Use Of Syncopation In Saloace Mexican Serenade

Syncopation can be defined as the playing of a note with an unexpected accent, such as on weak beats or even in between notes. In other words, when a musician incorporates syncopation into a piece, it simply means that he is playing “off the beat.” In the piece, “Solace: A Mexican Serenade”, musician Scott Joplin makes great use of syncopation. However, although the technique is evidently present, the way that Joplin makes use of it is quite unique for the ragtime genre. Typically what is seen in ragtime pianists is that the right hand plays the chords and the melody, while the left hand serves as a bass and provides the overall beat. The sound generally produced from the left hand is a steady “boom-chick, boom-chick.” A good example of this