AI decodes the mathematical ‘fingerprints’ of famous jazz musicians, from Chick Corea to Thelonious Monk
Music and math often come together in ways we don’t expect
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have used artificial intelligence to analyze the unique musical patterns of renowned jazz pianists, such as Chick Corea and Thelonious Monk. By studying 84 hours of recordings from 20 famous jazz pianists, the AI was able to identify the musicians with over 94 percent accuracy, and pinpoint more subtle differences in their playing styles with nearly 91 percent accuracy.
These "fingprints," which include choices of notes, chords, and rhythm, are quantifiable and can be heard, even if they are too subtle for human ears to detect. The research could help reveal the influence of individual artists on each other and provide a tool to train young musicians. A web app developed by the scientists enables users to hear and visualize the differences between pianists, providing graphs and sound samples that illustrate their distinctive musical styles.
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