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Stochastic Models for Indian Drumming

2002; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 42; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/02329290290031062

1029-4902

Kaustav Bhowmick,

Music and Audio Processing

The present article highlights certain bio-stochastic-models (BSM) associated with the musical acoustics through the most popular Indian drums Tabl[abar], Pakh[abar]vaj and Mridangam. A drum happens to be an important source of musical acoustics and communications. In particular, a drumming through Tabl[abar]/Pakh[abar]vaj/Mridangam happens to be a sophisticated art based on a random (or stochastic) process. A system of drumming being represented by a particular school (or Ghar[abar]n[abar]) of Tabl[abar]/Pakh[abar]vaj/Mridangam, happens to be composition of the basic characteristics of that school and it's genealogical features. A sequence of equidurational strokes ( ? ) and the timing rests (,) forms a j[abar]ti. Playing of 'j[abar]tis' on a drum is governed by Information theory, and as such the information content (or entropy) for the total number of patterns of a j[abar]ti may be determined by musicometric dynamism of j[abar]tis. A drumming is governed by psycho-Aesthetic-Control (PAC) due to a drummer, leading further to Audio-Visual-Control (AVC) in the process of drumming. An actual j[abar]ti played on a drum is influenced by a System-Theoretic-Acoustical-Model (STAM) due to the employment of varieties of strokes at the levels of melody, tone, stress and grace. Consequently, a STAM gives rises to System-Theoretic-Random-Acoustical Function (STRAF), and as such a Stochastic-Model (SM) is built up by the product SM = (JATI) ‐ (STRAF). Hence, AVC is split into Bio-Matrix-Model (BMM) and SM, which happen to combine in the form of a Bio-Stochastic-Model (BSM). A drumming, being characterised by Bio-Muscular-Controls (BMC) of the hands and their associated parts, leads further to BSM. Finally, BSM gives rise to Bio-Control-tensions (BCT) characterised by the Kinetics of the hands and their associated parts leading to drumming.