Improved harmony search algorithms by tournament selection operator

Harmony search algorithm (HS) is a meta-heuristic algorithm which is inspired by a process involving musical improvisation. It is a stochastic optimization technique, which is similar to genetic algorithms (GAs) and particle swarm optimizers (PSOs). And it has been widely applied in order to solve many complex optimization problems, including continuous and discrete problems, such as structure design, function optimization, controller design. In this paper, two improved harmony search algorithms based on tournament selection operator (THSs) are developed. With tournament selection operator being employed as a significant improvement to the performance of the original algorithm, the THSs were then applied to function optimization problems. The results of the experiment show that THSs is capable of finding better solutions when compared to HS.