Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 1

A Cyclic Approach to Rhythm and Meter in the Music of Meshuggah Guy Capuzzo (University of North Carolina at Greensboro)

Abstract

This paper offers an approach to rhythm and meter in the music of Meshuggah. Within a modular space, I use simultaneous distinct interval cycles
to model metric levels (beat, hyperbeat, hypermeasure, section) and surface rhythms. I portray the metric levels as regular because the ratio of
beat:hyperbeat, hyperbeat:hypermeasure, and hypermeasure:section is 4:1 in each case. By contrast, I portray the surface rhythms as irregular
because the total duration of a given repeating rhythm (calculated in beat subdivision units) is co-prime to the total number of beat subdivision
units and/or total number of measures in the section. To illustrate the concurrent regular metric levels and irregular surface rhythms that
characterize the bands music, I develop circular graphic representations. In the analytic prose, I adopt the metaphors of standard and deviance
to interpret the regular/irregular pairing.

Definitions

Deviate (v): To turn aside from a course, method, or mode of action, a rule, standard, etc.; to take a different course, diverge (OED, emphasis
added).
Total Duration: The total duration of a rhythm x is the sum of all its durations and rests (Hook 1998, 102).
Relatively Prime (Co-prime): Two integers are relatively prime if they share no common positive factors (divisors) except 1 (Weisstein, n.d.).
Irregular/deviant rhythm: An irregular/deviant rhythm is one whose total duration is co-prime to the total number of beat subdivision units
and/or total number of measures in the section.
Partition: A partition of a set S is a collection of disjoint subsets of S whose union is all of S (Hook 2002, 194).
Interval Cycle: Repeated transpositions by a single interval n. The resulting set is generated.
Tail: An elongated or truncated final statement of the generating interval. It realigns a repeating rhythm with the downbeat more quickly than the
original generating interval. Cohns term for this is comma (2013) or shortcut (2008, 5051). I consider an interval cycle with a tail to
be generated.
Maximally Even (ME): A maximally even set is one whose elements are distributed as evenly as possible around the chromatic circle
(Clough and Douthett 1991, 96).
Beat-class integer: In a mod-N beat-class space, beat-class 0 comprises all the pulses that occur at some barline; beat-class 1 comprises all
the pulses that occur one unit after some barline; ; beat-class (N-1) comprises all the pulses that occur one unit before some
barline (Lewin 1987, 23).

Acknowledgements

Sonia Archer-Capuzzo, Nicole Biamonte, Paul Capuzzo, Christopher Doll, Jack Douthett, Daphne Leong, John Link, Justin London, Milton
Mermikides, Scott Murphy, Shaugn ODonnell, Brad Osborn, Jonathan Pieslak, Adam Ricci, Jonathan Salter, Chris White. Any errors are my
responsibility.
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 2

Example 1. Rational Gaze, Nothing (2002), 0:00-0:29 (Pieslak 2007, 222).

25

Beat class, mod 16: 0 9 2

(Incomplete T9 cycle)

28

11 4

Example 2. Rhythmic and metric organization (after Biamonte 2014, Ex. 1).

Level Unit
Section Section (4 hypermeasures)
Hypermetric Hypermeasure (4 measures)
Metric Measure/Hyperbeat (4 beats)
Tactus Beat
Subtactus Beat Subdivision
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 3

Example 3. Linear rhythmic/metric representation of Example 1 (after Pieslak 2007, 222).

25 25 25
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beat subdivision
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beat
* * * * Hyperbeat
* Hypermeasure

25 28

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beat subdivision
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Beat
* * * * Hyperbeat
* Hypermeasure

Rhythmic analysis (total duration of riff in ):

Beat Subdivision: (128 in all, 256 on the repeat)

Metric levels:

Beat: (32 in all, 64 on the repeat)

Hyperbeat: (8 in all, 16 on the repeat)

Hypermeasure: (2 in all, 4 on the repeat)

 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 4

Example 4. Cyclic rhythmic/metric representation of Rational Gaze.

2 hypermeasures (orange, T64), 8 hyperbeats (green, T16), 32 beats (blue, T4), deviant rhythm T25 , T25 , T25 , T25 , T28

0
T4
124 4

120 8

116 12

112 T16 16

108 20

T28 T25
104 24

100 28

96
T64 32

92 T25 T25 36

88 40

84 44

80 48

T25
76 52

72 56

68 60
64
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 5

Example 5. Dancers to a Discordant System, Obzen (2008), 0:48-1:20.

Numbers below staff indicate onsets of repeating 21 20 19 riff Note durations (* indicates alteration from previous)

21 20 19

21 20

19 21 20

19 12
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 6

Example 6. Cyclic rhythmic/metric representation of Dancers to a Discordant System.

4 hypermeasures (orange, T48), 16 hyperbeats (green, T12), 64 beats (blue, T3)
0

180 12
T12

T21
168 24

T19 T60 T20

156 36

= triplet eighth

T20 T60 T19

144
Hypermeasure, hyperbeat, 48

and beat arrows omitted to

prevent visual clutter

13
2 60

T21 T60

T21

120 72

T19 T20
108 84

96
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 7

Example 7. Do Not Look Down, Koloss (2012), 0:00-0:25.

Riff A:
ME (7, 3) Not ME (10, 8)

ME (11, 5) ME (6, 6)

Riff B (same rhythm, different pitches):

 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 8

Example 8. Do Not Look Down, 0:24-0:35.

Start 8-bar unit; end eighth statement of riff A

Continue 8-bar unit; restart riff A (total duration = 17 )

Bc 0 Bc 1

Bc 2 Bc 3

Example 9. Do Not Look Down, 0:00-1:48: formal diagram.

72 mm. of 4/4 = 576 M. 73: new section begins (gtr. solo)

Intro: 24 Verse: 24 Verse: 24
standard
16 8 16 8 16 8
Riff: A A A B A B
deviance 17 17 17 17 4 + 2 = 578 = 34 statements of riff

One hyperstatement = eight statements of the 17 riff; total 136 or 17 mm. of 4/4
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 9

Example 10. Cyclic rhythmic/metric representation of Do Not Look Down.

3 sections (orange, T24), 4 hyperstatements of riff
Numbers on circle indicate measure numbers 70
71 0 1
2
69 3

T4
68 4
67 5
66 6

65 7

64 8

63 9

T17 T17
62 10

61 11

60 12

59 13

58 14

57 15

T24 T24
56 16

55 17

54 18

53 19

52 20

51 21

50 22

T24
49 23

48 24

47 25

T17 T17
46 26

45 27

44 28

43 29

42 30
41 31
40 32
39 33
38 34
37 36 35
 Capuzzo: SMT 2014: 10

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