Rhythm Distribution in Recordings
(In Fully Irish Traditional Albums)

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 29,892. 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 64 album codes are excluded from this report: 4MD 2, AKG 2, Arc 1, Barde 1, BBSW, BIABH 3, BF, Boys 12, Boys 13, Boys 23, Ch AIE, Ch BIH, Ch DOPR, CFF 1, CFF 2, CFF 3, CFF 4, CFF 6, CMcAn, CMr 2, CnORa 1, COLry, CTL 12, DD 8, DD 9, Di, DSLM, ECoyKD, FFH, FidCase2, Gdwr 2, GOMra, HatW, InTndm, JMcC, JOS 2, KBoyle, KCs, LMcK 1, MMcG 3, NKndy 1, Nms 2, NP, NVall 1, OMcA, OHs 2, OHs 3, Plx 7, Scglen 2, SkHly 3, Socks 2, Srnd, StGrmm 2, Stpkt, StWing 9, SS 2, StWing 3, SW, THayes, THny 1, TitK 1, TitK 4, 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.

RhythmCountAverage
per album
% of
total
Bar graph
Reel13,4181344.9%bar
Double jig6,105620.4%bar
Hornpipe2,27427.6%bar
Song1,68725.6%bar
Polka1,35514.5%bar
Slide85312.9%bar
Air81212.7%bar
Slip jig78012.6%bar
Piece45301.5%bar
Barn dance31801.1%bar
March30801.0%bar
Waltz29101.0%bar
Set dance26300.9%bar
Single jig25200.8%bar
Fling22200.7%bar
Highland18600.6%bar
Strathspey9300.3%bar
Mazurka8800.3%bar
Schottisch6600.2%bar
Other4100.1%bar
Single reel2700.1%bar
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