A different way to visualize rhythm

一種不同的節(jié)奏可視化方式

來源視頻

We usually think of rhythm as an element of music,

but it's actually found everywhere in the world around us,

from the ocean tides to our own heartbeats,

rhythm is essentially an event repeating regularly over time.

Even the ticking of a clock itself is a sort of rhythm.

我們總是認為， 節(jié)奏只是組成音樂的一個元素，

但事實上，從海洋的潮汐， 到我們自身的心跳，

節(jié)奏無處不在，

節(jié)奏的本質(zhì)， 是隨著時間有規(guī)律地重復(fù)著的事件。

即使是時鐘的嘀嗒聲， 也是一種節(jié)奏。

But for musical rhythm,

a steady string of repeating single beats is not enough.

For that, we need at least one opposing beat with a different sound,

which can be the unstressed off beat or the accented back beat.

There are several ways to make these beats distinct,

whether by using high and low drums, or long and short beats.

但是音樂中所用到的節(jié)奏，

并不只是一個節(jié)拍平穩(wěn)而單一的線性重復(fù)。

至少要有一個不同聲音的拍子與之相對，

那可以是一個輕柔的弱拍， 也可以是一個加重的強拍，

有幾種方法可以讓這些拍子各不相同，

比如用高低鼓制造不同的聲音， 或者用不同的時長制造出長短拍。

Which ends up being heard as the main beat is not a precise rule,

but like the famous Rubin's vase, can be reversed depending on cultural perception.

In standard notation, rhythm is indicated on a musical bar line,

but there are other ways.

Remember that ticking clock?

Just as its round face can trace the linear passage of time,

the flow of rhythm can be ?traced in a circle.

比如用高低鼓制造不同的聲音， 或者用不同的時長制造出長短拍。

“結(jié)束拍聽上去像主拍” 并不是一個準確的規(guī)則，

就像著名的魯賓之杯一樣，不同的文化對 節(jié)奏的規(guī)則有不同的定義和理解。

在標準的標記系統(tǒng)中， 五線譜上方的橫條表示節(jié)拍，

但是有其它方法可以表達節(jié)奏。

記得那些滴滴答答的時鐘么？

既然圓形的鐘面可以用于 表達線形的時間,

圓環(huán)也可以用來表示線性的節(jié)奏。

The continuity of a wheel can be a more intuitive way to visualize rhythm

than a linear score that requires moving back and forth along the page.

We can mark the beats at different positions around the circle

using blue dots for main beats, orange ones for off beats,

and white dots for secondary beats.

相對于需要來回翻頁的譜子,

一個連續(xù)轉(zhuǎn)動的輪子更能直觀地 將節(jié)奏視覺化。

我們在圓輪上的不同位置標記節(jié)拍,

藍色的點表示主拍， 橙色的點表示弱拍，

白色的點表示次級拍。

Here is a basic two beat rhythm with a main beat and an opposing off beat.

Or a three beat rhythm with a main beat, an off beat, and a secondary beat.

And the spaces between each beat can be divided into further sub-beats

using multiples of either two or three.

Layering multiple patterns using concentric wheels

lets us create more complex rhythms.

這就是一個基本的二拍節(jié)奏： 一個主拍和一個相對應(yīng)的弱拍。

或者一個三拍的節(jié)奏： 一個主拍，一個弱拍，和一個次級拍

而每個節(jié)拍之間的空間， 可以進一步地以或者的倍數(shù)分割

以嵌入副拍。

我們可以用分層同心環(huán) 來表示多種的節(jié)奏模式的疊加，

從而創(chuàng)造出更多復(fù)雜的節(jié)奏。

For example, we can combine a basic ?two beat rhythm with off beats

to get a four beat system.

This is the recognizable backbone of many genres popular around the world,

from rock,?

country,?

and jazz,?

to reggae?

and cumbia.

比如，我們可以將一個基礎(chǔ)的?兩拍節(jié)奏和兩個弱拍結(jié)合，

得到一個四拍節(jié)奏。

不難發(fā)現(xiàn)，世界上流行的很多 音樂類型都使用這個節(jié)奏，

比如搖滾樂，

鄉(xiāng)村音樂，

爵士樂，

雷鬼音樂，

比亞舞曲。

Or we can combine a two beat rhythm with a three beat one.

Eliminating the extra main beat and rotating the inner wheel

leaves us with a rhythm whose ?underlying feel is three-four.

This is the basis of the music of Whirling Dervishes,

as well as a broad range of ?Latin American rhythms,

such as Joropo,

and even Bach's famous Chaconne.

我們也可以將一個兩拍節(jié)奏 和一個三拍節(jié)奏結(jié)合，

去掉多余的主拍， 并轉(zhuǎn)動內(nèi)側(cè)的同心輪，

我們會得到一個感覺 像是三四拍的節(jié)奏。

這就是回旋舞的基礎(chǔ)節(jié)奏，

也是大量拉美音樂中的節(jié)奏，

比如霍洛波舞曲，

甚至巴赫所寫的著名的夏康舞曲。

Now if we remember Rubin's vase and hear the off beats as the main beats,

this will give us a six-eight feel,

as found in genres such as Chacarera,

and Quechua,

Persian music and more.

現(xiàn)在，如果我們還記得魯賓之杯 ——將弱拍聽作主拍，

我們將得到一個六八拍的節(jié)奏，

這一節(jié)奏被運用于恰卡雷拉曲，

凱楚阿曲，

波斯音樂和其他音樂類型中。

In an eight beat system, we have three layered circles,

each rhythm played by ?a different instrument.

We can then add an outermost layer

consisting of an additive ?rhythmic component,

reinforcing the main beat and increasing accuracy.

Now let's remove everything except for this combined rhythm

and the basic two beat on top.

構(gòu)成一個八拍節(jié)奏， 我們需要三層同心圓，

每一層的節(jié)奏都 由不同的樂器演奏。

我們可以在最外面再加上一層，

構(gòu)成一個額外的節(jié)奏部分，

以加強主拍， 并提高節(jié)奏的準確性。

現(xiàn)在讓我們只保留這個組合節(jié)奏，

和頂端的兩個基礎(chǔ)的主拍。

This rhythmic configuration is found as the Cuban cinquillo,

in the Puerto Rican bomba,

and in Northern Romanian music.

And rotating the outer circle ?degrees counterclockwise

gives us a pattern often found in Middle Eastern music,

as well as Brazilian choro,

and Argentinian tango.

在古巴音樂中， 這個節(jié)拍配置是常見的節(jié)奏單位，

它也被運用于波多黎各的邦巴曲，

和北羅馬尼亞音樂。

將外層的圓環(huán)逆時針旋轉(zhuǎn)度，

則是一個經(jīng)常在中東音樂中出現(xiàn)的節(jié)奏，

它也經(jīng)常出現(xiàn)在巴西科洛曲中，

和阿根廷探戈中。

In all of these examples, the underlying rhythm reinforces the basic one-two,

but in different ways depending on ?arrangement and cultural context.

So it turns out that the wheel method is more than just a nifty way

of visualizing complex rhythms.

By freeing us from the tyranny of the bar line,

we can visualize rhythm ?in terms of time,

and a simple turn of the wheel can take us on a musical journey around the world.

以上所有例子中的節(jié)奏， 本質(zhì)上都是對基礎(chǔ)一二拍的加強，

但由于組合和文化語境的差異， 加強方式有所不同。

所以，圓輪并不僅僅是一個 將復(fù)雜的節(jié)奏視覺化的機靈方法，

圓輪將我們從橫條的粗暴表達中解放出來，

我們可以用時間來視覺化節(jié)奏，

只要簡單地旋轉(zhuǎn)圓輪，我們就可以進行音樂的環(huán)球旅行。