I’m a music producer/composer who will be submitting works to new music libraries. In some cases, I’d like to use previous projects as a starting point. So while the result will be new, unique compositions, I want to avoid a scenario where an algorithm might mistake a new song (or song segment) for a previous work.
I’d like to develop some rules of thumb to keep in mind to ensure this doesn’t happen. Specifically, to understand more about how music identifying algorithms work and what combination of parameters need to be different - and to what degrees they need to be different - so as to avoid creating false positive identifications against my other works.
For example:
Imagine “song a” is part of “library a”. Then I create “song b” for “library b”. The arrangement is similar, same instruments are used, same tempo, same key, and mix is essentially the same. But the chord progression and melody are different, though a similar vibe. Could that trigger a false positive?
Or a scenario like above where maybe the instrumentation is similar, but also using some alternate voices (Like an alternate synth patch for the baseline, and similar but different percusssion samples). New key, and a speed increase of 5 bpm. Is that enough to differentiate?
Or imagine a scenario where the bulk of the track is significantly different for all parameters, including a new tempo and key, except there is a 20 second break in the middle that resembles a previous work: an ambient tonal bed with light percussion. The same tonal bed is used, but in the new key and tempo, and the percussion is close to the same. Then a user uses only those 20 seconds in a video. How different would those 20 seconds need to be from the original, and across what parameters, to avoid a false positive?
These examples are just thought experiments to try and understand how it all works. I imagine any new compositions I make should easily be adequately different from previous compositions, and the cumulative differences would easily extend beyond tenants listed in above scenarios.
But given the fact that there are some parameters that could be very similar…(even just from a mix perspective and instruments used), I would like to develop a deeper understanding of what gets analyzed. And consequently, what sort of differences I should ensure remain constant - because it seems to me even 20 seconds of enough similarity could trigger a potential issue.
Thanks!
Ps: Note I welcome any insight offered, and am certainly receptive to the answer being couched in coding language…this is stack exchange after all, and it could be pretty interesting. But at the end of the day, I’m not a coder (though i am coding curious), and need to translate any clarity offered into practical considerations that could be employed from a music production POV. Which is to say, if it’s easy enough to include some language/concepts with that in mind, I’d be very grateful. Parameters like: tempo, key, chord progressions, rhythm elements, frequency considerations, sounds used, overall mix, etc etc. Thanks again!
