Rhythm Distribution in Recordings
(In Fully Irish Traditional Albums)

Of related interest:

This list ranks rhythms by their relative frequency among all tune instances on all fully-indexed, commercial recordings of primarily Irish traditional music in my entire database. The total number of such tune instances is 17,232. Since it ignores whether a tune recording is a distinct tune or not, it reveals how often each tune type has been recorded. For example, even if one particular reel was recorded by ten different musicians over time, it still counts that as ten "votes" for the reel rhythm.

This report illustrates the distribution of tune types in commercial albums of Irish traditional music. Since it ignores whether a tune recording is distinct or not, and excludes incomplete albums, it can present the average rhythm distribution per album. The following 44 album codes are excluded from this report: 4MD 2, Arc 1, BBSW, BIABH 3, BF, Boys 13, Ch AIE, Ch BIH, Ch C, CFF 1, CFF 2, CFF 3, CFF 4, CFF 6, CMcAn, CnORa 1, CTL 12, Di, DSLM, FFH, Gdwr 2, HatW, InTndm, JMcC, JOS 2, KCs, LMcK 1, MMcG 3, OMcA, OHs 2, OHs 3, Nms 2, NP, Plx 7, SkHly 3, Srnd, StGrmm 2, Stpkt, SS 2, SW, THayes, THny 1, Trpsw, TW.

This report, since it excludes some recordings, is slightly different from the report Rhythm Distribution in Recordings (All). Compare also Rhythm Distribution of tune types among all distinct tunes, as well as Rhythm Distribution in Session Tunes.

RhythmNumber of
instances
Average instances
per album
Percentage
of total
Bar graph
Reel7,8941345.8%bar
Double jig3,374519.6%bar
Hornpipe1,26727.4%bar
Song94025.5%bar
Polka77714.5%bar
Air56213.3%bar
Slide48812.8%bar
Slip jig42612.5%bar
Piece28301.6%bar
March18301.1%bar
Barn dance17301.0%bar
Set dance15200.9%bar
Fling15000.9%bar
Waltz14200.8%bar
Single jig13300.8%bar
Highland9200.5%bar
Strathspey6900.4%bar
Mazurka5400.3%bar
Schottisch3100.2%bar
Other2100.1%bar
Single reel2100.1%bar