An Introduction on Formal and Computational Models in Popular Music Analysis and Generation

This article provides a first introduction to some formal and computational models applied in the analysis and generation of popular music (including rock, jazz, and chanson). It summarizes the main philosophy underlying the project entitled “Modèles formels dans et pour la musique pop, le jazz et la chanson”, which constitutes one of the research axes of the GDR ESARS (Esthétique, Art & Science). Initially conceived as an extension of the MISA project carried on by the Music Representation Team at IRCAM, this research axis aims at bringing together researchers from different horizons, from the traditional MIR community of Music Information Retrieval to the most sophisticated approaches in mathematical music theory and computational musicology. It also includes an epistemological and critical evaluation of the relations between music and mathematics, together with some programmatic reflections on the possible cognitive and perceptual implications of this research.