African Polyphony and Polyrhythm

Explore the intersection of ethnomusicology, computer science, and African music in this 42-minute conference talk from Strange Loop. Delve into the challenges faced by ethnomusicologists when documenting African music and discover how algomusicology offers innovative solutions. Learn about Simha Arom's groundbreaking work in systematizing central African polyphony and polyrhythm, and understand how music-as-code can effectively represent these complex musical structures. Examine the potential of programming to bridge gaps between diverse musical systems, preserving and celebrating cultural diversity through the universal language of code. Gain insights into novel recording techniques, model testing methods, and the synthesis of traditional African music using computational approaches.