VDM Kapur Ajay: Digitizing North Indian Music

This book describes how state of the art computer music technology can be used to digitize, analyze, preserve and extend North Indian classical music performance. Custom built controllers, influenced by the Human Computer Interaction community, serve as new interfaces to gather musical gestures from a performing artist. Designs on how to modify a Tabla, Dholak, and Sitar with sensors and electronics are described. Experiments using wearable sensors to capture ancillary gestures of a human performer are also included. A twelve-armed solenoid-based robotic drummer was built to perform on a variety of traditional percussion instruments from around India. The book also describes experimentation on interfacing a human sitar performer with the robotic drummer. Experiments include automatic tempo tracking, rhythmic accompaniment methods and digital transcription techniques. This work draws on knowledge from many disciplines including: music, computer science, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and psychology. The goal is to set a paradigm on how to use technology to aid in the preservation of traditional art and culture.