Semiotic Description of Music Structure: an Introduction to the Quaero/Metiss Structural Annotations

12 pagesInternational audienceInterest has been steadily growing in semantic audio and music information retrieval for the description of music structure, i.e., the global organization of music pieces in terms of large-scale structural units. This article presents a detailed methodology for the semiotic description of music structure, based on concepts and criteria which are formulated as generically as possible. We sum up the essential principles and practices developed during an annotation effort deployed by our research group (Metiss) on audio data in the context of the Quaero project, which has led to the public release of over 380 annotations of pop songs from three different data sets. The paper also includes a few case studies and a concise statistical overview of the annotated data

Methodological and musicological investigation of the System & Contrast model for musical form description

The semiotic description of music structure aims at representing the high-level organization of music pieces in a concise, generic and reproducible way as a low-rate stream of arbitrary symbols from a limited alphabet, which results into a sequence of " semiotic units ". In this context, the purpose of the System & Contrast model is to address the internal organization of the semiotic units. In this report, the System & Contrast model is approached from different angles in relation to varied disciplines : cognitive psychology, music analysis and information theory. After establishing a number of links between the System & Contrast model and other approaches of music structure, the model is illustrated on studio-based popular music pieces, as well as on music from the classical Viennese period

HARMONIC AND TRANSPOSITION CONSTRAINTS ARISING FROM THE USE OF THE ROLAND TR-808 BASS DRUM

The study investigates hip-hop music producer Scott Storch’s approach to tonality, where the song’s key is transposed to fit the Roland TR-808 bass drum instead of tuning the drums to the song’s key. This process, involving the adjustment of all tracks except the bass drum, suggests significant production motives. The primary constraint stems from the limited usable pitch range of the TR-808 bass drum if its characteristic sound is to be preserved. The research examines drum tuning practices, the role of the Roland TR-808 in music, and the sub-bass qualities of its bass drum. Analysis of TR-808 samples reveals their characteristics and their integration into modern genres like trap and hip-hop. The study also considers the impact of loudspeaker frequency response and human ear sensitivity on bass drum perception. The findings suggest that Storch’s method prioritizes the spectral properties of the bass drum over traditional pitch values to enhance the bass response. The need to maintain the unique sound of the TR-808 bass drum underscores the importance of spectral formants and register in contemporary popular music production.</p

Methods for Pitch Analysis in Contemporary Popular Music:Deviations From 12-Tone Equal Temperament in Vitalic’s Work

Aims: Twelve-tone equal temperament (12-TET) is recognized as the modern standard tuning for music. However, contemporary popular music may exhibit significant deviations from this framework. This study investigates such deviations in the music of the electronic musician Vitalic and others. Methods: The study examines relations between signal features and perceived pitches. The artist’s involvement ensures that the analysis focuses on aspects relevant to the music. Results: Deviations from 12-TET can be observed as a result of 1) tuning of quasiharmonic tones outside of 12-TET, 2) audible mistuned partials within an otherwise quasiharmonic context, and 3) subsets of partials perceived as distinct pitches outside 12-TET. Examples from other artists suggest that the use of pitches outside 12-TET is not limited to Vitalic’s music. Conclusions: The deviations from 12-TET are deliberate and pervasive. They are often linked to the acoustic properties of the tones, suggesting 1) a continuum between timbre and pitch and 2) the concept of a “resulting pitch” analogous to the idea of “resulting harmony” in Renaissance polyphonic music. Such conclusions challenge the traditional view of musical pitch.</p

Perceptive study and recommendation for sonification categories

Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD), Boston, MA, July 7-9, 2003.In the field of audio signaletics, most sound designers have their own recipes to make samples that convey a certain meaning, which we could call auditory function. The aim of the present article is to compare the perceptive representation and the functional representation with the usual sound categories designed to fulfill specific actions of user's interface. The article finally proposes recommendations for the designers according to perceptive results

Machine learning research that matters for music creation : a case study

Research applying machine learning to music modeling and generation typically proposes model architectures, training methods and datasets, and gauges system performance using quantitative measures like sequence likelihoods and/or qualitative listening tests. Rarely does such work explicitly question and analyse its usefulness for and impact on real-world practitioners, and then build on those outcomes to inform the development and application of machine learning. This article attempts to do these things for machine learning applied to music creation. Together with practitioners, we develop and use several applications of machine learning for music creation, and present a public concert of the results. We reflect on the entire experience to arrive at several ways of advancing these and similar applications of machine learning to music creation.QC 20180827</p

Use of endovascular embolization to treat a ruptured arteriovenous malformation in a pregnant woman: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Pregnancy has been linked to increased rates of arteriovenous malformation rupture. This link remains a matter of debate and very few studies have addressed the management of arteriovenous malformation in pregnancy. Unruptured arteriovenous malformations in pregnant woman generally warrant conservative management due to the low rupture risk. When pregnant women present with ruptured arteriovenous malformation, however, surgery is often indicated due to the increased risk of re-rupture and associated mortality. Endovascular embolization is widely accepted as an important component of contemporary, multimodal therapy for arteriovenous malformations. Although rarely curative, embolization can facilitate subsequent surgical resection or radiosurgery. No previous reports have been devoted to the endovascular management of an arteriovenous malformation in a pregnant woman.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 23-year-old Caucasian woman presented with headache and visual disturbance after the rupture of a left parieto-occipital arteriovenous malformation in the 22nd week of her pregnancy. After involving high-risk obstetric consultants and taking precautions to shield the fetus from ionizing radiation, we proceeded with a single stage of endovascular embolization followed soon after by open surgical resection of the arteriovenous malformation. There were several goals for the angiography in this patient: to better understand the anatomy of the arteriovenous malformation, including the number and orientation of feeding arteries and draining veins; to look for associated pre-nidal or intra-nidal aneurysms; and to partially embolize the arteriovenous malformation via safely-accessible feeders to facilitate surgical resection and minimize blood loss and operative morbidity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>From our experience and review of the literature, we maintain that ruptured arteriovenous malformations in pregnancy may be managed in a similar manner to those in non-gravid women. Precautions should be taken to reduce the operative time and exposure of the fetus to ionizing radiation and contrast agents.</p