Large scale musical instrument identification

In this paper, automatic musical instrument identification using a variety of classifiers is addressed. Experiments are performed on a large set of recordings that stem from 20 instrument classes. Several features from general audio data classification applications as well as MPEG-7 descriptors are measured for 1000 recordings. Branch-and-bound feature selection is applied in order to select the most discriminating features for instrument classification. The first classifier is based on non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) techniques, where training is performed for each audio class individually. A novel NMF testing method is proposed, where each recording is projected onto several training matrices, which have been Gram-Schmidt orthogonalized. Several NMF variants are utilized besides the standard NMF method, such as the local NMF and the sparse NMF. In addition, 3-layered multilayer perceptrons, normalized Gaussian radial basis function networks, and support vector machines employing a polynomial kernel have also been tested as classifiers. The classification accuracy is high, ranging between 88.7% to 95.3%, outperforming the state-of-the-art techniques tested in the aforementioned experiment

A Musical instrument in MEMS

In this work we describe a MEMS instrument that resonates at audible frequencies, and with which music can be made. The sounds are generated by mechanical resonators and capacitive displacement sensors. Damping by air scales unfavourably for generating audible frequencies with small devices. Therefore a vacuum of 1.5 mbar is used to increase the quality factor and consequently the duration of the sounds to around 0.25 s. The instrument will be demonstrated during the MME 2010 conference opening, in a musical composition especially made for the occasion

Tuning a musical instrument with vibrato system : a mathematical framework to study mechanics and acoustics and to calculate optimal tuning strategies

String instruments such as electric guitars are often equipped with a vibrato system, which allows varying the pitch of all strings as a musical effect. It is usually based on a mobile bridge that is kept in balance by the strings and a coiled spring. Tuning such an instrument is complex, since adjusting the tension on one string will alter all other strings' tensions. In practice, a heuristic method is used where all strings are repeatedly tuned to the desired pitch, which appears to reliably yield correct pitches after a while. It is unclear why this method works; an analysis is lacking. This paper presents a mathematical model to study this subject in detail; the model captures the underlying mechanics and acoustics and can be used to simulate a typical tuning process. The paper then verifies the model with experimental data and shows that the model permits calculation of optimal tuning strategies that use the least number of adjustment steps

Gender differences in musical instrument choice

Historically, there have been differences in the musical instruments played by boys and girls with girls preferring smaller, higher pitched instruments. This paper explores whether these gender preferences have continued at a time when there is greater gender equality in most aspects of life in the United Kingdom. Data were collected from the 150 Music Services in England as part of a larger survey. Some provided data regarding the sex of pupils playing each instrument directly. In other cases, the pupils’ names and instruments were matched with data in the national Common Basic Data Set to establish gender. The findings showed distinctive patterns for different instruments. Girls predominated in harp, flute, voice, fife/piccolo, clarinet, oboe, and violin and boys in electric guitar, bass guitar, tuba, kit drums, tabla and trombone. The least gendered instruments were African drums, cornet, French horn, saxophone and tenor horn. The gendered pattern of learning was relatively consistent across education phases with a few exceptions. A model was developed which sets out the various influences which may explain the continuation of historical trends in instrument choice given the increased gender equity in UK society

Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health

This thesis proposal, entitled “Learning to Play a Musical Instrument Affects Student Behavioral Health”, consists of a research paper detailing how learning to play a musical instrument has made a significant impact on the behavioral health of students, and the need for this study in today’s society. This study will provide readers with solid research and evidence for the results obtained from this musical education study in the hopes it can show that music therapy needs strengthening in these areas. Through research, clinical studies, assessments, test results, and surveys, this project will show if there are physiological benefits and psychological benefits from music education. Physiological benefits include: the control of hands, fingers, and breath control with wind instruments, as well as the mastery of the written language of musical scores and the ability to count out time values. Psychological benefits include attitude, self-esteem, confidence, and mood. This research will attempt to show how learning to play a musical instrument impacts the behavioral health and attitude of students (presumably the confidence and self-esteem one gains through mastering skills on an instrument). Since music can have an impact on a person’s mood and perspectives, this study hopes to show that learning to engage in music can even help with managing numerous behavioral health conditions, as other studies have already shown that not only does performing on a musical instrument utilize more areas of the brain than other activities, but also that students who play musical instruments do better with math and reading skills

On the resistance of the instrument

I examine the role that the musical instrument plays in shaping a performer's expressive activity and emotional state. I argue that the historical development of the musical instrument has fluctuated between two key values: that of sharing with other musicians, and that of creatively exploring new possibilities. I introduce 'the mood organ'- a sensor-based computer instrument that automatically turns signals of the wearer's emotional state into expressive music

Musical Instrument Rental System and Sound System in the Studio with the Musical 48 Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0

Rental of musical instruments and sound system in Music Studio 48 is still done manually so that based on the analysis will be needed to create a computer-based administration system in accordance with the needs and desires of the leadership, especially in the case of rental of equipment, receipt of payment, and reports. Analysis at 48 Music Studio is through the documents and direct interviews with relevant parties to obtain accurate data. The menu is presented properly designed and adjusted to the leadership desires. Starting from design input to output leasing process so as to form a report in accordance with accounting theory. This strongly supports the readiness of companies in the future when developing and audited by the auditors.Recording process is still done manually, requiring a longer time compared to using computer technology

FROM MULTI-PERCUSSION TO DRUM SET: The rise of the Lowboy

It is a fact for some musicologists that organological studies have been somehow neglected by the mainstream musical instrument teaching, hence resulting in some disuse of these in the everyday performance practice rhetoric. This communication will present ongoing research regarding the emergence and development of one the most celebrated instruments of the 20th century – the Drum Set. Issues of history, musical genre, and composition will be addressed in order to try to trace the evolution of the instrument, and how these relate to contemporary methodology of teaching, as well as performance of this renown instrument