Analysis Tools

The purpose of the Analysis Axis is to characterize, and derive theory from, orchestration practice through human and computer analyses of: 1) notated and unnotated music and sketches, 2) written texts and interviews with practitioners, 3) recorded audio, 4) listener perceptions and reactions to the analyzed music, and 5) how conductors and performers understand and achieve various orchestration goals. It addresses orchestration from the viewpoints of composer, performer, audience, and analyst, and its results will have an impact on the fields of music theory and composition, musicology, linguistics, signal processing, computer science, music psychology, acoustics, and performance science.

Orchview

OrchView is a software platform for score analysis.

It is the first software of its kind to offer features and tools specifically designed for orchestration analysis. OrchView includes annotation tools built for the orchestral grouping effects taxonomy. The orchestration techniques tools are currently being implemented and will be made available in 2022.

The data for each annotation is collected as a user progresses with their analysis. This includes the bar numbers, selected instruments, audio time-codes for the reference recording used in the analysis, tool used and tool parameters. OrchView annotations can be labelled, displayed or hidden. The resulting score including its annotations can be exported as a new PDF file. Once an annotation has been validated the data are then uploaded to the OrchARD database (add link if for web). From the OrchARD website researchers can make queries and search through thousands of OrchView annotations. The results will then be available to download as an OrchView file. It is then possible to listen to the recording at the precise location indicated in the score.

Orcheil

Orcheil is a web app for the visualization of orchestration. The goal is to provide a clear and immediate representation of when an instrument is or is not performing in a piece of music. This can reveal, for instance, the instrumentation of a composite timbre, or the role of orchestration in articulating form. It is a timbre-first visualization of music.