Musical Note Analysis Using Signal Processing Techniques

This study focusses on techniques for computer-based detection and recognition of notes in a musical composition. In the first part, suggestions about the note analysis of a musical score using image processing techniques will be presented. The second part covers approaches to the determination of tonal information in an audible music file via audio processing methods. Information on musical note properties, either obtained by using image or audio processing methods, represent a structural summary of the composition. Using this summary, it is possible to play computer-generated audio (sound) of a sheet music, or create the sheet music of a sound file under consideration. Moreover, some statistical details about its melodic structure could be obtained. Collecting note data could also be considered as a first step towards the construction of an electronic musical archive.