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How does the music of the Northwest Coast use changing meters and tempo shifts?
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Native American music
Native Americans playing drums at a powwow.
In the music of the Northwest Coast, rhythmic structures are characterized by high complexity. Rather than maintaining a rigid, uniform beat, the music features frequent changes of meter and a variety of durational values.
A distinctive element of this musical style is the use of intentional tempo displacements, which occur between the singers and the drum. These shifts contribute to the intricate and highly detailed phrase designs found in the region's songs, which are performed in contexts ranging from potlatch feasts and shamanic rituals to seasonal dance ceremonies.1