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Hierarchical music representation for composition and analysis

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Abstract

In this paper, we present intermediate results of continuing research into the utility of generalised hierarchical structures for the representation of musical information. We build on an abstract data type presented in Wigginset al. (1989), usingconstituents, which are structurally significant groupings of musical events. We suggest that a division into such groupings can be musically meaningful, and that it can be more flexible than similar approaches. We demonstrate our representation system at work in both analysis and composition, with output from computer programs. We conclude that it is possible and useful to represent music in a way independent of the particular style, tonal system, etc., of the music itself.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Edinburgh, 80 South Bridge, EH1 1HN, Edinburgh, Scotland

    Alan Smaill, Geraint Wiggins & Mitch Harris

Authors
  1. Alan Smaill
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  2. Geraint Wiggins
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  3. Mitch Harris
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Additional information

The authors work in the Department of Artificial Intelligence, University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Smaill, A., Wiggins, G. & Harris, M. Hierarchical music representation for composition and analysis. Comput Hum 27, 7–17 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01830712

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