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21M.383 | Spring 2023 | Undergraduate, Graduate

# Computational Music Theory and Analysis

Class 17 Video: Introduction to Music Cognition (short class after in-class quiz)

Reading: Krumhansl on Probe Tone

The “Probe Tone Algorithm” was designed by Carol Krumhansl in her book, Cognitive Foundations of Musical Pitch (Oxford, 1990) [preview in Google Books]. There are amazing discoveries in music cognition in this book, and we will return to the psychological and cognition aspects later when we have a particular chapter on music cognition. Music cognition is closely related to empirical studies, and the computer helps to get empirical data.

Read two excerpts from the book:

Chapter 2: “The Tonal Hierarchy” and “First Probe Tone Study”

Chapter 4: “Key-Finding Algorithm” and “Application I”

Discussion questions on Krumhansl:

What is a probe-tone experiment?

- What might it tell us about how pitches relate to keys?
- How can the results of probe-tone experiments be used to write automatic key detection computer programs?

Reading: Huron, David. Sweet Anticipation: Music and the Psychology of Expectation. MIT Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780262582780. [Preview with Google Books]

## Course Info

##### Instructor

- Prof. Michael Scott Asato Cuthbert

##### Departments

- Music and Theater Arts

##### As Taught In

Spring 2023

##### Level

Undergraduate
Graduate

##### Topics

- Fine Arts
  - Music
    - Music History
    - Music Theory
- Mathematics
  - Computation
  - Mathematical Analysis
  - Probability and Statistics

##### Learning Resource Types

notes Lecture Notes
theaters Lecture Videos
theaters Other Video
assignment Multiple Assignment Types
grading Exams
Editable Files

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