Information and neural dynamics in the perception of musical structure
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: Sch of Electronic Eng & Computer Science
Abstract
Music is one of the things that makes us human. No known human society exists without music; and no other species seems to exhibit musical behaviour, in the same sense as humans. It is an open question where music came from (in terms of evolution), but it is self-evident that it arises from the human brain: for there to be music, a brain was involved somewhere, even if only in listening. What is not evident at all is how brains (or the minds to which they give rise) make, or even perceive, music. This project aims to understand how human musical behaviour can be modelled using computers, by building programs which embody theories of how the musical mind works, and then comparing them with humans engaged in musical activity and also by comparing their predictions with those of an expert music analyst. This means that the project will contribute to various areas of study: computer music, statistical methods for cognitive modelling (and therefore to cognitive linguistics, because the same kinds of models can be used there), musicology, and neuroscience (both in a better understanding of brain function and with new methods for neural signal analysis). Long term outcomes are likely to be computer systems that help music education, that play music musically, and that interact with human musicians musically; understanding that helps musicians do what they do more effectively; and understanding that helps brain scientists and psychologists understand more about how the brain and the mind work. Above all, since musicality is so fundamental to humanity, the project aims to help understand some of what it means to be human.
Publications
Wiggins G
(2012)
The Mind's Chorus: Creativity Before Consciousness
in Cognitive Computation
Description | We showed, as predicted, that the perception and cognition of music is predictable from models of sequence using the information theory of Claude Shannon. |
Exploitation Route | Software was produced during the project and has been made freely available, open source. This is being used in various other labs. The ideas in the project may be (and have been) taken forward into further models of cognition. |
Sectors | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections,Other |
URL | https://code.soundsoftware.ac.uk/projects/idyom-project |
Description | ConCreTe |
Amount | £1,931,591 (GBP) |
Funding ID | ConCreTe |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 10/2013 |
End | 09/2016 |
Description | Learning To Create |
Amount | £1,931,663 (GBP) |
Funding ID | Lrn2Cre8 |
Organisation | European Commission |
Sector | Public |
Country | European Union (EU) |
Start | 10/2013 |
End | 09/2016 |
Title | IDyOM software |
Description | This is a suite of software, designed and built by Dr Marcus Pearce, that predicts human expectation during perception of musical melodies. |
Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
Year Produced | 2013 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Other researchers are using it for their work. |
URL | https://code.soundsoftware.ac.uk/projects/idyom-project/files |
Description | IDyOM |
Organisation | Goldsmiths, University of London |
Department | Department of Music |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Collaborator Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Computer Science, Psychology, Music |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | IDyOM |
Organisation | Goldsmiths, University of London |
Department | Department of Psychology |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Collaborator Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Computer Science, Psychology, Music |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | IDyOM |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Department | School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Collaborator Contribution | This was a collaborative research project funded by EPSRC. We supplied computer science; partners supplied expertise in music and psychology, respectively. |
Impact | Multi-disciplinary: Computer Science, Psychology, Music |
Start Year | 2010 |
Description | BBC News interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | I was interviewed, along with my doctoral student, Tom Hedges, about production of computer-created music. The article was carried on BBC News (6 o'clock and 10 o'clock) and on BBC World (international). A longer version was run on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015 |