Music tempo estimation and beat tracking by applying source separation and metrical relations

In this paper, we present tempo estimation and beat tracking algorithms by utilizing percussive/harmonic separation of the audio signal, in order to extract filterbank energies and chroma features from the respective components. Periodicity analysis is carried out by the convolution of feature sequences with a bank of resonators. Target tempo is estimated from the resulting periodicity vector by incorporating metrical relations knowledge. Tempo estimation is followed by a local tempo refinement method to enhance the beat-tracking algorithm. Beat tracking involves the computation of the beat saliencies derived from the resonators responses and proposes a distance measure between candidate beats locations. A dynamic programming algorithm is adopted to find the optimal “path” of beats. Both tempo estimation and beat tracking methods were submitted on MIREX 2011, while the tempo estimation algorithm was also evaluated on ISMIR 2004 Tempo Induction Evaluation Exchange Dataset.