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Probabilistic Models of Music Cognition
July 14-18th, 2025 / Monday-Friday, 9:30-11:30 AM and 1:30-3:30 PM| Move into Eastman School of Music Housing on July 13th, 2025, and move out of Eastman School of Music Housing on July 19th, 2025
David Temperley, Eastman School of Music
Probabilistic models and methods are a central part of modern cognitive science and have been widely used in music cognition as well. Probabilistic models have been proposed for musical processes such as key perception, meter perception, segmentation, and expectation; recently, several studies have explored probabilistic approaches to issues of musical style, musical enjoyment, and emotional response. In this one-week workshop, we will survey probabilistic methods in music cognition and research using those methods. Our focus will be on several key concepts – probability functions, Bayesian reasoning, n-grams, information, and entropy – and related concepts. The aim is to get a feel for these basic probabilistic tools and how they can be applied to musical issues. Topics such as machine learning, parameter optimization, and neuroscience are mostly outside our scope. No math background is needed beyond high school algebra (understanding of logarithms will be helpful); however, there will be a substantial amount of math in the workshop. No music background is required beyond knowledge of very basic concepts (key, meter) and an ability to read and understand music notation (an introductory music theory course or a few years of private music lessons will provide the necessary preparation).
The five-day workshop will entail four hours of meetings each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. Morning meetings will be lecture presentations by the instructor, and discussions of readings; in afternoon meetings, students will work with each other and with the instructor on problem sets.
For more information about this institute, please email David Temperley at: dtemperley@esm.rochester.edu
