K-Space at TRECVid 2007

In this paper we describe K-Space participation in TRECVid 2007. K-Space participated in two tasks, high-level feature extraction and interactive search. We present our approaches for each of these activities and provide a brief analysis of our results. Our high-level feature submission utilized multi-modal low-level features which included visual, audio and temporal elements. Specific concept detectors (such as Face detectors) developed by K-Space partners were also used. We experimented with different machine learning approaches including logistic regression and support vector machines (SVM). Finally we also experimented with both early and late fusion for feature combination. This year we also participated in interactive search, submitting 6 runs. We developed two interfaces which both utilized the same retrieval functionality. Our objective was to measure the effect of context, which was supported to different degrees in each interface, on user performance. The first of the two systems was a ‘shot’ based interface, where the results from a query were presented as a ranked list of shots. The second interface was ‘broadcast’ based, where results were presented as a ranked list of broadcasts. Both systems made use of the outputs of our high-level feature submission as well as low-level visual features

Rethinking Recurrent Latent Variable Model for Music Composition

We present a model for capturing musical features and creating novel sequences of music, called the Convolutional Variational Recurrent Neural Network. To generate sequential data, the model uses an encoder-decoder architecture with latent probabilistic connections to capture the hidden structure of music. Using the sequence-to-sequence model, our generative model can exploit samples from a prior distribution and generate a longer sequence of music. We compare the performance of our proposed model with other types of Neural Networks using the criteria of Information Rate that is implemented by Variable Markov Oracle, a method that allows statistical characterization of musical information dynamics and detection of motifs in a song. Our results suggest that the proposed model has a better statistical resemblance to the musical structure of the training data, which improves the creation of new sequences of music in the style of the originals.Comment: Published as a conference paper at IEEE MMSP 201

Modelling the relationship between scientific and bibliographic classification for music

Scientific classification is an important topic in contemporary knowledge organization discourse, yet the nature of the relationships between scientific and bibliographic classifications has not been fully studied. This article considers the connections between scientific and bibliographic classifications for music, taking general discourse about scientific classification and domain analysis as its starting point. Three relationship characteristics are posited: similarity, causation, and time. In discussions about similarity, “accords” and “discords” are analysed. Furthermore , the idea of a scale of accord is introduced, and issues with assuming a univocal scientific or bibliographic classification of music are discussed. Causation and the idea of influence between scientific and bibliographic classifications for music are unpicked. The connections between accordance and influence are explored, and the concept of differing purposes for different classification approaches is analysed. A temporal dimension is considered, and the dynamic nature of connections between music scientific and bibliographic classifications is established. The idea of bifurcation is introduced – a change of accordance over time – which is prominent for musical instrument classification. The concluding model visualizes similarity, causation and temporal aspects as three dimensions, showing how scientific and bibliographic classifications for music are connected through a set of interconnected and complex relationships

Feature Extraction in Music information retrival using Machine Learning Algorithms

Music classification is essential for faster Music record recovery. Separating the ideal arrangement of highlights and selecting the best investigation technique are critical for obtaining the best results from sound grouping. The extraction of sound elements could be viewed as an exceptional case of information sound information being transformed into sound instances. Music division and order can provide a rich dataset for the analysis of sight and sound substances. Because of the great dimensionality of sound highlights as well as the variable length of sound fragments, Music layout is dependent on the overpowering computation. By focusing on rhythmic aspects of different songs, this article provides an introduction of some of the possibilities for computing music similarity. Almost every MIR toolkit includes a method for extracting the beats per minute (BPM) and consequently the tempo of each music. The simplest method of computing very low-level rhythmic similarities is to sort and compare songs solely by their tempo There are undoubtedly far better and more precise solutions.  work discusses some of the most promising ways for computing rhythm similarities in a Big Data framework usaing machine Learning algorithms

Exploratory Browsing

In recent years the digital media has influenced many areas of our life. The transition from analogue to digital has substantially changed our ways of dealing with media collections. Today‟s interfaces for managing digital media mainly offer fixed linear models corresponding to the underlying technical concepts (folders, events, albums, etc.), or the metaphors borrowed from the analogue counterparts (e.g., stacks, film rolls). However, people‟s mental interpretations of their media collections often go beyond the scope of linear scan. Besides explicit search with specific goals, current interfaces can not sufficiently support the explorative and often non-linear behavior. This dissertation presents an exploration of interface design to enhance the browsing experience with media collections. The main outcome of this thesis is a new model of Exploratory Browsing to guide the design of interfaces to support the full range of browsing activities, especially the Exploratory Browsing. We define Exploratory Browsing as the behavior when the user is uncertain about her or his targets and needs to discover areas of interest (exploratory), in which she or he can explore in detail and possibly find some acceptable items (browsing). According to the browsing objectives, we group browsing activities into three categories: Search Browsing, General Purpose Browsing and Serendipitous Browsing. In the context of this thesis, Exploratory Browsing refers to the latter two browsing activities, which goes beyond explicit search with specific objectives. We systematically explore the design space of interfaces to support the Exploratory Browsing experience. Applying the methodology of User-Centered Design, we develop eight prototypes, covering two main usage contexts of browsing with personal collections and in online communities. The main studied media types are photographs and music. The main contribution of this thesis lies in deepening the understanding of how people‟s exploratory behavior has an impact on the interface design. This thesis contributes to the field of interface design for media collections in several aspects. With the goal to inform the interface design to support the Exploratory Browsing experience with media collections, we present a model of Exploratory Browsing, covering the full range of exploratory activities around media collections. We investigate this model in different usage contexts and develop eight prototypes. The substantial implications gathered during the development and evaluation of these prototypes inform the further refinement of our model: We uncover the underlying transitional relations between browsing activities and discover several stimulators to encourage a fluid and effective activity transition. Based on this model, we propose a catalogue of general interface characteristics, and employ this catalogue as criteria to analyze the effectiveness of our prototypes. We also present several general suggestions for designing interfaces for media collections

Machine listening, musicological analysis and the creative process : the production of song-based music influenced by augmented listening techniques

The creative process of making recordings in the popular music sphere is impossible to disconnect from the concept of influence. Whether practitioners are influenced consciously or subconsciously, and push toward, or away from their influences, they are shaped by the music they hear. This research-led practice project augments the influencing factors in the creation of an album of song-based music by foregrounding the listening process. This is approached by conducting an in-depth analysis of a set of tracks using a combined methodology integrating traditional popular music analysis techniques, with music information retrieval (MIR) tools. My methodology explores the novel applicability of these computational tools in a musicological context, with one goal being to show the value of machine listening in popular musicological research and the processes of composition and production. The emerging field of Digital Musicology takes advantage of big data and statistical analysis to allow for large scale observation and comparison of datasets in a way that would be unrealistic for one person to attempt without the aid of machine listening. Setting aside the intention and reception components of musicology, the goal of musical output suggests a feature-based approach is well suited to the task of investigating these methods. Utilising the musical ideas generated through the combined analysis of tracks compiled from the Billboard Alternative, year-end charts of 2011-2015, the songs written and recordings produced for the album Stay Still | Please Hear are a result of allowing a conscious subversion of my usual creative process through the expansion of my field of musical influence. This discursive component shows the development of my combined analysis methodology, highlights the points where creative influence occurred in the arrangement and production of Stay Still | Please Hear, emphasises the value of MIR tools in expanding the scope of musicological analysis, and demonstrates a unique approach to the development of artistic practice from the perspective of a creative practitioner

Acoustic Feature Identification to Recognize Rag Present in Borgit

In the world of Indian classical music, raga recognition is a crucial undertaking. Due to its particular sound qualities, the traditional wind instrument known as the borgit presents special difficulties for automatic raga recognition. In this research, we investigate the use of auditory feature identification methods to create a reliable raga recognition system for Borgit performances. Each of the Borgits, the devotional song of Assam is enriched with rag and each rag has unique melodious tune. This paper has carried out few experiments on the audio samples of rags and a few Borgits sung with those rugs. In this manuscript three mostly used rags and a few Borgits  with these rags are considered for the experiment. Acoustic features considred here are FFT (Fast Fourier Transform), ZCR (Zero Crossing Rates), Mean and Standard deviation of pitch contour and RMS(Root Mean Square). After evaluation and analysis it is seen that FFT  and ZCR are two noteworthy acoustic features that helps to identify the rag present in Borgits. At last K-means clustering was applied on the FFT and ZCR values of the Borgits and were able to find correct grouping according to rags present there. This research validates FFT and ZCR as most precise acoustic parameters for rag identification in Borgit. Here researchers had observed roles of Standard deviation of pitch contour and RMS values of the audio samples in rag identification. &nbsp