The dangers of parsimony in query-by-humming applications

Query-by-humming systems attempt to address the needs of the non-expert user, for whom the most natural query format – for the purposes of finding a tune, hook or melody of unknown providence – is to sing it. While human listeners are quite tolerant of error in these queries, a music retrieval mechanism must explicitly model such errors in order to perform its task. We will present a unifying view of existing models, illuminating the assumptions underlying their respective designs, and demonstrating where such assumptions succeed and fail, through analysis and realworld experiments.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ISMIR
• Authors: Colin Meek, William P. Birmingham
• Keywords: ISMIR 2003, Music Retrieval Mechanism, Natural Query Format, Non-expert User