list of thesis proposals
This is the list of the thesis proposals, in alphabetical order, both for bachelor degree and master degree, provided by CSC.
Check out this (constantly updated) list of thesis proposals and do not hesitate to contact us!
Is it possible to conduct statistical analysis of scores to obtain musicological knowledge? Several scholars have successfully applied computational methods in music analysis (Youngblood, Forte, Boker-Heil, ...). A study is being developed at the CSC to identify the differences in youthful compositional style compared to the senile (over 60 years) one of the major composers of the past.
Suggested read: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_musicology
Type of thesis and knowledge
The work is particularly suitable for students who are completing their master's degree.
It will be required to perform analysis of sheet music in MIDI format (or other symbolic formats) using special libraries in MATLAB, Python or R. Music theory knowledge is not mandatory but it is a big plus.
For more information contact: Giulio Pitteri (giulio.pitteri@phd.unipd.it), Matteo Spanio (spanio@dei.unipd.it, roda@dei.unipd.it)
At the CSC software is being developed that can extract information from scans of perforated paper rolls for player piano, and automatically generate Standard MIDI Files from them (see thesis proposal Development of software for automatic conversion of player piano rolls scans to MIDI format). As a side project, we are interested in developing an application for mobile devices that can load MIDI files generated from rolls, and play them back giving the user the ability to manipulate playback speed and dynamics (velocity in MIDI terms) in real time. This would simulate the intervention of the player piano user, who could precisely intervene on these parameters during roll playback. The GUI should resume a player piano.
Suggested view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GcmGyhc-IA
Type of thesis and knowledge
Applications are accepted from three-year thesis students. Knowledge of MIDI programming and experience in app development for mobile is highly recommended. Master thesis students may devote themselves to this project, but integrating it with a significant contribution also in the related research project on MIDI conversion of rolls scans.
For more information contact: Pierluigi Bontempi (pierluigi.bontempi@phd.unipd.
In collaboration with the Robert Hollman Foundation, we have developed a series of games for the rehabilitation of children with Visual Impairments using an interactive room with body-position detection. The games focus on developing the children’s visuo-spatial abilities to help them navigate space through visual and aural stimuli, depending on their level of VI
Suggested read:
- Rodà, A., Luise, R., Pozza, N. D., Padoan, A., Cucinotta, A., Turra, G., & Trentin, S. (2021, September). Co-designed mini-games for children with severe visual impairment. In Proceedings of the Conference on Information Technology for Social Good (pp. 175-179).
- Battistin, T., Dalla Pozza, N., Trentin, S., Volpin, G., Franceschini, A., & Rodà, A. (2023). Co-designed mini-games for children with visual impairment: a pilot study on their usability. Multimedia Tools and Applications, 82(4), 5291-5313.
- Mandanici, M., Altieri, F., Rodà, A., & Canazza, S. (2018). Inclusive sound and music serious games in a large‐scale responsive environment. British Journal of Educational Technology, 49(4), 620-635.
Type of thesis and knowledge
This thesis is suitable for students who are completing their bachelor's degree or master's degree.
Experience with Processing is appreciated but not required, as the language is similar to Java, and the library is designed to be easily and quickly learned.
For more information contact: Prof Antonio Rodà (roda@dei.unipd.it) or Andrea Franceschini (andrea.franceschini@dei.unipd.it).
The era of the perforated piano rolls began in the last years of the nineteenth century, and died out (though not entirely) in the early 1930s. It is a technology that originates from the perforated cardboard technology with which small street organs, large fairground organs, or similar instruments were automatically activated in the mid-nineteenth century. Through punching holes in the paper, notes are encoded on a symbolic level. There are then printed indications on the roll regarding the speed of the roll, dynamics (piano, forte, etc.), possible lyrics, and other indications intended to guide the performer (who could control some parameters during the reproduction of the roll). At the CSC software is being developed that can extract information from roll scans, and automatically generate Standard MIDI Files from them.
Suggested view: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GcmGyhc-IA
Type of thesis and knowledge
Since this is a work of significant proportions, applications are accepted for both three-year and master's thesis students, who will be able to contribute to varying degrees depending on the type of thesis. Knowledge of C# programming is required (or possibly willingness to port what has already been developed from C# to Python).
For more information contact: Pierluigi Bontempi (pierluigi.bontempi@phd.unipd.it, sergio.canazza@unipd.it)
The CSC carries out collaborations with private companies and innovative startups in the music field. In this project, students can put their knowledge of web and/or embedded development into practice by coming into contact with cutting-edge realities and technologies.
Type of thesis and knowledge
This thesis is suitable for students who are completing their bachelor's degree or master's degree.
Familiarity with the HTTP and/or MQTT protocols and SQL/NoSQL databases is required, and knowledge of at least one of the major programming languages used in web development (Javascript, Python, PHP, Java, Go, ...).
For more information contact: Giulio Pitteri (giulio.pitteri@phd.unipd.it), Matteo Spanio (spanio@dei.unipd.it, roda@dei.unipd.it)
SoundRise is a web application developed to help people, especially children, with hearing and communication difficulties. Through a simple and intuitive graphical interface, this application allows users to understand, in real-time, the pitch and intensity of the sound of their own voice, so that they can learn to modulate it.
One of the main features of SoundRise is to recognize the sound of the (Italian) vowel that the user is emitting. At present, this is done through the use of standard values of the formants, but this limits the use of the application to only a portion of users (only for users who have similar formant values). This thesis project aims to study and develop a system that can recognize the sound of vowels as precisely as possible, without being strictly based on formant values, or using them in a suitable way (for example, by using a machine learning model).
Type of thesis and knowledge
This thesis is suitable for students who are completing their master's degree.
SoundRise is a ReactJS application that integrates a Web Audio API system for analysing and managing the audio data stream in real time. In order to study and develop the new vowel detection system, it is required a good knowledge of javascript.
For more information contact: Giada Zuccolo (zuccologia@dei.unipd.it), Sergio Canazza (sergio.canazza@unipd.it)
Within this project, theses may concern:
- the simulation of ancient musical instruments (e.g. a Pan flute from ancient Egypt, an ancient Roman trumpet, an ancient Etruscan rattle)
- the simulation of analog players (gramophone, multitrack magnetophone)
Suggested read:
- Avanzini, F., Canazza, S., De Poli, G., Fantozzi, C., Pretto, N., Rodà, A., Angelini, I., Bettineschi, C., Deotto, G., Faresin, E., Menegazzi, A., Molin, G., Salemi, G., & Zanovello, P. (2015). Archaeology and virtual acoustics. A pan flute from ancient Egypt. Proceedings of the 12th International Conference in Sound and Music Computing, SMC 2015, 31–36.
- Sun, Z., Roda, A., Whiting, E., Faresin, E., & Salemi, G. (2020). 3D Virtual Reconstruction and Sound Simulation of an Ancient Roman Brass Musical Instrument. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 12215, 267–280.
Type of thesis and knowledge
This thesis is suitable for students who are completing their bachelor's degree or master's degree.
For more information contact: Giulio Pitteri (giulio.pitteri@phd.unipd.it), Prof Antonio Rodà (roda@dei.unipd.it).
Computational Creativity is a multidisciplinary field that aims to elicit creative behaviors from computers. One of its most prolific subfields is Music Generation, which utilizes computational methods to compose music. With the explosion of Generative AI in recent years, the world is moving rapidly. At CSC, we strive to stay updated by studying and implementing the latest state-of-the-art deep learning models for music generation. It is therefore proposed to study one or more specifically selected models to practice with these new technologies.
Suggested view: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-wATfeyAMNqAPjwGT3ikEz3gMo23pl-D
Type of thesis and knowledge
The work is particularly suitable for students who are completing their master's degree.
Basic knowledge of machine learning techniques and the use of Python libraries (TensorFlow or PyTorch) is required, while music theory knowledge is a plus.
For more information contact: Matteo Spanio (spanio@dei.unipd.it, roda@dei.unipd.it)
CSC - Centro di Sonologia Computazionale
