The Essen Associative Code (EsAC) database and associated software tools can be used for musical analysis, sight-singing, analyzing recorded and printed music, and researching melodies. The Humdrum Toolkit is free software that allows users to encode music data in the EsAC format and analyze things like pitch contours, intervals, and phrase repetition. David Huron used the Humdrum Toolkit and EsAC database to analyze folksong melodies and found they tend to rise and fall on average. The Themefinder system allows searching the EsAC database to find musical examples for further analysis and comparison.

1. How can the Essen Associative Code be used? The EsAC database is useful for: Musical Analysis Archives of recorded and printed music Sight-singing and reading

2. Software Systems which have been used to analysis material on the EsAC Database Software analysis programs Humdrum Toolkit – music analysis software system Themefinder – search database for melodies with particular characteristics user defines ANA – program written by Barbara Jesser, which runs on DOS platform 12 Analytical procedures on one part melodies MAPPET – Program package to encode, control, analyze, and play melodies. RIP – a utility program combines an editor that switches between ASCII and graphics with a database-system specially designed for EsAC files. PAT – Program searches for user-defined patterns in EsAC melodies. Displays in staff notation and played by speakers ES 3 – ESTAFF – provides western staff-line and Asian cypher notation for screen display and printing. – Useful for transposition, display of rhythmic and pitch patterns generated by analyses http://www.esac-data.org/software/

3. Different analysis options with software systems using EsAC Distribution of ascending intervals Distribution of descending intervals Distribution of durations Distribution of pitches Rhythmic patterns Scale type and tessitura Final tones of phrases Melodic spine Phrase repetition as determined by pitches Phrase repetition as determined by durations Pitch contour Phrase initiation (does it begin on upbeat or downbeat)

4. Humdrum ToolKit The Humdrum Toolkit provides a set of free software tools intended to assist in music research. The toolkit is suitable for use in a wide variety of computer-based musical tasks . Uses the Unix computer language Examples of questions, which have been proposed and then used the Humdrum toolkit to analyze them. http://musicog.ohio-state.edu/Humdrum/sample.problems.html Musical Databases which can be accessed using the Humdrum format. http://musicog.ohio-state.edu/Music824/databases.index.html A list of frequent questions about the Humdrum Toolkit. http://musicog.ohio-state.edu/Humdrum/FAQ.html

5. An example of Humdrum Analysis using the EsAC Database Music Theorist wanted to prove that the pitches in melodies tend to rise and then fall over melodic lines. Graphs showing the average pitch contours for all phrases encoded in the EsAC Database(Schaffrath, 1995). Each graph plots the average pitch height (in semitones above middle C) for successive notes within the phrase. Graphs pertain to phrases of different lengths. Using the Humdrum software, David Huron analyzed the phrase contour of folksongs found in the EsAC database. N = the number of pieces examined from the database to produce results Huron, D. (1996) The Melodic Arch in Western Folksongs. Computing in Musicology , (10) 3-23. Retrieved online on February 9, 2008 at http://music-cog.ohio-state.edu/Huron/Publications/huron.arch.text.html

6. Themefinder System: Why useful Can search and sort through database to find data for further analysis Once Examples found Musical examples written on musical staff Midi source available to listen Humdrum version available Can add examples to clipboard to compare examples Ability to revise theme http://essen.themefinder.org/ http://www.themefinder.org/help/ http://www.ccarh.org/themefinder/

7. References Huron, D. (1996) The Melodic Arch in Western Folksongs. Computing in Musicology , Vol. 10, 3-23. Retrieved online on February 9, 2008 at http://music-cog.ohio-state.edu/Huron/Publications/huron.arch.text.htm H uron, D. Online Humdrum Resources. Ohio State University. Retrieved online on February 10, 2008 at http://musicog.ohio-state.edu/Humdrum/resources.html Selfridge-field, E. Ed. (1997) Beyond Midi: The handbook of musical codes. Center for computer assisted research in the Humanities. The MIT Press. Cambridge, Massachusetts.