These tales bring forward a critique on the usefulness of the tempo curve (a continuous function of time or score-position)* as the underlying representation of several computational models (including most computer music software in the nineties). The main point of critique is that the predictions made by models using this representation are insensitive to the actual rhythmic structure of the musical material: They make the same predictions for different rhythms. All this suggests the existence of a richer (mental) representation of timing than is captured by an unstructured tempo curve, hence the title of one of the tales: Tempo curves considered harmful.*
* The title is a paraphrase on Edsger W. Dijkstra's note in the March 1968 "Communications of the ACM", named "Goto Statement Considered Harmful". It stressed the importance of structure in computer programs. Knowing this, the parallel with unstructured representations of tempo (like tempo curves) is obvious.

• Link to Appendix of Honing (2003, 2004) or the full text.
• Link to Appendix of Desain & Honing (1993) or the full text.

Figure 3 a) A mechanical implementation of a constant braking force model, consisting of a music box (1), a piece of piano roll (2), solid-metal flywheel (3), belt (4), and a handle (5). b) QuickTime movie showing the machine at work (ca. 3 MB; alternative in RealPlayer )

Figure 2. Three models of the Final Ritard. Clicking on one of the three audio examples plays the indicated model applied to the last notes of R. Schumann's Traumerei.

The full text as pdf.

Tempo Curves Considered Harmful (Desain & Honing, 1993)

Text and sound examples