Abstract
Human social interactions often involve carefully synchronized behaviours. Musical performance in particular features precise timing and depends on the differentiation and coordination of musical/social roles. Here, we study the influence of musical/social roles, individual musicians and different ensembles on rhythmic synchronization in Malian drum ensemble music, which features synchronization accuracy near the limits of human performance. We analysed 72 recordings of the same piece performed by four trios, in which two drummers in each trio systematically switched roles (lead versus accompaniment). Musical role, rather than individual or group differences, is the main factor influencing synchronization accuracy. Using linear causal modelling, we found a consistent pattern of bi-directional couplings between players, in which the direction and strength of rhythmic adaptation is asymmetrically distributed across musical roles. This differs from notions of musical leadership, which assume that ensemble synchronization relies predominantly on a single dominant personality and/or musical role. We then ran simulations that varied the direction and strength of sensorimotor coupling and found that the coupling pattern used by the Malian musicians affords nearly optimal synchronization. More broadly, our study showcases the importance of ecologically valid and culturally diverse studies of human behaviour.This article is part of the theme issue ‘Synchrony and rhythm interaction: from the brain to behavioural ecology’.
Highlights
Complex human social behaviours often rely upon different members of a group taking particular roles or tasks
Our broader aim is to document how temporal precision in human joint action depends on both the differentiation and optimal coordination of social–musical roles
We collected performance data from four distinct ensembles in which the two jembe drummers systematically switched roles. These data allow us to assess the effect of individual players, ensembles and musical roles on ensemble synchronization
Summary
Complex human social behaviours often rely upon different members of a group taking particular roles or tasks. Our broader aim is to document how temporal precision in human joint action depends on both the differentiation and optimal coordination of social–musical roles Many musical factors, such as pulse clarity, event density, onset perceptibility, musicians’ skills, musical practices (e.g. rehearsal prior to performance, improvisation during performance) and style-specific aesthetic ideals, all can contribute to the degree of precision in ensemble synchronization. Percussionists often outperform non-percussionist musicians in rhythm perception skills, in the context of sensorimotor synchronization tasks [18]; the state of research on this issue is ambivalent, [19] Another relevant factor is the performers’ desire for tight ensemble synchrony: while it is an aesthetic ideal characteristic of certain African and African-diasporic musical genres, instrument b.p.m royalsocietypublishing.org/journal/rstb Phil. We study differences between individual players (e.g. in expertise and/or seniority), between ensembles (teams of individual players) and between musical roles (e.g. lead versus accompaniment), which differ with respect to their inherent complexity and variability
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
