The heart of music classification: toward a model of classifying musical medium

Abstract

This is the accepted version of the paper.This version of the publication may differ from the final published version. Permanent repository linkThe heart of music classification: towards a model of classifying musical medium AbstractPurpose: This article seeks to understand the classification of musical medium, which is a critical part of music classification. It considers how musical medium is currently classified, provides a theoretical understanding of what is currently problematic, and proposes a model which rethinks the classification of medium and resolves these issues.Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is drawn from existing classification schemes, additionally using musicological and knowledge organization literature where relevant. The article culminates in the design of a model of musical medium. Findings:The analysis elicits sub-facets, orders and categorizations of medium: there is a strict categorization between vocal and instrumental music, a categorization based on broad size, and important sub-facets for multiples, accompaniment and arrangement. Problematically, there is a mismatch between the definitiveness of LIS vocal/instrumental categorization and the blurred nature of real musical works; arrangements and accompaniments are limited by other categorizations; multiple voices and groups are not accommodated. So, a model with a radical new structure is proposed which resolves these classification issues. Research limitations/implications:The results could be used to further understanding of music classification generally, for Western art music and other types of music. Practical implications:The resulting model could be used to improve and design new classification schemes and to improve understanding of music retrieval.Originality/value: Deep theoretical analysis of music classification is rare, so this article's approach is original. Furthermore, the article's value lies in studying a vital area of music classification which is not currently understood, and providing explanations and solutions. The proposed model is novel in structure and concept, and its original structure could be adapted for other knotty subjects.

Orthogonality, dependency, and music: An exploration of the relationships between music facets

“…Introduction to the medium facet Lee and Robinson (2018) show how medium -who is singing or playing the music -is actually a facet made up of different arrays, in sometimes complex sets of interrelationships. This section will focus on two areas of medium which appear to be particularly important to questions of orthogonality, as well as being primordial in the classification of medium.…”

“…This section will focus on two areas of medium that appear to be particularly important to questions of orthogonality, as well as being primordial in the classification of medium. Lee and Robinson (2018, p. 265–266) identified the categorization into vocal and instrumental music as the primary and most significant categorization within musical medium. Lee and Robinson (2018, p. 265) posited that medium foci generally live in either the vocal or instrumental sides of the medium facet.…”

“…Lee and Robinson (2018, p. 265–266) identified the categorization into vocal and instrumental music as the primary and most significant categorization within musical medium. Lee and Robinson (2018, p. 265) posited that medium foci generally live in either the vocal or instrumental sides of the medium facet. The characteristic that categorizes between vocal and instrumental foci will be called “sonority” in this article.…”

“…A secondary division into broad size of medium is identified as the next most important division (Lee & Robinson, 2018, p. 265). This broad size categorization divides a single violinist from a string quartet, and a string quartet from an orchestra.…”

Modeling the relationship between scientific and bibliographic classification for music

“…To discuss discords further, an example from the medium facet is used: vocal/instrumental categorization. In a study of vocal/instrumental categorization, Lee and Robinson (, p. 266) found that 14 out of 19 classification schemes for music had a primary categorization into vocal and instrumental categories, with some categorization also seen in four out of five of the remaining schemes. Therefore, these bibliographic classifications show a strong adherence to dividing musical medium between vocal and instrumental.…”