Method and System for Assessing a Musical Performance

• US 20070256543A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starplayit Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: In The Chair Pty Limited
• Inventors: Evans, David, Ruciak, Benjamin, Thorpe, William
• Granted Patent: US 8,367,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and system for assessing a performance of a musical composition in relation to a model performance of the same composition. In particular, as even a model performance does not follow a score of a composition precisely, the present invention initially correlates the model performance to a score of the performed composition. This allows for an accurate assessment of the timing of the assessable performance, relative to the timing of the model performance. The invention is of particular use where the assessable performance is performed along with the model performance, but the two perforrnances are remote from each other.

Claims

1. A method for assessing an assessable performance of a played part of a musical composition by a musician comprising:

(a) receiving input of a model performance of one or more parts of the musical composition;

(b) determining the position of the model performance within a score of at least the played part of the musical composition;

(c) receiving input of the assessable performance;

(d) determining one or more expected characteristics of the assessable performance based on the position of the model performance within the score, for the played part; and

(e) comparing at least one of the one or more expected characteristics to the corresponding characteristic of the input of the assessable performance to make an assessment of the assessable performance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(f) providing output of the model performance to the musician as the assessable performance is performed, from the input received in step (a).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input received in step (a) includes both audio and visual input.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the input received in step (a) includes both audio and visual input.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the output provided by step (f) includes both audio and visual output.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the assessment includes an assessment regarding the timing of the assessable performance relative to the model performance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(g) displaying the assessment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the assessment is displayed to the musician.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the model performance and the assessable performance are remote from each other in time or space.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the model performance and the assessable performance are remote from each other in space.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the model performance and the assessable performance occur together in real-time.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the input of the model performance is received via a network of computers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the input received in step (a) includes position input identifying the position of the model performance in the score.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the position input is in the form of beat markers at beats of the musical composition.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the position input is in the form of beat markers at each beat of the musical composition.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(h) providing feedback to the musician of how their playing could be improved, based on the assessment.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the feedback is provided in audio, text or graphical format.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the model performance and the assessable performance are performed by different musicians.

24. A computer readable medium, encoded with data representing a computer program, that can be used to direct a programmable device to perform the method of claim 1.

25. A computer program element comprising a computer program code means to make a programmable device execute the method of claim 1.

19. A system for assessing an assessable performance of a played part of a musical composition by a musician comprising:

a first receiver for receiving input of the assessable performance;

a second receiver for receiving input of a model performance of the musical composition;

a locator for determining the position of the model performance in a score of at least the played part of the musical composition, from the input received by the second receiver;

a predictor for determining at least one expected characteristic of the assessable performance, based on the position in the musical score, for played part; and

a comparer for comparing at least one characteristic of the input of the assessable performance to the corresponding expected characteristic to make an assessment of the assessable performance.

20. The system of claim 19, further including an analyser to analyse the assessment so as to provide feedback on how the musician'"'"'s playing can be improved.

21. The system of claim 19, further including display apparatus to display any or all of:

the assessment;

output of the model performance, from the input received by the second receiver.

22. The system of claim 20, further including display apparatus to display any or all of:

the assessment;

the feedback;

output of the model performance, from the input received by the second receiver.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the display apparatus allows both audio and video display.