ORCID

Abstract

Research evaluating perceptual responses to music hasidentified many structural features as correlates thatmight be incorporated in computer music systems foraffectively charged algorithmic composition and/or expressive music performance. In order to investigate thepossible integration of isolated musical features to such asystem, a discrete feature known to correlate some withemotional responses – rhythmic density – was selectedfrom a literature review and incorporated into a prototypesystem. This system produces variation in rhythm densityvia a transformative process. A stimulus set created usingthis system was then subjected to a perceptual evaluation.Pairwise comparisons were used to scale differences between 48 stimuli. Listener responses were analysed withMultidimensional scaling (MDS). The 2-Dimensionalsolution was then rotated to place the stimuli with thelargest range of variation across the horizontal plane.Stimuli with variation in rhythmic density were placedfurther from the source material than stimuli that weregenerated by random permutation. This, combined withthe striking similarity between the MDS scaling and thatof the 2-dimensional emotional model used by some affective algorithmic composition systems, suggests thatisolated musical feature manipulation can now be used toparametrically control affectively charged automatedcomposition in a larger system.

Publication Date

2014-05-12

Publication Title

ICMC

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