Intelligent computer accompaniment systems

Abstract

Because real-time computer music systems are automated, portable, and affordable, they are finding increasing application in live performance. Unfortunately, most computer music systems offer little more than a tape recorder in terms of their abilities to interact with live musicians. Computer accompaniment is designed to go beyond this ‘‘tape recorder’’ model of human–computer interaction. Computer accompaniment is a process in which a computer ‘‘listens’’ to a live musician, follows along in a score, and synchronizes an accompaniment score with the live player. Computer systems can reliably accompany a live musician in spite of tempo changes and wrong notes. Many variations of computer accompaniment have been developed. The original work assumed only one live musician playing a monophonic wind instrument such as a trumpet or flute. One variation is to follow the polyphonic performance of a keyboardist by sensing the motion of keys. In ensemble accompaniment, the task is to accompany multiple players. In addition to playing wrong notes, individual players might drop out or become lost, so there are interesting new issues to be dealt with. This work addresses practical problems of integrating computer-based performers with live performers.