Quantifying Music
Class Notes
Week 1: Introduction to Quantification in Music
● Definition of quantifying music: applying mathematical and computational models to
music analysis.
● Overview of music theory and its relationship with numerical data.
● Historical approaches to measuring musical elements.
● The role of quantification in performance, composition, and music technology.
Week 2: The Mathematics of Music
● The relationship between frequency and pitch.
● Harmonic series and overtone structures.
● Logarithmic nature of pitch perception (equal temperament and just intonation).
● Applications of number theory in rhythm and scales.
Week 3: Rhythmic Quantification
● Measuring beat, tempo, and rhythmic subdivisions.
● Understanding time signatures and metrical patterns.
● Swing ratios and microtiming in performance.
● Using statistical models to analyze rhythmic variations.
Week 4: Pitch and Harmonic Analysis
● Methods for identifying pitch and harmonic structures.
● Chord progressions and probability models (Markov chains in music).
● Computational analysis of tonal vs. atonal music.
● Applications in automated transcription and harmonic prediction.
Week 5: Timbre and Spectral Analysis
● Defining timbre: the role of overtones and formants.
● Analyzing frequency spectra using Fourier Transform.
● Measuring harmonic content and envelope structures.
● Digital tools for timbre analysis (spectrograms, machine learning models).
Week 6: Musical Form and Structure
● Algorithmic methods for detecting repetition and variation.
● Quantifying phrase structures and cadences.
● Graph theory applications in form analysis.
● Fractal patterns and self-similarity in music.
Quantifying Music
Class Notes
Week 7: Machine Learning in Music Analysis
● Introduction to AI and machine learning for music.
● Training models to recognize patterns in melody and rhythm.
● Predictive analytics for musical compositions.
● Case studies in AI-generated music.
Week 8: Emotion and Expressiveness in Music
● Measuring expressive elements: tempo rubato, dynamics, articulation.
● Machine analysis of emotional content in music.
● Quantification of mood using audio features (valence, arousal models).
● Applications in music recommendation systems.
Week 9: Quantifying Improvisation
● Statistical models for melodic and harmonic improvisation.
● Analyzing jazz improvisation through probability and set theory.
● Comparing structured vs. free improvisation quantitatively.
● Case studies on real-time music data processing.
Week 10: Digital Signal Processing (DSP) in Music
● Overview of DSP techniques in music.
● Signal processing applications in music production.
● Quantifying reverb, delay, and modulation effects.
● Using DSP for audio restoration and enhancement.
Week 11: Music and Data Science
● Large-scale music datasets and corpus analysis.
● Using big data for trend analysis in music.
● Applications of network science in studying music communities.
● Visualizing musical trends through data-driven techniques.
Week 12: Music Perception and Cognition
● Cognitive models of musical processing.
● Psychophysical studies on music perception.
● Neural correlates of rhythm, harmony, and melody.
● Experimental approaches to measuring musical engagement.
Week 13: The Economics of Music Quantification
Quantifying Music
Class Notes
● Streaming data and algorithm-driven recommendations.
● Quantifying listener engagement and hit prediction.
● Metrics in digital music marketing and social media.
● Case studies on how music analytics shape the industry.
Week 14: Computational Composition and Algorithmic Music
● Rule-based vs. generative composition techniques.
● Algorithmic approaches to melody and harmony creation.
● The role of randomness and stochastic processes in music.
● AI-assisted composition and its future implications.
Week 15: The Future of Quantified Music
● Emerging technologies in music analysis and composition.
● The ethical considerations of music quantification.
● How AI and data science will continue to shape music research.
● Final reflections on the balance between human creativity and quantification.
Key Takeaways:
● Music can be analyzed and understood quantitatively through mathematical,
computational, and statistical models.
● Rhythm, pitch, timbre, and form can be measured, predicted, and replicated using
algorithmic techniques.
● Machine learning and AI are playing a growing role in music analysis, recommendation,
and composition.
● Understanding the quantification of music opens up new possibilities for composition,
production, and musicology.
● Despite advancements in quantification, music remains a deeply human and expressive
art form.
