Transcript widmer1_jer

Machine Discoveries: A few
Simple, Robust Local
Expression
Principles
Written by Gerhard Widmer
presented by Siao Jer, ISE 575b, Spring 2006
Presentation Overview
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General Overview
Introduction
Training Data
Target Classes
Experimental Results
Quantitative Validation
Conclusion
Future Research
Gerhard Widmer
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Head of the Department of
Computational Perception at
Johannes Kepler University Linz,
Austria
Head of Machine Learning, Data
Mining, and Intelligent Music
Processing Group at the Austrian
Research Institute for Artificial
Intelligence
Numerous publication, awards,
projects
General Overview
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Discovering rules of expressive music
performance
Inductive machine learning
Experiments with large data sets
Simple and general principles
Robust with surprisingly high level of
accuracy
Introduction
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What do performers do to make music
“come alive?”
Studies done through a few classical
approaches
Proposal of inductive machine learning
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No preconceptions and expectations
Huge data sets allowed for more validity
Introduction
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Previous work
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Success in ability of machine learning (Widmer
2000)
Extremely complex
Attempt to find a complete model
Current goals
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Testing new learning algorithm based on partial
models
Learn rules of timing, dynamics, articulation
Testing degrees of fit over various styles and
performers
Training Data
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13 complete Mozart piano sonatas
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MIDI format
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Performed by Roland Batik
On computer monitored grand piano
Includes hammer speed, impact times, pedal
movements measured & xform’ed
Written score coded into computer format
Timing, dynamics, & articulation computed
106,000 total notes
Melody restriction limits us to 41,000 notes
Target Classes
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Objective: find note-level rules
Limit predictions to categorical decisions
Timing Dimension: note N is considered
lengthened
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If the note is lengthened relative to the
instantaneous tempo over the previous note
If lengthened relative to local tempo over the
last 20 notes
Analogous to this is a note shortened
Target Classes
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Dynamics: louder if
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Articulation
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Louder than previous note
And louder than average level of piece
Analogous to this is softer
Staccato if played duration ratio (PDR) is less than 0.8
Legato if greater than 1.0
Portato otherwise, but study only concerned with staccato
and legato
Pedaling not taken into account for articulation
Notes do not necessarily have to fall into one of
these classes
Learning Partial
Rule-based Models
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No expectation to cover and describe all instances
Describe parts and define in meaningful terms
PLCG algorithm developed with these ideas in
mind
Goal to come up with rules that covered lots of
cases with good accuracy
Learning Partial
Rule-based Models
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General Steps
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Separation into subsets
Learning partial rules within subsets
Merge all rules
Clustering of rules
One generalization per cluster
Optimize trade-offs (coverage vs. accuracy)
Result: 383 specialized rules narrowed to
17 general rules
Experimental Results
Timing: Lengthening Notes
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"Lengthen the middle note in a “cummulative” 3note rhythm situation (ie, given 2 notes of equal
duration followed by a longer note, lengthen the
note that precedes the final, longer one).”
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Most important one as it has highest prediction value
“Lengthen a note if it is followed by substantially
longer note (ie the ratio between its duration and
the duration of the next note is < 1:3)”
“Lengthen a note if it preceds an upward melodic
leap of more than a perfect forth, if it is in a
metrically weak position, and if it is preceded by
(at most) stepwise motion”
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2 cases above have atleast 70% prediction rate
Experimental Results
Timing: Lengthening Notes
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“Lengthen a note if it preceds an upward
melodic leap of more than a perfect forth,
if it is in a metrically weak position, and if
it is preceded by (at most) stepwise
motion”
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More of a “tendancy” than a rule
Interesting Note:
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previously observed
But not over such a large data set
Experimental Results
Timing: Shortening Notes
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Difficult, but understandable
No strong rules, but a few tendencies
“Shorten a note in a sequence PN-N-NN if it is
longer than its predecessor and longer than its
successor.”
“Shorten a note in fast pieces in 3/8 time if the
duratio ratio between previous note and current
note is larger than 2:1, the current note is at most
a sixteenth, and is again followed by a longer
note.”
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Example of a specialized rule
Correlation with Gabrielsson 1987
Experimental Results
Dynamics: Stressing Notes
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Clear rules emerge, low coverage
Interesting note: relating stress to
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melodic contour
Upward melodic movement
Observation by previous research as well
“Stress a note by playing it louder if it is
preceded by an upward melodic leap larger
than a perfect fourth.”
Experimental Results
Dynamics: Stressing Notes
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“Stress a note by playing it louder if it
forms the apex of an up-down melodic
contour and is preceded by an (upward)
leap larger than a minor third.”
“Stress a note by playing it louder if it at
least twice as long as its predecessor, is
reached by upward motion, and is in a
quite strong metrical position.”
Experimental Results
Dynamics: Attenuating Notes
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Difficult to predict
“Attenuate a note by playing it softer if it is less
than 1/5 the duration of its predecessor.”
“Attenuate a note by playing it softer if it is
preceded by a downward leap larger than a major
third, is metrically weak, and is preceded by a
note at least 1/3 of a beat long.”
“Attenuate a note by playing it softer if it is
preceded by a downward leap larger than a
perfect fifth and is metrically weak.”
Observation: linking metrically weak notes
reached by downward leaps
Experimental Results
Articulation Staccato
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Most easily predictable, 4 strong rules
“Play a note staccato if the note is marked with a
staccato dot in the score.”
“Play a note staccato if it is followed by a note of
the same pitch (ie the interval between the note
and its successor is a unison).”
Observations:
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Combine for +90% accuracy & 6,000 cases
Previously observed in KTH Rules (Friberg 1995)
Physical reasons and explanations
Experimental Results
Articulation Staccato
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“Insert a micropause after a note if it precedes an
upward leap larger than a perfect fourth and is
metrically weak.”
“Insert a micropuase after a note of it is reached
by downward motion and is followed by a note
more than twice as long (ie the ratio between its
duration and duration of the next note is < 0.4).”
Observations:
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Correlation to lengthening rules
Supported by “Cumulative Rhythm” (Nramour 1977)
Articulation Staccato  30% of expression observed
Experimental Results
Articulation Legato
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Most difficult to predict
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A LOT fewer instances vs. staccato
No markings on score
Low prediction rate (53.7%)
“Play a note legato if it is not marked
staccato in the score, if it forms the apex of
an up-down melodic contour, if it is quite
short (<1/3 of a beat), and is metrically
quite strong.”
Observations:
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Melodic peak  legato?
Quantitative Validation:
Generality I
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Different Performer (Philippe Entremont)
Same pieces
No significant degradation in coverage and
accuracy
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Exception of “softer”
Higher coverage in
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“lengthen”
“louder”
“staccato”
Quantitative Validation:
Generality II
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Testing on Different Styles & Artists
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Surprising Results
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2 Chopin pieces
22 skilled pianist from Univ. of Music in Vienna
“softer” and “legato”  unpredictable
“louder”  high % of positive examples, but
high level of false predictions too
“lengthen,” “shorten,” & “staccato”  extremely
good
Need more diversity of pieces
Conclusion
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Small Step
Basic & simple rules
Robust model of local expression principles
Observations from other researchers
Autonomous discovery
Large data sets
Possible foundation
Further Research
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Further evaluation of rules
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Extension to other dimensions
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(e.g. Harmony)
Going beyond note level
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different performers
Different types of music
(e.g. phrase structure)
Comprehensive multi-level model