A Reference Architecture and Score Representation for Popular Music Human-Computer Music Performance Systems

Nicolas E. Gold, and Roger B. Dannenberg

Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression

Abstract:

Popular music (characterized by improvised instrumental parts, beat and measure-level organization, and steady tempo) poses challenges for human-computer music performance (HCMP). Pieces of music are typically rearrangeable on-the-fly and involve a high degree of variation from ensemble to ensemble, and even between rehearsal and performance. Computer systems aiming to participate in such ensembles must therefore cope with a dynamic high-level structure in addition to the more traditional problems of beat-tracking, score-following, and machine improvisation. There are many approaches to integrating the components required to implement dynamic human-computer music performance systems. This paper presents a reference architecture designed to allow the typical sub-components (e.g. beat-tracking, tempo prediction, improvisation) to be integrated in a consistent way, allowing them to be combined and/or compared systematically. In addition, the paper presents a dynamic score representation particularly suited to the demands of popular music performance by computer.

Citation:

Nicolas E. Gold, and Roger B. Dannenberg. 2011. A Reference Architecture and Score Representation for Popular Music Human-Computer Music Performance Systems. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1178033

BibTeX Entry:

  @inproceedings{Gold2011,
 abstract = {Popular music (characterized by improvised instrumental parts, beat and measure-level organization, and steady tempo) poses challenges for human-computer music performance (HCMP). Pieces of music are typically rearrangeable on-the-fly and involve a high degree of variation from ensemble to ensemble, and even between rehearsal and performance. Computer systems aiming to participate in such ensembles must therefore cope with a dynamic high-level structure in addition to the more traditional problems of beat-tracking, score-following, and machine improvisation. There are many approaches to integrating the components required to implement dynamic human-computer music performance systems. This paper presents a reference architecture designed to allow the typical sub-components (e.g. beat-tracking, tempo prediction, improvisation) to be integrated in a consistent way, allowing them to be combined and/or compared systematically. In addition, the paper presents a dynamic score representation particularly suited to the demands of popular music performance by computer. },
 address = {Oslo, Norway},
 author = {Gold, Nicolas E. and Dannenberg, Roger B.},
 booktitle = {Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression},
 doi = {10.5281/zenodo.1178033},
 issn = {2220-4806},
 keywords = {live performance,popular music,software design},
 pages = {36--39},
 title = {A Reference Architecture and Score Representation for Popular Music Human-Computer Music Performance Systems},
 url = {http://www.nime.org/proceedings/2011/nime2011_036.pdf},
 year = {2011}
}