investigating Music-Dance Relationships. A Case Study of Norwegian Telespringar
Journal of Music Theory, 2021
This article studies the rhythm of Norwegian telespringar, a tradition with an intimate relation... more This article studies the rhythm of Norwegian telespringar, a tradition with an intimate relationship between music and dance that features a nonisochronous meter; that is, the durations between adjacent beats are unequal. A motioncapture study of a fiddler and dance couple revealed a longme diumshort duration pattern at the beat level in both the fiddler’s and the dancers’ periodic movements. The results also revealed a correspondence between how the fiddler and the dancers executed the motion patterns. This correspondence suggests that the performers share a common understanding of the under lying “feel” of the music. The results are discussed in light of recent theoretical perspectives on the multimodality of human perception. It is argued that the special feel of telespringar derives from embodied sensations related to the dance and how music and dance have developed in tandem over time. The study advocates a holistic view of music and dance, the importance of insider experience, and the role of embodied experience in guiding our understanding of the music as such.
The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music... more The perception of musical meter is fundamental for rhythm production and perception in much music. Underlying structures such as pulse, meter, and metrical subdivisions are often described as successive points in time. This paper investigates whether experienced musical meter may not only include such points in time, but also trajectories between the points–that is, metrical shapes. Previous studies have pointed out that there seems to be a relationship between musical meter and periodic body motion like foot tapping, head nodding and dancing. This paper investigates musical meter in music styles with an intimate relationship with dance, and whether metrical points and trajectories can be understood by investigating performers' periodic body motion. Two motion capture studies form the empirical basis of this paper; first, a percussionist and a dancer performing Brazilian samba; second, a fiddler and two dancers performing Norwegian telespringar. The analysis showed that it seemed to be a relationship between the periodic fluctuation in audio amplitude and the performers' periodic foot motion on sixteenth note level in samba. Furthermore, motion analysis revealed similar periodic shapes in both percussionist and dancer foot motion. In telespringar there seemed to be a relationship between the metrical beat level and the fiddler's foot stamping. In addition, the beat duration pattern, as indicated by the fiddler's periodic foot stamping, seemed to correspond to the shape of the dancers' vertical body motion. The results support the view that there is a close relationship between musical meter and performers' periodic body motion. This suggest that the underlying meter may not only include metrical points in time, but that each metrical beat/subdivision duration has a corresponding metrical trajectory with a certain shape. If this is the case, then perceivers' and performers' implicit knowledge of the underlying reference structure in samba and telespringar might incorporate knowledge about the underlying metrical shape.
Investigating Periodic Body Motions as a Tacit Reference Structure in Norwegian Telespringar Performance
Full-text: http://emusicology.org/article/view/5029
The pulse level in music is often described... more Full-text: http://emusicology.org/article/view/5029
The pulse level in music is often described as a series of isochronous beats that provides an underlying reference structure against which we perceive rhythmic patterns. This notion is challenged by music styles that seem to feature an underlying reference structure that consists of beats of uneven duration, such as certain traditional Scandinavian dance music genres in so-called asymmetrical meter. This study investigates periodic body motion as a reference structure in a specific style of traditional Norwegian dance music called telespringar. The intimate relationship between music and motion is often highlighted in rhythm studies of telespringar, so this study encompasses both sound and motion analyses. It is based on a motion capture study of three telespringar performers; one fiddler and two dancers. Motion analysis of the fiddler's foot stamping indicates a stable long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. Motion analysis of the dancers' vertical motion of the hips revealed a periodic pattern in synchrony with the beat duration pattern determined by the fiddler's foot stamping. This result implies that the underlying rhythmic structures in telespringar depend upon a shared and embodied knowledge of the underlying asymmetrical reference structure that is implicit in the production and perception of telespringar.
Exploring Sound-Motion Similarity in Musical Experience
Journal of New Music Research, 2016
People tend to perceive many and also salient similarities between musical sound and body motion ... more People tend to perceive many and also salient similarities between musical sound and body motion in musical experience, as can be seen in countless situations of music performance or listening to music, and as has been documented by a number of studies in the past couple of decades. The so-called motor theory of perception has claimed that these similarity relationships are deeply rooted in human cognitive faculties, and that people perceive and make sense of what they hear by mentally simulating the body motion thought to be involved in the making of sound. In this paper, we survey some basic theories of sound-motion similarity in music, and in particular the motor theory perspective. We also present findings regarding sound-motion similarity in musical performance, in dance, in so-called sound-tracing (the spontaneous body motions people produce in tandem with musical sound), and in sonification, all in view of providing a broad basis for understanding sound-motion similarity in music.
Asymmetrical meter in Scandinavian folk music and dance: A case study of Norwegian Telespringar
Certain traditional Norwegian and Swedish dance tunes in triple meter are referred to as being in... more Certain traditional Norwegian and Swedish dance tunes in triple meter are referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical meter—that is, the three beats in the measure are of uneven duration. Norwegian telespringar is recognized for a type of asymmetrical meter featuring a systematic long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. These systematic microtiming patterns are often described in terms of deviations from an underlying isochronous pulse. However, it has been argued that performers’ body motion may offer a more perceptually relevant structure of reference than an abstract fixed clock pulse. This study investigates whether the asymmetrical beat patterns previously shown in telespringar music are also represented in the body motion of performers who are playing and dancing. It is reported from two motion capture studies: first, a fiddler playing telespringar on a traditional Hardanger fiddle; second, a couple dancing telespringar. Motion analysis of the fiddler’s foot stamping indicates a very regular long–medium–short beat pattern. In addition, the fiddler’s upper-body swaying and the vertical motion of the body’s center of gravity in telespringar dancing are in synchrony with the bar level of the music. The fiddler’s foot stamping confirm the long–medium–short beat duration hypothesis and support the view that the systematic microtiming features in telespringar are not a matter of deviation from an underlying isochronous pulse. Instead, they actually constitute an essential feature of telespringar.
Evaluating Input Devices for Dance Research
Recording music-related motions in ecologically valid situations can be challenging. We investiga... more Recording music-related motions in ecologically valid situations can be challenging. We investigate the performance of three devices providing 3D acceleration data, namely Axivity AX3, iPhone 4s and a Wii controller tracking rhythmic motions. The devices are benchmarked against an infrared motion capture system, tested on both simple and complex music-related body motions, and evaluations are presented of the data quality and suitability for tracking music-related motions in real-world situations. The various systems represent different trade-offs with respect to data quality, user interface and physical attributes.
Moving to the Beat: Studying Entrainment to Micro-Rhythmic Changes in Pulse by Motion Capture (Timing and Time Perception)
Pulse is a fundamental reference for the production and perception of rhythm. In this paper, we s... more Pulse is a fundamental reference for the production and perception of rhythm. In this paper, we study entrainment to changes in the micro-rhythmic design of the basic pulse of the groove in ‘Left & Right’ by D’Angelo. In part 1 of the groove the beats have one specific position; in part 2, on the other hand, the different rhythmic layers specify two simultaneous but alternative beat positions that are approximately 50-80 ms apart. We first anticipate listeners’ perceptual response using the theories of entrainment and dynamic attending as points of departure. We then report on a motion capture experiment aimed at engaging listeners’ motion patterns in response to the two parts of the tune. The results show that when multiple onsets are introduced in part 2, the half note becomes a significant additional level of entrainment and the temporal locations of the perceived beats are drawn towards the added onsets.
Studying Rhythmical Structures in Norwegian Folk Music and Dance Using Motion Capture Technology: A Case Study of Norwegian Telespringar
Norwegian telespringar is often referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical triple meter—that ... more Norwegian telespringar is often referred to as being in so-called asymmetrical triple meter—that is, the three beats in the measure are of uneven duration. Previous studies report that a systematic long–medium–short beat duration pattern seems to be a prominent feature of telespringar. This paper investigates how motion data can be incorporated into studies of rhythmical structures in Norwegian telespringar using motion capture technology. It is reported from two motion capture studies: first, a fiddler playing telespringar on a Hardanger fiddle; second, a couple dancing telespringar. Participants’ movements were recorded using an advanced optical infrared motion capture system. Motion analysis of the fiddler’s foot stamping confirms the long–medium–short beat-duration hypothesis. In addition, the fiddler’s upper-body movements seem to be in synchrony with the bar level of the music. Motion analysis of the up/down movement of the body’s center of gravity in telespringar dancing shows a consistent libration pattern. These results appear to suggest that prominent rhythmical features of telespringar are represented in both the fiddler’s and the dancers’ body motion. They also indicate that motion capture technology is an effective means of investigating music-related movements in telespringar.
Full-text: http://ojs.novus.no/index.php/MOT/article/view/688/683
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Papers by Mari Romarheim Haugen
The pulse level in music is often described as a series of isochronous beats that provides an underlying reference structure against which we perceive rhythmic patterns. This notion is challenged by music styles that seem to feature an underlying reference structure that consists of beats of uneven duration, such as certain traditional Scandinavian dance music genres in so-called asymmetrical meter. This study investigates periodic body motion as a reference structure in a specific style of traditional Norwegian dance music called telespringar. The intimate relationship between music and motion is often highlighted in rhythm studies of telespringar, so this study encompasses both sound and motion analyses. It is based on a motion capture study of three telespringar performers; one fiddler and two dancers. Motion analysis of the fiddler's foot stamping indicates a stable long–medium–short duration pattern at beat level. Motion analysis of the dancers' vertical motion of the hips revealed a periodic pattern in synchrony with the beat duration pattern determined by the fiddler's foot stamping. This result implies that the underlying rhythmic structures in telespringar depend upon a shared and embodied knowledge of the underlying asymmetrical reference structure that is implicit in the production and perception of telespringar.
Full-text: http://ojs.novus.no/index.php/MOT/article/view/688/683