Where Did Syncopation Come from?

It first appears in ragtime piano in the 1890s, and probably grew out of earlier forms of African-American music; evidence from recordings shows that fourth-position syncopations were used in performance before they were notated.

What is syncopation derived from?

Syncopation may be effected by accenting normally weak beats in a measure, by resting on a normal accented beat, or by tying over a note to the next measure. The pattern is typical of much folk-dance music, especially in eastern Europe, and its use in the Western written tradition may be traced to the 14th century.

How is syncopation created?

Syncopation is created when the strong beats are obscured and either the weak beats or smaller beat divisions are stressed. This is perhaps the simplest form of syncopation and involves replacing a strong beat in a measure with a rest.