?It Don?t Mean a Thing If It Ain?t Got That Swing? ? Simulating Expressive Timing by Modulated Movements

Abstract

Abstract A new application of the well known process of frequency modulation, as formerly applied to syntheses of sound, is shown to be a remarkable tool in making syntheses of rhythmic expression in music. Applying a technique of rhythmic frequency modulation, we are able to make simulations of various rhythmic “deviations” typical of live performances of music, by means of continuous movement curves “interacting” with each other. A theoretical interpretation offered by our model is to view expressive timing as a result of rhythmic structure being “stretched” and “compressed” by actions of movements.