Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Fret Positions of Tanbur
Fret Positions of Tanbur
ABSTRACT
0.12
0.11
0.1
0.09
0.08
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
fret distances to nut (cm)
Figure 5. Fret placements of tanbur measured, and derived from the Yekta-AEU system.
The resulting fret estimations which lay within the dügah
We follow a similar approach and use some reference region (between 0 cm and 34.1 cm) with a margin of 5 cm
fret measurements as effective string lengths. These toward the bridge, are found as the fret placements for the
reference frets are the ones which can be easily tuned by first fret region.
the tanbur player manually using the harmonics: neva (1st ii. The effective string length, 103 cm, corresponding to
octave), dügah (1st perfect fifth), muhayyer (2nd perfect the neva region and the equation (1) are used to estimate
fifth) and tiz neva (2nd octave) with reference to yegah. the fret placements. The resulting fret estimations which
Therefore the measured 4 reference frets of a given tanbur lay within the neva region (between 34.1 cm+5 cm and
with reference to nut are used as an input to the system. As 51.5 cm) with a margin of 5 cm toward the, are found as
a result the algorithm is applied as if there are four fret the fret placements within the second fret region.
regions on tanbur: The four fret regions are the dügah iii. The effective string length, 103.65 cm,
region (between the frets yegah and dügah), the neva corresponding to the muhayyer region is used and the
region (between the frets dügah and neva), the muhayyer equation (1) are used to estimate the fret placements. The
region (between the frets neva and muhayyer) and the tiz resulting fret estimations which lay within the muhayyer
neva region (between the frets muhayyer and tiz neva). region (between 51.5 cm +5 cm and 69.1 cm) with a
Given a recording and reference fret measures, the fret margin of 3 cm toward the bridge are found as the fret
estimation algorithm is first applied by using the first placements within the third fret region.
reference fret region and the corresponding effective string iv. The effective string length, 103.9 cm, corresponding
length. Thus the frets which lay within the first reference to the tiz neva region and the equation (1) is used to
fret region are found. Iteratively, the other reference fret estimate the fret placements. The resulting fret estimations
regions and corresponding effective string lengths are used which lay within the tiz neva region (between 69.1 cm
in the same way and estimated frets are found for each +5cm and 77.9 cm) with a margin of 1 cm toward the
reference fret region. In summary, each estimated fret bridge are found as the fret placements within the third
(distances to nut) is checked in order to find the reference fret region.
fret region of it. Therefore different effective string lengths Consequently, the estimated fret placements of a
corresponding to each reference fret region are being used recording performed by the tanbur are found by
to estimate frets. The details of the algorithm are presented concatenating the estimated frets for each of the four fret
below: regions.
i. The effective string length, 102.3 cm, corresponding
to the dügah region is used. The frequency ratios are 3.3. Tests
converted to fret placements for this effective string length
according to the equation below: 16 improvisational (taksim) performances of the player
from 8 modes (makam) are recorded for the experiment.
ESL As a result we tried to estimate the fret placements of the
fret E = ESL − , (1)
Rf tanbur from the 15 recordings and evaluate the success of
fretE : estimated fret placements, ESL : effective string length, Rf : the system based on the measured values of the fret
frequency ratios placements. The distribution of 15 recordings are as
follows: 2 improvisation/taksim recordings from each
mode/makam hicaz, rast, neva, nihavend, saba, uşşak, since the reference frets explicitly do not match the
suzinak and one recording from the mode/makam hüseyni. estimated frets, as can be seen from Figure 6.a.
In order to evaluate the algorithm, the difference of the While the adaptive approach gives very close fret
estimated fret distances and the measured fret distances are estimation values, the constant approach does not give
considered as error. The overall mean error of the reliable fret estimation values even for the most important
proposed method for the 15 recordings is found as 0.2 cm frets, dügah, neva and muhayyer. Consequently, the
where the mean error is also found to be 0.2 cm for each theoretical constant string length approach is unreliable
mode (makam). also for the estimation of the fret placements from audio
In order to demonstrate the success of the algorithm recordings.
more clearly the error of our adaptive approach is Finally Table 5 enables us to compare the two
compared with the error of the approach where constant approaches numerically by presenting the frets estimated
string length is used, as suggested both in theory and from the same two uşşak recordings, in comparison to the
production. In other words the frets are estimated again by fret placements measured. Firstly it is possible to see the
our algorithm but by using the actual string length, 104.7 considerable deviation of the most important frets (light
cm as constant. The overall mean error of the method for gray shaded) estimated by the theoretical constant string
constant string length for the 15 recordings is found as 0.7 length approach. Secondly, success of the theoretical
cm where the mean error ranges between 0.6 and 0.8 for approach is worse for the most frequently used fret region,
the 8 modes (makam). Thus the adaptive approach is found the main octave of the tanbur as shown by dark grey
more successful than the constant string length approach. shading. While the mean error of the adaptive approach is
Figure 6 enables us to compare visually the two 0.15 cm for this region, the mean error of the theoretical
approaches, constant and adaptive approaches, by approach is 0.75 cm. Therefore our approach is
presenting the fret placements estimated from 2 uşşak considerably better than the constant string length approach
recordings in comparison to measured frets. The constant for the most frequently used fret regions of the tanbur.
string length approach and the adaptive string length
approach are presented in Figure 6.a and 6.b., respectively.
The theoretical constant string length approach again fails,
estimation of fret placements for constant string length
measured frets
0.2
reference frets
dugah neva muhayyer
ussak1
0.15 ussak2
0.1
0.05
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
fret distances to nut (cm)
0.15 ussak2
0.1
0.05
25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70
fret distances to nut (cm)
Figure 6. Mapping the fret placements estimated from 2 uşşak performances on the fretboard of tanbur a) theoretical constant
string length approach, b) adaptive effective string lengths approach. Only the main octave performed in TTAM is presented.
Recording : Uşşak#1 4. DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND FUTURE
Meas. Adaptive SL Ref. Constant SL WORK
frets Estimated error frets Estimated error
frets frets In this study we discussed one of the most neglected and
96.5 96.2 0.3 96 0.5 challenging issues in the literature from a music theory and
93.8 93.3 0.5 E1 93.1 0.7 computing perspective: the fret locations of tanbur. We
88.9 88.7 0.2 88.3 0.6 first discussed the importance of the instrument with in
86.4 86.1 0.3 85.7 0.7 various perspectives: the music theory, practice and tanbur
84.6 84.3 0.25 83.8 0.8
79.3 79.1 0.2 G1 78.5 0.8
production. Secondly, we presented the main difficulties
74.9 74.9 0 74.2 0.7 within the context of the divergence of theory and practice.
70.6 70.6 0 A1 69.8 0.8 We summarized the literature of tanbur fretting and
67 66.8 0.2 66 1 showed that there is a lack of reliable information in the
59.7 59.9 0.2 59.1 0.6 domain.
56.9 56.7 0.2 55.9 0.7
We introduced our method for estimation of fret
53.2 53.4 0.2 D1 52.6 0.6
49.7 49.5 0.2 48.6 1.1 placements from audio recordings and presented our test
47.3 47.3 0 E2 46.7 0.6 results which show that the method is indeed reliable. As a
44.7 44.8 0.1 44.2 0.5 result a computational study for the study of tanbur frets is
42.8 42.9 0.1 42.3 0.5 presented for the first time in the literature. Furthermore
39.8 39.9 0.1 39.3 0.5 the current fretting systems proposed in theory and used in
38.1 37.9 0.2 G2 37.3 0.8
37.6 37.3 0.3 36.6 1
production were compared for the first time.
35.6 35.8 0.2 A2 35.1 0.5 However there are various lacks of the study which we
33.6 34 0.4 33.3 0.3 hope to fill out in the future studies. First of all an
Mean error 0.2 0.7 ethnomusicological approach would supply invaluable
contribution for the role of tanbur in performance.
Recor Secondly frets estimated from the recordings of the tanbur
Recording : Uşşak#2 masters could be tested by tanbur players for a more
Meas. Adaptive SL Ref. Constant SL complete evaluation. Nevertheless we hope that our study
frets Estimated error frets Estimated error would pave the way for the colleagues from various
frets frets disciplines interested in tanbur to contribute to the current
93.8 93.3 0.5 E1 93.1 0.7
state-of-art of the research on tanbur.
88.9 88.7 0.2 88.3 0.6
83.6 84 0.4 83.5 0.1 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
79.3 79.1 0.2 G1 78.5 0.8
70.6 70.6 0 A1 69.8 0.8
67 66.8 0.2 66 1
This work is supported by Scientific and Technological
65.5 65.2 0.3 64.5 1 Research Council of Turkey, TUBITAK (Project No:
56.9 56.7 0.2 55.9 1 107E024).
53.2 53.2 0 D1 52.3 0.9
47.3 47.3 0 E2 46.7 0.6 6. REFERENCES
44.7 44.8 0.1 44.2 0.5
39.8 40.1 0.3 42.3 0.5
38.1 37.9 0.2 G2 39.4 0.4 [1] Hassan, S. Q. et al. ''Tanbūr.'' Grove Music Online.
37.6 37.3 0.3 37.3 0.8 Oxford Music Online. 22 Mar. 2009
35.6 35.8 0.2 A2 36.6 1 http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article
33.6 34 0.4 35.1 0.5 /grove/music/52071
Mean error 0.2 0.7
[2] Popescu-Judetz, E. Prens Dimitrie Cantemir, Trans.
Table 5. Measured and estimated placements of frets for 2 S. Alemdar, Pan Yay., Đstanbul, 2000.
uşşak recordings, demostrating the success of adaptive and [3] Gedik, A. C. and Bozkurt, B. ''Evaluation of the
constant string length appproaches. Values are given as Makam Scale Theory of Arel for Music Information
distance to bridge. SL: string length. Light grey shading: Retrieval on Traditional Turkish Art Music''. Journal
the most important frets of the tanbur. Dark grey shading: of New Music Research, (In press).
the most frequently used frets of the tanbur.
[4] Bozkurt, B., Yarman, O., Karaosmanoglu, M.K. and
Akkoc, C. ''Weighing Diverse Theoretical Models On
Turkish Maqam Music Against Pitch Measurements:
A Comparison Of Peaks Automatically Derived From
Frequency Histograms With Proposed Scale Tones''. [18] Hopkin, B. Musical Instrument Design: Practical
Journal of New Music Research, (In press). Information for Instrument Design. See Sharp Press,
1996.
[5] Akan, E. Tanbur metodu. Çağlar Musiki Yayınları,
Istanbul, 2007. [19] Yekta, R. Türk Musikisi. (Translated from French by
O. Nasuhoğlu ), Pan Yay., Đstanbul, 1986.
[6] Erkut, C. and Välimäki, V. ''Model-Based Sound
Synthesis of Tanbur, a Turkish Long-Necked Lute''. [20] Subramanian, K. S. "An Introduction To The Vina".
Proc. Of the International Conference on Acoustics, Asian Music, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp. 7-82, Spring, 1985.
Speech and Signal Processing, vol. 2, Istanbul,
[21] Hassan, S. Q. "The Long Necked Lute in Iraq". Asian
Turkey, pp. 769-772, June 5-9, 2000.
Music, Vol. 13, No. 2 (1982), pp. 1-18.
[7] Bozkurt, B. ''An automatic pitch analysis method for
[22] Öksüz, M. A. Türk musikisinde tanbur sazının
Turkish maqam music''. Journal of New Music
gelişimi. Marmara Üniversitesi, PhD thesis, Đstanbul,
Research, 37(1), 1-13, 2008.
1998.
[8] Yarman, O. Kantemir Fontu,
[23] Açın, C. Tanbur Yapım Sanatı ve Sanatçıları. Bilgi
http://www.ozanyarman.com/kantemirfontu.html,
Basımevi, Đstanbul, 2002.
Access date: 15th Sept. 2009.
[9] Racy, A. J. "Historical Worldviews of Early
Ethnomusicologists: An East-West Encounter in
Cairo, 1932," In Ethnomusicology and Modern
Music History, eds. Stephen Blum, Philip V.
Bohlman, and Daniel M. Neuman, p. 68–91, Urbana:
University of Illinois Press, 1991.
[10] Feldman, W. Z., "Ottoman music". Grove Music
Online. Oxford Music Online.
http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article
/grove/music/52169, Access date: 10 Aug. 2009.
[11] Yavuzoğlu, N. 21. Yüzyılda Türk Müziği Teorisi.
Istanbul: Pan Yayıncılık, 2008.
[12] Thomas, A. E. "Intervention and reform of Arab
music in 1932 and beyond". Conference on Music in
the world of Islam, Assilah, 2007.
[13] Marcus, S. "The interface between theory and
practice: Intonation in Arab music". Asian Music,
Vol.24, No.2. pp.39-56, 1993.
[14] Mus2. URL: http://www.musiki.org/, Access date:
15th Sept. 2009.
[15] Gedik, A. C. and Bozkurt, B. "Pitch frequency
histogram based music information retrieval for
Turkish music". Signal Processing,
doi:10.1016/j.sigpro.2009.06.017
[16] Martin, D. "Innovation and the Development of the
Modern Six-String Guitar". The Galpin Society
Journal, Vol. 5, pp. 86-109, Jul., 1998.
[17] Fletcher, N.H. and Rossing, T.D. The Physics of
Musical Instruments. New York: Springer-Verlag,
Second Edition 1998.