Subir la llamada: negotiating tempo and dynamics in Uruguayan Candombe drumming

Abstract

The leader-follower relationship among performers is an important aspect in the studies of interpersonal entrainment in the context of musical performance, specially when analysing the role of leadership in instances of changing tempo and/or dynamics. This research focuses on Uruguayan Candombe, a rich drumming tradition deeply rooted in the Afro-Atlantic culture. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the mechanisms by which Candombe drummers may coordinate and synchronize changes in tempo and dynamics during the performance, specifically at the process called “subir la llamada”. Of special interest is the analysis of the cues given by the drummer that leads the rest of the group in the process. Taking one particular recording by three expert Candombe drummers as case study, several computational tools were applied to extract features relevant to the analysis from the audio and video signals.