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Dissecting Songs Down to Their 'Musical Genome'

Posted by Zonk on from the questionable-taste dept.

Carl Bialik from the WSJ writes "The company Pandora Media takes a different tack for its online music-recommendation service. When you tell Pandora a song you like or have bought, it doesn't mine its sales database for records of other purchases by those who have bought the song. Instead, it looks for songs with a similar musical profile, based on a database of 300,000 songs rated on up to 400 characteristics like rhythmic syncopation, vamping and vocal harmonies. To analyze the songs, Pandora has hired Bay Area musicians like San Francisco jazz guitarist Bob Coons. 'When Mr. Coons describes a particular song, he uses phrases like the "complexity of the chromaticism" and "richness of the harmonic structure." He has studied the chord structure in Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again," and reports that it is "actually fairly complex," ' the Wall Street Journal Online reports."

6 of 368 comments (clear)

  1. B. Spears Music "Fairly Complex" by Rotten · · Score: 5, Funny

    This is one of the signs of the apocalypsis

    1. Re:B. Spears Music "Fairly Complex" by horn_in_gb · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Also, Coons (analyst guy) is talking about the chord structure of the song, not the depth of the lyrical content or even the realization of the chord structure. It's actually really well written from the standpoint of tonal western art music, and compares to a simpler bach chorale when you reduce it to just chords. I remember when I heard this song I was really impressed with it and got a lot of flack for it. A couple days later I played a reduction for some fellow (classically-trained) musicians who thought it was a very nicely laid out chorale. I added the melody on top to reveal the source and everyone was really surprised to find it was Britney Spears :)

      I may not personally think very highly of Britney Spears as an artist or performer, but her arrangers/composers know their shit and write some pretty robust stuff. Another example is Autumn Goodbye, which has even more complex chords, lots of counterpoint, etc.

    2. Re:B. Spears Music "Fairly Complex" by drakaan · · Score: 5, Funny
      Me, I'm not worried about the apocalypsis. What *I* am worried about is the apocalypso.

      Whatever you do, DO NOT let Mr. tally man tally your bananas, people. You only have to make it 'till daylight.

      --
      "Murphy was an optimist" - O'Toole's commentary on Murphy's Law
  2. Britney's Songs by waterlogged · · Score: 5, Funny

    ..... Those weren't "Chords" that you were admiring.

    --
    I couldn't fail to disagree with you any less.
  3. Wow! by errxn · · Score: 5, Funny

    I typed in "dog shit" and got Ashlee Simpson's entire catalog! This thing is amazing!

    --
    In Soviet Russia, Chuck Norris will still kick your ass.
  4. CounterpointTheSurrealismOfTheUnderlyingMetaphor by Tackhead · · Score: 5, Funny
    > When Mr. Coons describes a particular song, he uses phrases like the "complexity of the chromaticism" and "richness of the harmonic structure." He has studied the chord structure in Britney Spears"

    "Yes, do continue ..." invited the RIAA executive.

    "Oh ... and er ... interesting rhythmic devices too," continued Coons, "which seemed to counterpoint the ... er ... er ..." He floundered.

    Ford leaped to his rescue, hazarding "counterpoint the complexity of the underlying chromaticism of the ... er ..." He floundered too, but Coons was ready again.

    "... humanity of the ..."

    "RIAAnanity," Ford hissed at him.

    "Ah yes, RIAAnanity (sorry) of the singer's publicity-whored-out soul," Coons felt he was on a home stretch now, "which contrives through the richness of the harmonic structure to sublimate this, transcend that, and come to terms with the fundamental dichotomies of the other," (he was reaching a triumphant crescendo ...) "and one is left with a profound and vivid insight into ... into ... er ..." (... which suddenly gave out on him.) Ford leaped in with the coup de grace:

    "Into whatever it was the song was about!"

    The RIAA executive stood up.

    "No, well you're completely wrong," he said, "I just write top 40 music to throw my mean callous heartless exterior into sharp relief. I'm going to throw you off the ship anyway. Guard! Take the prisoners to number three airlock and throw them out!"

    ...

    "...counterpoint the complexity of the underlying chromaticism..." He considered this for a moment, and then unplugged the iVog with a grim smile. "Death's too good for them," he said.