Återkopplingsslaget

Återkopplingsslaget is a Swedish term that translates roughly to “the feedback beat.” The phrase appears sporadically in Swedish-language discussions of acoustics, electronics, and music, but it is not a standard term in formal disciplines. Its exact meaning is context dependent and can vary between fields.

In electronics and acoustics, återkopplingsslaget may refer to the rhythmic or periodic output that emerges when a system contains a feedback loop with insufficient damping. Positive feedback can produce self-sustained oscillations at a resonant frequency; when multiple components interact, the resulting waveform can exhibit a beating pattern, perceived as a recurring pulse or change in loudness. The term can also describe the characteristic tone produced by feedback in guitar amplifiers and public-address systems, where microphoned sound, amplification, and loudspeaker output interact.

In music and performance contexts, practitioners might use the term to describe deliberate use of feedback to create a rhythmic texture or beat within a piece, rather than a strictly technical specification. The concept can overlap with ideas of sound sculpture, noise music, or experimental electronics, where feedback is part of the artistic language.

Because återkopplingsslaget lacks a single formal definition, it is mainly encountered in informal discussion, ethnographic observation, or field-specific discourse. In many cases, more precise terms such as feedback, self-oscillation, or beat frequency are preferred, depending on the emphasis.

See also: feedback, self-oscillation, beat frequency, audio feedback, control theory.