An efficient score alignment algorithm and its applications

Abstract

String alignment and comparison in Computer Science is a well-explored space with classic problems such as Longest Common Subsequence that have practical application in bioinformatic genomic sequencing and data comparison in revision control systems. In the field of musicology, score alignment and comparison is a problem with many similarities to string comparison and alignment but also vast differences. In particular we can use ideas in string alignment and comparison to compare a music score in the MIDI format with a music score generated from Optical Musical Recognition (OMR), both of which have incomplete or wrong information, and correct errors that were introduced in the OMR process to create an improved third score. This thesis creates a set of algorithms that align and compare MIDI and OMR music scores to produce a corrected version of the OMR score that borrows ideas from classic computer science string comparison and alignment algorithm but also incorporates optimizations and heuristics from music theory.