A probabilistic framework for audio-based tonal key and chord recognition

Abstract

A unified probabilistic framework for audio-based chord and tonal key recognition is described and evaluated. The proposed framework embodies an acoustic observation likelihood model and key & chord transition models. It is shown how to conceive these models and how to use music theory to link key/chord transition probabilities to perceptual similarities between keys/chords. The advantage of a theory based model is that it does not require any training, and consequently, that its performance is not affected by the quality of the available training data.