Digitizing North Indian Music: Preservation and Extension using Multimodal SensorSystems, Machine Learning and Robotics

This book describes how state of the art computermusic technology can be used todigitize, analyze, preserve and extend North Indianclassical music performance. Custom builtcontrollers, influenced by the Human ComputerInteraction community, serve as new interfaces togather musical gestures from a performing artist.Designs on how to modify a Tabla, Dholak, and Sitarwith sensors and electronics are described.Experiments using wearable sensors to captureancillary gestures of a human performer are alsoincluded. A twelve-armed solenoid-based roboticdrummer was built to perform on a variety oftraditional percussion instruments from around India.The book also describes experimentation oninterfacing a human sitar performer with the roboticdrummer. Experiments include automatic tempotracking, rhythmic accompaniment methods and digitaltranscription techniques. This work draws onknowledge from many disciplines including: music,computer science, electrical engineering, mechanicalengineering and psychology. The goal is to set aparadigm on how to use technology to aid in thepreservation of traditional art and culture.