Characterizing the Emotion of Individual Piano and Other Musical Instrument Sounds

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Department of Computer Science and Engineering


PhD Thesis Defence


Title: "Characterizing the Emotion of Individual Piano and Other Musical 
Instrument Sounds"

By

Mr. Chuck Jee CHAU


Abstract

Emotion is an indispensable aspect in human communication, and various media 
provide different means of invoking emotions. Music emotion is one popular 
research topic by the advancement of artificial intelligence, which enables 
practical usages such as music recommendation based on emotion. Music-making 
devices on the market also provide interactive tools to create sounds during 
performances with adjustable timbre for emotional effects.

This research aimed to characterize the relationship of emotion with music 
timbre, pitch, and other performing qualities. We carried out listening tests 
to investigate isolated tones of a number of musical instruments, which 
incorporated pairwise comparisons among eight non-sustaining instruments. There 
were also in-depth study of the relative emotional effects of timbre in 
instruments including piano, bowed string instruments and pitched percussion 
instruments when timbral features are varied. We have statistically confirmed 
the correlation between emotion and music timbre for these instruments. Other 
performing qualities also exhibited evident emotion trends. Results for 
different instruments we tested were similar, but with surprising contrasts.

These studies provide the foundation for further research on the emotion—timbre 
space, which is still under rapid development. This will in turn enhance 
composers and arrangers in instrumentation, performers in manipulating, 
blending and balancing notes, and recording engineers in mixing recordings and 
live performances. Sound designers can even use these guidance to create 
non-existent timbre for emotional effects.


Date:			Thursday, 27 July 2017

Time:			3:00pm - 5:00pm

Venue:			Room 2612B
 			Lifts 31/32

Chairman:		Prof. Bertram Shi (ECE)

Committee Members:	Prof. Andrew Horner (Supervisor)
 			Prof. Xiaojuan Ma
 			Prof. Raymond Wong
 			Prof. Kin-Ying Leung (CIVL)
 			Prof. Kin-Hong Wong (Comp. Sci., & Eng., CUHK)


**** ALL are Welcome ****