The Future is Here: Query by Humming as an example of Content-Based Music Information Retrieval

Abstract

The following article discusses the state of the art in a type of content-based music information retrieval known as query by humming (QbH). QbH allows a user to hum or sing a portion of a song, and then through a complex set of algorithms will search a set of indicies or a database in order to match the query. The article discusses intentions, uses and challenges of QbH in addition to providing a literature review and a discussion of four current QbH systems. Of the four systems examined in detail, the first two are intended to benefit the research community while the latter are aimed at a commercial audience.