Systems and methods for identifying segments of music having characteristics suitable for inducing autonomic physiological responses

A computer system, comprising:

• an input module configured to receive a digital audio data;
• an audio processing module configured to receive the digital audio data and execute a first objective audio processing metric on the digital audio data and a second objective audio processing metric on the digital audio data, the first and second metrics generating respective first and second outputs, each of the first and second outputs comprising a value of a respective objective audio processing metric at each one of a respective continuous plurality of sequential time segments of the digital audio data;
• a detection module configured to receive, as inputs, the first and second outputs and, generate, for each of the first and second outputs, a set of one or more detection segments where a respective detection criteria is satisfied, the respective detection criteria defining a respective threshold relative to the respective output, and each of the respective one or more segments defining an indication of the respective value of the respective objective audio processing metric satisfying the respective detection criteria in a respective time segment of the respective continuous plurality of sequential time segments;
• and
• a combination module configured to receive, as inputs, the one or more segments detected by the detection module and aggregate each segment into a single dataset containing concurrences of the detection segments.

A computer program product, comprising a tangible, non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising code configured to instruct a processor to:

• receive digital audio data;
• process the digital audio data using a first objective audio processing metric to generate a first output, the first output comprising a value of the first objective audio processing metric at each one of a first continuous plurality of sequential time segments of the digital audio data;
• process the digital audio data using a second objective audio processing metric to generate a second output, the first output comprising a value of the second objective audio processing metric at each one of a second continuous plurality of sequential time segments;
• generate a first plurality of detection segments using a first detection routine based on regions in the first output where a first detection criteria is satisfied, the first detection criteria defining a first threshold relative to the first output, and each of the first plurality of detection segments defining an indication of the respective value of the first objective audio processing metric satisfying the first detection criteria in a respective time segment of the first plurality of time segments;
• generate a second plurality of detection segments using a second detection routine based on regions in the second output where a second detection criteria is satisfied, the second detection criteria defining a second threshold relative to the second output, and each of the second plurality of detection segments defining an indication of the respective value of the second objective audio processing metric satisfying the second detection criteria in a respective time segment of the second plurality of time segments;
• and
• combine the first plurality of detection segments and the second plurality of detection segments into a single plot based on concurrences of detection segments in the first and second pluralities of detection segments;
• wherein the first and second objective audio processing metrics are different.

A computer-implemented method of identifying segments in music having characteristics suitable for inducing autonomic psychological responses in human listeners, the method comprising:

• receiving, via an input operated by a processor, digital audio data;
• processing, using a processor, the digital audio data using two or more objective audio processing metrics to generate a respective two or more outputs, each of the two or more outputs comprising a value of a respective one of the two or more objective audio processing metrics at each one of a respective continuous plurality of sequential time segments of the digital audio data;
• detecting, via a processor, a plurality of detection segments in each of the two or more outputs based on regions where a respective detection criteria is satisfied, the respective detection criteria defining a respective threshold relative to a respective output of the two or more outputs, and each of the respective plurality of detection segments defining an indication of the value of the respective objective audio processing metric satisfying the respective detection criteria in a respective time segment of the respective continuous plurality of sequential time segments;
• and
• combining, using a processor, the plurality of detection segments in each of the two or more outputs into a single chill moments plot based on concurrences in the plurality of detection segments;
• wherein the first and second objective audio processing metrics are selected from a group consisting of:
• loudness, loudness band ratio, critical band loudness, predominant pitch melodia, spectral flux, spectrum centroid, inharmonicity, dissonance, sudden dynamic increase, sustained pitch, harmonic peaks ratio, or key changes.