A comparison of melodic database retrieval techniques using sung queries

Query-by-humming systems search a database of music for good matches to a sung, hummed, or whistled melody. Errors in transcription and variations in pitch and tempo can cause substantial mismatch between queries and targets. Thus, algorithms for measuring melodic similarity in query-by-humming systems should be robust. We compare several variations of search algorithms in an effort to improve search precision. In particular, we describe a new frame-based algorithm that significantly outperforms note-by-note algorithms in tests using sung queries and a database of MIDI-encoded music.

[1]  Ian H. Witten,et al.  Towards the digital music library: tune retrieval from acoustic input , 1996, DL '96.

[2]  Takuichi Nishimura Music Signal Spotting Retrieval by a Humming Query Using Start Frame Feature Dependent Continuous Dynamic Programming , 2001, ISMIR.

[3]  Brian Christopher Smith,et al.  Query by humming: musical information retrieval in an audio database , 1995, MULTIMEDIA '95.

[4]  Matti Karjalainen,et al.  A computationally efficient multipitch analysis model , 2000, IEEE Trans. Speech Audio Process..

[5]  David De Roure,et al.  A tool for content based navigation of music , 1998, MULTIMEDIA '98.

[6]  Shane S. Sturrock,et al.  Time Warps, String Edits, and Macromolecules – The Theory and Practice of Sequence Comparison . David Sankoff and Joseph Kruskal. ISBN 1-57586-217-4. Price £13.95 (US$22·95). , 2000 .

[7]  Roger B. Dannenberg,et al.  A Stochastic Method of Tracking a Vocal Performer , 1997, ICMC.

[8]  Eleanor Selfridge-Field,et al.  Melodic Similarity : concepts, procedures, and applications , 1998 .

[9]  Jean-Gabriel Ganascia,et al.  Musical Pattern Extraction and Similarity Assessment , 2000, Readings in Music and Artificial Intelligence.

[10]  Eleanor Selfridge-Field,et al.  Conceptual and representational issues in melodic comparison , 1998 .

[11]  Roger B. Dannenberg,et al.  Melody Matching Directly From Audio , 2001 .

[12]  Roger B. Dannenberg,et al.  An On-Line Algorithm for Real-Time Accompaniment , 1984, ICMC.

[13]  William P. Birmingham,et al.  MUSART: Music Retrieval Via Aural Queries , 2001, ISMIR.

[14]  David Sankoff,et al.  Comparison of musical sequences , 1990, Comput. Humanit..

[15]  F. Itakura,et al.  Minimum prediction residual principle applied to speech recognition , 1975 .

[16]  T. Speed,et al.  Biological Sequence Analysis , 1998 .

[17]  Colin Meek,et al.  Thematic Extractor , 2001, ISMIR.

[18]  Biing-Hwang Juang,et al.  Fundamentals of speech recognition , 1993, Prentice Hall signal processing series.

[19]  Eamonn J. Keogh,et al.  Derivative Dynamic Time Warping , 2001, SDM.