Syncopation occurs when a note emphasizes the “weak” beats of a measure, but as discussed in Overview 4c, meter is based on perception and is therefore a subjective phenomenon. The very idea of strong and weak beats relies on a steady pulse to be established. Take the first three bars of the following example. Even though they are clearly written in a syncopated pattern that begins on the & of 1, most listeners would hear the first pitch as the downbeat because it is the first pitch they hear. However, when the top line is added in the fourth measure, it becomes easy to hear the bottom line as syncopated because a stronger reference has been established.
The example contains a rhythmic pattern scored in two different meters. Discuss the differences between the two ways of notating the examples and which one best reflects your perception of the excerpt. Are there other methods of which you can think that could alter a listener’s perception of meter?
After you hit play, do not follow the part in order to allow your ear to determine how it hears the meter.
Listen to the first 20 seconds of the following clip of Sintra from Snarky Puppy’s incredible collaboration with the Metropole Orkest. How would you classify the meter? What can you tell about the performers’ sense of the meter from their body language, particularly the conductor? Does it match yours?
The next clip starts slightly before the previous clip. How would you classify this meter? Does it affect how you perceive the material from the previous clip? What can you tell about the performers’ sense of the meter from their body language, particularly the conductor? Does it match yours?
The final clip starts in the introduction of this piece. This is clearly in a different meter than the previous two clips but it segues smoothly into the new section. How does this affect your perception of the material from the previous two clips? What can you tell about the performers’ sense of the meter from their body language, particularly the conductor? Does it match yours?