Multipitch Estimation of Quasi-harmonic Sounds in Colored Noise

This paper proposes a new multipitch estimator based on a likelihood maximization principle. For each tone, a sinusoidal model is assumed with a colored, Moving-Average, background noise and an autoregressive spectral envelope for the overtones. A monopitch estimator is derived following a Weighted Maximum Likelihood principle and leads to find the fundamental frequency (F0) which jointly maximally flattens the noise spectrum and the sinusoidal spectrum. The multipitch estimator is obtained by extending the method for jointly estimating multiple F0’s. An application to piano tones is presented, which takes into account the inharmonicity of the overtone series for this instrument.