arXiv subjects

Sepideh Shafiei

Publications and source records attributed to Sepideh Shafiei.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Automatic Transcription of Microtonal Free-Rhythm Vocal Music: A Case Study in Iranian Classical Music

This paper introduces a computational workflow for automatically transcribing microtonal, free-rhythm vocal music, with Iranian classical music as a case study. Our approach is based on performances by the renowned vocalist Karimi and ground truth transcriptions by the prominent ethnomusicologist Masoudieh [14], which were subsequently incorporated into the IRMA Audio-MIDI dataset [20]. To accurately extract melodies, we employ pitch histograms in conjunction with Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). Additionally, we introduce specialized musical notations to capture the intricate ornamentations characteristic of the genre, with particular emphasis on the vocal technique tahrir. The transcription process is implemented in Python using the music21 library for symbolic music representation [5]. This study not only advances the field of computational ethnomusicology but also highlights the potential of computational methods in preserving and analyzing complex musical traditions. The transcription system also generates a combined visualization of the audio pitch contour and the DTW-aligned MIDI representation, enabling users to inspect the correspondence between the performance and the generated transcription. A companion visual editor supports expert-in-the-loop correction of the resulting notation.

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arXiv2025

Computational Extraction of Intonation and Tuning Systems from Multiple Microtonal Monophonic Vocal Recordings with Diverse Modes

This paper presents a computational methodology for analyzing intonation and deriving tuning systems in microtonal oral traditions, utilizing pitch histograms, Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), and optimization techniques, with a case study on a complete repertoire performed by a master of Iranian Classical Vocal Music (145 pieces). Pitch frequencies are extracted directly from vocal performances, and while alignment with MIDI notes is not a standard practice in our approach, we incorporate it where available, using DTW to refine interval analysis. By modeling intonation variations across multiple recordings, we derive structured tuning frameworks that capture both the flexibility of performance and the underlying systematic tendencies. Optimization techniques are applied to align intervals across the oral tradition repertoire, capturing the specific tunings and modal structures involved. Our methodology highlights the potential of computational techniques in advancing musicological and ethnomusicological research, offering a data-driven approach to defining tuning systems in microtonal vocal traditions.

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arXiv2025

The IRMA Dataset: A Structured Audio-MIDI Corpus for Iranian Classical Music

We present the IRMA Dataset (Iranian Radif MIDI Audio), a multi-level, open-access corpus designed for the computational study of Iranian classical music, with a particular emphasis on the radif, a structured repertoire of modal-melodic units central to pedagogy and performance. The dataset combines symbolic MIDI representations, phrase-level audio-MIDI alignment, musicological transcriptions in PDF format, and comparative tables of theoretical information curated from a range of performers and scholars. We outline the multi-phase construction process, including segment annotation, alignment methods, and a structured system of identifier codes to reference individual musical units. The current release includes the complete radif of Karimi; MIDI files and metadata from Mirza Abdollah's radif; selected segments from the vocal radif of Davami, as transcribed by Payvar and Fereyduni; and a dedicated section featuring audio-MIDI examples of tahrir ornamentation performed by prominent 20th-century vocalists. While the symbolic and analytical components are released under an open-access license (CC BY-NC 4.0), some referenced audio recordings and third-party transcriptions are cited using discographic information to enable users to locate the original materials independently, pending copyright permission. Serving both as a scholarly archive and a resource for computational analysis, this dataset supports applications in ethnomusicology, pedagogy, symbolic audio research, cultural heritage preservation, and AI-driven tasks such as automatic transcription and music generation. We welcome collaboration and feedback to support its ongoing refinement and broader integration into musicological and machine learning workflows.

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arXiv2022

A Computational Analysis of Pitch Drift in Unaccompanied Solo Singing using DBSCAN Clustering

Unaccompanied vocalists usually change the tuning unintentionally and end up with a higher or lower pitch than the starting point during a long performance. This phenomenon is called pitch drift, which is dependent on various elements, such as the skill of the performer, and the length and difficulty of the performance. In this paper, we propose a computational method for measuring pitch drift in the course of an unaccompanied vocal performance, using pitch histogram and DBSCAN clustering.

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arXiv2021

An analysis of Iranian Music Intervals based on Pitch Histogram

Since the early twentieth century, intervals and tuning systems have been subjects of discussion among Iranian musicians and scholars. The process of Westernization and then a cultural back to roots movement are among the reasons that motivated debates about the appropriate tuning in this musical culture. In this paper, we first review the historical context of the intervals in Perso-Arabic musical culture since Farabi in the tenth century. Then we focus on the audio histogram of the vocal performance of each piece in the repertoire (radif) of Karimi, one of the masters of the art, and use Dynamic Time Warping for alignment of pitch and MIDI notes. We collected the intervals used in the performance of each piece (gushe) in the repertoire and then analyzed the results. Unlike the traditional methods of measuring the frequency of each note played on the tar (an Iranian lute) practiced by contemporary music scholars, our computational method is independent of a given instrument and can be executed on any performance with minimum effort.

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arXiv2021

Apolarity for determinants and permanents of generic symmetric matrices

We show that the apolar ideal to the determinant of a generic symmetric matrix is generated in degree two, and the apolar ideal to the permanent of a generic symmetric matrix is generated in degrees two and three. In each case we specify the generators of the apolar ideal. As a consequence, using a result of K. Ranestad and F. O. Schreyer we give lower bounds to the cactus rank and rank of each of these polynomials. We compare these bounds with those obtained by J. Landsberg and Z. Teitler.

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