Sonification for Music Induced Movement Analysis

Music Induced Movement (MIM), also known as dancing, characterizes the diversity of movements made in response to music. By attaching markers to the body and exposing subjects to different music, these movements can be analyzed scientifically. In this domain, sonification provides a creative and intuitive method for analysis, allowing the listener to perceive the movements in the same medium as the music. The following three videos, created by researcher Petri Toiviainen from The Finnish Center of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research, are examples of this point. In the sonification, see if you can hear all four rhythmic levels. How do these rhythms match with the rhythm of the music? Which level matches best?

Sonification and Music

Music Alone

Sonification Alone

fMRI for Music Analysis

fMRI uses cerebral blood flow to measure activation of different cortical areas. One application for this type of tool is the analysis of cortical responses to music. Researcher Petri Toiviainen from The Finnish Center of Excellence in Interdisciplinary Music Research created this video to show how the brain reacts to Tango music. Notice how points of expectation seem to escalate the response.


The Tango Brain from Petri Toiviainen on Vimeo.

Jaime Oliver uses computer vision for an extended instrument using a drum frame with a pliable black membrane.  In the video, you can see how the computer becomes sensitive to the number of fingers touching, their force and distance from the camera.  Equally as inspiring as the simplicity of the controller is his choice for sound synthesis.  Further, he demonstrates experience in sound design that is unparalleled.  I have posted one of his movies using the Silent Drum
Silent Construction 1 from Jaime Oliver on Youtube.