# US 8,859,872 B2 · Method for giving feedback on a musical performance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,859,872 B2 - Document ID: US8859872B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/760,313 - Filed: 2013-02-06 - Published: 2013-08-15 - Granted: 2014-10-14 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-14 - Assignees: Spectral Efficiency Ltd. - Applicants: Spectral Efficiency Ltd. - Inventors: Richard G. C. Williams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8859872B2 ## CPC - G09B 15/00: Teaching music (metronomes G04F5/02) - G09B: EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS (devices for psychotechnics or for testing reaction times A61B5/16; games, sports, amusements A63; projectors, projector screens G03B) ## Abstract A method is presented that allows feedback to be given on a musical performance without restrictions on the performance in terms of quality of intonation, tempo, or specific note order. Based on standard musical exercises, the ability to rate a performance is tolerant to repeated and/or omitted notes, to varying tempo and to systematic tuning errors. The method is suitable for use on mobile devices and may provide real-time feedback to allow the performer to adjust their performance or monitor their progress during the performance. Since a wide range of proficiency is able to be rated to give an indication of how well the performer executed a musical exercise this allows very inexperienced musicians to feel a sense of accomplishment when practicing outside the teaching environment as well as giving more accomplished musicians the feedback they need for continuous improvement. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: obtaining, via a computing device, at least one signal associated with an execution of a musical exercise by a performer; and providing, via the computing device, objective feedback on the execution of the musical exercise, the objective feedback being based at least in part on an analysis of the at least one signal and without prior knowledge of the musical exercise being performed. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective feedback includes an overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the objective feedback includes an indication of a systematic tuning error. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The of claim 3, wherein the systematic tuning error does not detract from the overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the systematic tuning error is calculated as an average number of cents between at least two received notes and their associated closest ideal notes such that the number of cents between each received note used in the calculation and the associated closest ideal note is no more than 50 cents from the systematic tuning error. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective feedback includes information on intonation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective feedback includes information on tempo of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective feedback includes information on articulation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the objective feedback is given in the context of previous feedback to show how the execution has changed over time. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: obtaining, via a computing device, at least one signal associated with an execution of a musical exercise by a performer; and providing, via the computing device, objective feedback on the execution of the musical exercise based at least in part on an analysis of the at least one signal, the objective feedback being is tolerant to any of: (a) the performer repeating notes during the execution of the musical exercise; (b) the performer omitting notes during the execution of the musical exercise; and (c) the performer including additional notes during the execution of the musical exercise, the additional notes not being included in the musical exercise. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the objective feedback includes an overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the objective feedback includes an indication of a systematic tuning error. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the systematic tuning error does not detract from the overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the systematic tuning error is calculated as an average number of cents between at least two received notes and their associated closest ideal notes such that the number of cents between each received note used in the calculation and their associated closest ideal note is no more than 50 cents from the systematic tuning error. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the objective feedback includes information on intonation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the objective feedback includes information on tempo of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the objective feedback includes information on articulation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the objective feedback is given in the context of previous feedback to show how the execution has changed over time. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: obtaining, via a computing device, at least one signal associated with an execution of a musical exercise by a performer; and providing, via a computing device, objective feedback on the musical exercise based at least in part on an analysis of the at least one signal, wherein the objective feedback is tolerant to the performer of the musical exercise restarting from an earlier point in the musical exercise before completion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the objective feedback includes an overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the objective feedback includes an indication of a systematic tuning error. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the systematic tuning error does not detract from the overall rating of the performance execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the systematic tuning error is calculated as an average number of cents between at least two received notes and their associated closest ideal notes such that the number of cents between each received note used in the calculation and their associated closest ideal note is no more than 50 cents from the systematic tuning error. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the objective feedback includes information on intonation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the objective feedback includes information on tempo of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the objective feedback includes information on articulation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the objective feedback is given in the context of previous feedback to show how the execution has changed over time. ### Claim 28 A method comprising: obtaining, via a computing device, at least one signal associated with a musical exercise, providing, via the computing device, objective feedback on the musical exercise that is tolerant to a variation in tempo by at least a factor of 2 during an execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the objective feedback includes an overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the objective feedback includes an indication of a systematic tuning error. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the systematic tuning error does not detract from the overall rating of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30, wherein the systematic tuning error is calculated as an average number of cents between at least two received notes and their associated closest ideal notes such that the number of cents between each received note used in the calculation and their associated closest ideal note is no more than 50 cents from the systematic tuning error. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the objective feedback includes information on intonation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the objective feedback includes information on tempo of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the objective feedback includes information on articulation of the execution of the musical exercise. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the objective feedback is given in the context of previous feedback to show how the execution has changed over time.