Abstract
In this paper the concept of meter is investigated, taking into account elements of perception and performance. Considerable problems with the traditional theories lead to a broadened definition of meter as the temporal framework of music. A descriptive method for meter based on this definition is proposed, it consists of three main levels: essential beat patterns, metric hierarchies (meter in strict sense) and metric microstructure. The emphasis is on the importance of periodic beats and microstructure and of their combination to reach a complete description of meter. Finally the significance of interpretational elements in the perception of meter is discussed, stressing the need to start from performed music in order to obtain a correct image of the meter in a particular piece.
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Moelants, D. (1997). A framework for the subsymbolic description of meter. In: Leman, M. (eds) Music, Gestalt, and Computing. JIC 1996. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1317. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0034120
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0034120
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