- Accompanist (role)
- Ad libitum
- Agenda
- Aleatoricism
- Aspect
- Balance
- Bartle types
- BCG
- (Cognitive) flow
- Conductor (role)
- Constellation
- Constructor (role)
- Co-optionality
- Cue cards
- Dice
- Dimension
- Downbeat
- Downtime
- Elegant Game
- Emergence
- End Condition
- Event (musical event)
- Extended technique
- Facilitator
- Fighting
- Flow
- Found sound
- Gameplay flow
- Genre
- Heteronomous Music
- Horizon of intent
- Improvisation rite
- Insert game
- Inspire cards
- Instrument Preparation
- Judge (role)
- Karaoke
- King-making
- Learning curve
- Ludomusical dissonance
- Meaningful Choice
- Mechanic
- Music game
- Non-idiomatic music
- Notation Cards
- Open work
- Parameter
- Pervasive Game
- Player (role)
- Prompter (role)
- Psychographics
- Quarterbacking
- Rhythm cards
- Rhythm game
- Roles
- RPG
- Rule Cards
- Speedrun
- Stacking
- Trading
- Transition
- Upgrade
- Victory condition
- Xenochrony
- XP
- Yes, and...
This glossary entry is a draft. You can help by editing it or discussing in the comments
Combining musical parts of very different rhythms.
Usage
Frank Zappa used xenochrony in the '60s in a recording studio. It was an experimental technique used to yield a much a more approachable, rock-influenced result. Zappa is responsible for coining the name, but similar effects were explored at around that time by other artists both in pop (e.g. The Beatles) and by those of classical lineage (Steve Reich).
A rhythmic relation known as polymeter happens when parts are played in the same tempo but e.g. one part is playing a waltz rhythm on 3, and another a polka on 4. This is effect is a regular of music games, but in xenochrony, the displacement of two parts needs to be done on a smaller scale, and usually was achieved by slowing down or speeding up a previously recorded part.
When applied to live acoustic music, xenochrony is a virtuosic technique. Steve Reich moved with his phasing method, where the difference of tempi is quite small, from studio to percussion or piano performance; in popular music it is used by more current jazz drummers like Chris Dave.
Constellation — A line-up for a single performance of improvised music.
Today, sampling is much more commonly accepted as a form of live music-making and when a constellation involves samples, xenochrony may easily appear also in a music game played by non-professionals, even if unintended. Zappa's vocabulary helps to build acceptance for such effects among music game meeting participants.
If you think anything should be added to this subpage, please drop a hint or a link for future editors.