Comparative analysis of rhythms of Japanese folk songs using the nPVI

Abstract

　In this study, in order to clarify the relationship between Japanese folk songs’ melody and Japanese phonology, we conducted an analysis of rhythm using the nPVI. The nPVI is an index that quantifies the distinction between stress-timed and syllable-timed languages and has recently been used for comparative analysis of rhythms in western music history. In this study, the difference in the agogic contrasts was clarified by comparing the nPVI value with the folk songs from each region.