Quantifying music master v4pt1
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Tom Gilb gave a lightning talk at ACCU 2012 where he was challenged to quantify music. He responded by providing several ways to measure attributes of music, including software that analyzes 60 musical elements to rate a song's potential popularity. He also discussed evaluating music based on sales, awards and reviews. Additional factors that could be quantified include audience engagement at concerts and the satisfaction of different stakeholders. Gilb aimed to demonstrate that many aspects of music can be measured and quantified in some way.
![“There's no magic in
that; it's math”
"[It's] a series of algorithms that we use to look at
what's the potential of a song to be sticky with
a listener ... To have those patterns in the music
that would correspond with what human brain
waves would find pleasing”
CEO David Meredith
A study conducted by the Harvard Business School
found that the software was accurate 8 out of
10 times
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113673324
25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 5](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/quantifyingmusicmasterv4pt1-130225065130-phpapp01/85/Quantifying-music-master-v4pt1-5-320.jpg)
![Evaluation by what people buy
and industry awards
Top Ten
Scale: Number of sales in a given time period
iTune Downloads
Scale: Number of sales in a given time period
Silver, Gold and Platinum Discs
Awarded when total number of sales reach specific levels
Industry Awards
Scale: Percentage of the major awards recognising the
music in a defined [manner: default=won]
25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 7](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/quantifyingmusicmasterv4pt1-130225065130-phpapp01/85/Quantifying-music-master-v4pt1-7-320.jpg)
![Some potentially quantifiable
Quality dimensions of Music
Brainstormed by Steve F. and Examples in Planguage
Rachel D. At lunch • Music.Moving:
• In tune
• Applause • Type: primary music quality attribute
• Moving
• Encores • Ambition Level: the majority of listeners
• Repeat Gigs feel moved to tears or strong physical
emotional reactions.
• Busking Hat Collection
• MRI Brain Scan
• Scale: the % of defined [Listeners] hearing
• Downloads defined [Music] under defined
• Utube Reviews [Environments] who reports a defined
• Royalties [Emotion] at a defined [Strength]
• … (many more!!)
• Goal [1st UK Release, Music = Hip Hop,
Environment = Itunes, Emotion = {Tears,
25 February, 2013 Sadness}, Gilb
Copyright Strength = Powerful] 50% 20% ?
14](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/quantifyingmusicmasterv4pt1-130225065130-phpapp01/85/Quantifying-music-master-v4pt1-14-320.jpg)
Quantifying music master v4pt1
- 1. Quantifying Music Tom Gilb Lightning Talk at ACCU 2012 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 1
- 2. What is the problem, in quantifying music? •Can you quantify this music? 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 2
- 3. Lean QA Audience at ACCU “Surely you cannot quantify ‘Music’ ?” • I claimed – we can quantify any variable quality of any system • I replied: – I’ll do it in a lightening talk here at ACCU 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 3
- 4. Black-Eyed Peas song ”I gotta Feeling” gets 8.9 of 10 from Hit Song Science software 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 4
- 5. “There's no magic in that; it's math” "[It's] a series of algorithms that we use to look at what's the potential of a song to be sticky with a listener ... To have those patterns in the music that would correspond with what human brain waves would find pleasing” CEO David Meredith A study conducted by the Harvard Business School found that the software was accurate 8 out of 10 times http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113673324 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 5
- 6. Measurable Attributes of Hits Meredith says his software evaluates songs over sixty elements including Melody Rhythm Harmony Fullness of sound Tempo Noise Pitch Brilliance Octave Chord progression Beat http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/03/07/spiritof.music/ 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 6
- 7. Evaluation by what people buy and industry awards Top Ten Scale: Number of sales in a given time period iTune Downloads Scale: Number of sales in a given time period Silver, Gold and Platinum Discs Awarded when total number of sales reach specific levels Industry Awards Scale: Percentage of the major awards recognising the music in a defined [manner: default=won] 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 7
- 8. So How Did ”I Gotta Feeling” Do? • The song reached number one on the US charts and 20 charts worldwide • "I Gotta Feeling" spent fourteen consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, the longest-running number-one single of 2009 • "I Gotta Feeling" was 5th on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade • In March 2011, it became the first song in digital history to sell over 7 million digital copies in the United States. Worldwide it has sold over 14 millions units, becoming one of the most successful songs in the history of popular music • "I Gotta Feeling" holds the record as the most downloaded song on iTunes of all time • The song was nominated for Record of the Year at the 52nd Grammy Awards and won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals • The song was nominated as Song of the Year at the 2009 World Music Awards 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 8
- 9. YouTube Measures • Number of Likes and Dislikes 11,021 Likes, 371 Dislikes (April 26, 2012) • Number of times video has been viewed 5,942.649 Views (April 26, 2012) 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 9
- 10. Jeremy Yudkin Boston University Professor Great music is about • Deception: the creating and violating of expectations • Concision: content against time “Not a note too many, not a second too long” http://www.bu.edu/cfa/music/faculty/yudkin/ 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 10
- 11. By Survey: Most Wanted Attributes • Yudkin reports on a web-based survey into American musical tastes conducted by Komar and Melamid in 1996 • If you want to please the greatest number of Americans (72% ± 12%) consider – Male and female solo voices – R&B with a love theme – Small ensemble of musicians – Length of about 5 minutes – Moderate pitch, tempo and volume http://www.bu.edu/cfa/music/faculty/yudkin/ 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 11
- 12. Most Unwanted Attributes To appeal to only about 200 Americans • Extreme length • Wide range of dynamics, tempo and pitch in abrupt succession • An operatic soprano singing atonally • A cowboy song with political slogans • A children’s choir singing holiday songs • Large orchestra featuring harp, accordion and bagpipes http://www.bu.edu/cfa/music/faculty/yudkin/ There are samples of two songs written by David Soldier with lyrics by Nina Mankin to these wanted and unwanted guidelines about 19 minutes into Yudkin’s lecture 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 12
- 13. Stakeholders and Context Yudkin stresses the importance of the listener Tastes change • Over historical time – Bach was thought less of in his day than some other musicians we have forgotten – People used to have more time - concerts could last four hours – Less technology – limited access and not the ability to listen to background music so easily • Over personal time (during one’s lifetime and it’s influenced by experience) http://www.bu.edu/cfa/music/faculty/yudkin/ 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 13
- 14. Some potentially quantifiable Quality dimensions of Music Brainstormed by Steve F. and Examples in Planguage Rachel D. At lunch • Music.Moving: • In tune • Applause • Type: primary music quality attribute • Moving • Encores • Ambition Level: the majority of listeners • Repeat Gigs feel moved to tears or strong physical emotional reactions. • Busking Hat Collection • MRI Brain Scan • Scale: the % of defined [Listeners] hearing • Downloads defined [Music] under defined • Utube Reviews [Environments] who reports a defined • Royalties [Emotion] at a defined [Strength] • … (many more!!) • Goal [1st UK Release, Music = Hip Hop, Environment = Itunes, Emotion = {Tears, 25 February, 2013 Sadness}, Gilb Copyright Strength = Powerful] 50% 20% ? 14
- 15. Conformance to music standards • In tune • Standard tempo • Fit to genre 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 15
- 16. Worrying about the Process - the Qualities of the Performance • The musicians involved • The conductor • The instruments • The version of the music • The location’s acoustics • The accuracy of the recording • The accuracy of the playback 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 16
- 17. The Costs and Budgets - What will people pay? • What price to set up a performance? • What will you pay for a ticket to attend? • How far will you travel? • How much do you spend on your hi-fi? 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 17
- 18. Qualities of the Music • The musicians involved • The conductor • The instruments • The version of the music • The location’s acoustics • The accuracy of the recording • The accuracy of the playback 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 18
- 19. My friend “Uyen” The Conductor 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 19
- 20. The Music Conductor’s Quantifiable ‘Music’ Objectives: Uyen’s Goals 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 20
- 21. Uyens Concert Sunday 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 21
- 22. Uyen taking Applause at Concert 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 22
- 23. What is the problem, in quantifying music? • Next! 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 23
- 24. So who was the man who challenged me to quantify music? Are you happy yet? 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 24
- 25. Thanks • To neil.hankey@igence.com For immediately finding me some of these examples, as our class ended! • To Steve F. and Rachel D. For brainstorming some ideas over lunch 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 25
- 26. End 25 February, 2013 Copyright Gilb 26
Editor's Notes
- #5: It'http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IOctober 12, 2009 - Manyofus like to believethatthere's a littlemagicbehindthemakingof a hit single. Take a song like "I Gotta Feeling" by The Black EyedPeas. That's a goodsong, judging by sales: _Gotta_FeelingsontopoftheBillboard pop chart. David Meredith, CEO of Music Intelligence Solutions, saysthere'snomagic in that; it'smath. His software, called Hit Song Science, gave thesong a hit score of 8.9 out 10."[It's] a series ofalgorithmsthatweuse to look at what'sthepotentialof a song to be stickywith a listener," Meredith says. "To have thosepatterns in themusicthatwouldcorrespondwithwhat human brainwaveswouldfindpleasing."Meredith says his softwarefoundthat hits have certaincommonpatternsofrhythm, harmony, chordprogression, length and lyrics. A studyconducted by the Harvard Business School foundthatthesoftwarewasaccurate 8 outof 10 times.This summer, Music Intelligencelaunched a Web site for songwriterscalledUplaya. David Bell, of the hip-hop duo the Block Scholars, paid $90 to use it."To me, it's an unbiasedvalidationofyourmusic," Bell says. "It's not yourfamily turning around and saying, 'Oh, yougot a greatsong.' "The computer told Bell hehad a 7.1 — good, but not great. So hewent back to the studio and remixed. He got his score up to 7.6 — good for a platinumrating. He could hold his head up."WecanuseUplaya as a tool to figureoutwhatsongwewant to put in a demo to send to theselabels and stuff," Bell says.Against The Machine"From an artist'sstandpoint, a songwriter'sstandpoint, it'shorrifying to me," saysindependentsinger-songwriterKymTuvim. Tuvimsaysthatshecan't stand the star-makingmachinebehindpopularsongs, and thatshe hates theideaof artists trying to fitsongsintoalgorithms."You'llfind a decreasingamountofanykindof surprises in music," Tuvimsays. "This just becomes a tool to make thatnarrowingofthefield more accessible."Tuvimsays her songscome from a mysteriousplace in her unconscious. Shemight not love the computer, butthe computer loves her song "Flood." It got a 7.3 — that'splatinum.Breaking The MoldIt doesn't surprise New YorkermusiccriticSashaFrere-Jones that a computer canpredict hits, buthesays it can'tpredictallthe hits. Sometimes, songscomealongthatdon'tfitthe mold."I thinkof a song like 'Da Da Da' by Trio, whichpeople love," Jones says. "They just love thatsong. And I can'timaginethat at the time, in '80-'81, thatthesoftwarewould have given that a veryhighrating. It wassonicallyverysmall. It sounded like a kids' song. Theymight have toldthe band, 'No. No. No. No. No. Beef it up.' "The software still doesn'tthinkit's a hit: "Da Da Da" got a 6. Jones worriesthat, if Hit Song Scienceplaystoobig a role in themusicindustry, a lot ofgoodsongswill never seethelightofday.Music Intelligence Solutions CEO Meredith calls his software a democratizing force in music — sort of a computerizedAmerican Idol. If an unknown, unconnected artist gets a high score, it couldget a leg up. Then, his companycouldhelppromotethe artist withrecordlabels."We'llshine a spotlight onyou," Meredith says. "You'llgetrecognized, and we'llgetthewordout, and that'sprobably a goodway for theindustry to work relative to it being, 'Who do youknow?' It's more aboutwhatkindof talent levelthatyou have."Meredith also notes that his softwareisn'twritingthesongs. Human beings do that — at least for now.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113673324http://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=i+gotta+feeling&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&redir_esc=&ei=XLiZT6etEqeH4gSy8pDFBg
- #9: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Gotta_Feeling
- #13: This slide go ta big sustainedlaugh from the ACCU audience 27 April 2012
- #14: Add photo Bach
- #15: Steve FreemanRachel Davies
- #19: Contributed by L. Brodie 27 April 2012Lindsey Brodie <lindseybrodie@btopenworld.com>
- #20: Source UyenKhac-Uyen Nguyen, London. Graduate as Conductor of Royal Academy of Musickhacuyen@yahoo.com <khacuyen@hotmail.com>
- #21: Source UyenKhac-Uyen Nguyen, London. Graduate as Conductor of Royal Academy of Musickhacuyen@yahoo.com
- #26: And to Lindsey Brodie for considerable editing and slide origination effort!