Musical Analysis by Computer Following Cognitive Model of Induction of Analogies.
Olivier Lartillot · 2002
The objective is the design of a software capable of car-rying out an analysis of a musical score, not in keeping with the precepts of an a priori musical theory, but on the contrary as autonomously and neutrally as possi-ble. For this purpose, inductive mechanisms have to be integrated to the system. A cognitive metaphor – in particular the procedural vision of induction pro-posed by Holland et al. (Holland, Holyoak, Nisbeth, and Thagard 1989), with mental model as a semantic network featuring multi-weighted hypotheses conflict-ing and corrobating each other –, overriding logical or probabilistic inconsistencies, efficiently answers this problem. Theoretical inquiries about induction have shown the fundamental relationships between induc-tion and analogy. This is even more pertinent in our context, since analogy, as has been shown by either cognitive or musicologic studies, is the core mecha-nism for musical entities emergence. Our vision of mu-sical analysis through systematic induction of analo-gies integrates melody, harmony and form into a uni-fied framework and suggests new kinds of analysis that could grasp those music – non-occidental, contempo-rary, electro-acoustic, improvised – not understood by traditional analyses. 1