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Acoustic Sensing for Musical Instrument Study and Vocal Analysis

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Optical Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 December 2026 | Viewed by 2927

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Optics and Photonics, National Central University, Taoyuan 320317, Taiwan
Interests: acoustics sensors; photonic crystals; nano-optics; optical computing using artificial intelligence; passive components for WDM fiber- optic communications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical sensors used for detecting displacement, speed, acceleration, and vibration have played a crucial role in studying the characteristics of musical instruments and vocal analysis. Laser, MEMS-based, and acoustic sensors, like microphones, have commonly been employed for single-point detection. Through the utilization of sensor arrays, scanning techniques, or optical holographic measurements, two-dimensional vibration profiles of musical instruments can be captured and visualized.

With advancements in sensing technology, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence, the sampling frequency, resolution, stability, and repeatability of sensors have improved significantly. Additionally, sensor sizes have been minimized, and the signal/noise ratio has been reduced. This progress opens avenues for re-exploring the physical properties of musical instruments and vocal analysis, such as timbre and acoustic coupling between instrument components.

Artificial intelligence can process the acoustic data gathered from these advanced sensors. Moreover, new structures and materials, such as carbon fibers or novel musical instruments, have been developed. Advanced sensors facilitate the exploration of the properties of new instruments and materials, and they can enhance the instrument quality during fabrication. These sensing techniques not only deepen our understanding of instrument physics, but also have practical applications in improving instrument craftsmanship.

This Special Issue seeks to compile scientific findings related to advanced sensors used for analyzing musical instruments and vocals, as well as the exploration of the physical properties of musical instruments featuring new structures or innovative designs. We encourage novel research focusing on acoustic studies of musical instruments which employ sensors. Additionally, contributions examining results derived from sensor data analysis aided by artificial intelligence are highly encouraged. We invite research papers covering a broad range of topics, including (but not limited to) the following:

  • Laser applications for acoustics study;
  • MEMS-based sensors for acoustic studies;
  • Vibration profiles of musical instruments;
  • Timbre analysis of musical instruments or vocals using sensors;
  • New sensors for acoustic studies in musical instruments and vocal analysis;
  • Acoustic analysis employing artificial intelligence in sensor-based studies;
  • Quality control during the fabrication process of musical instruments using sensors;
  • Impulse-response characteristics of musical instruments using novel sensors;
  • Measurements of the properties of materials for musical instruments.

Prof. Dr. Chii-Chang Chen
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • acoustics
  • musical instruments
  • vocal
  • holography
  • acoustic materials
  • vocals

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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24 pages, 1673 KB  
Article
Music Performance Improvement Support System Using a Semi-Automated Instrument-Playing Robot with Real-Time Acoustic Analysis and Habit Visualization
by Kouki Tomiyoshi, Hiroaki Sonoda, Hikari Kuriyama and Gou Koutaki
Sensors 2026, 26(3), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26031053 - 5 Feb 2026
Viewed by 532
Abstract
This paper proposes an acoustic analysis system to help improve saxophone performance skills. The system combines direct support for performance movements by a robot with indirect support by presenting performance information. By sensing the performance audio and performing real-time acoustic analysis, the system [...] Read more.
This paper proposes an acoustic analysis system to help improve saxophone performance skills. The system combines direct support for performance movements by a robot with indirect support by presenting performance information. By sensing the performance audio and performing real-time acoustic analysis, the system presents the learner with information about their performance and their playing habits. The performance information presented to the learner includes pitch, volume, and playing timing. For performance habit analysis, a Markov model with pitch as the state and an internal probability parameter that indicates the quality of the performance evaluation as the pitch transitions are defined. In the experiment, we conducted a pilot study targeting experienced saxophone players and a beginner saxophone player to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system. The experiment showed that the MAE of the played pitch was significantly reduced by using the proposed system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic Sensing for Musical Instrument Study and Vocal Analysis)
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24 pages, 18419 KB  
Article
Semi-Automatic Artificial Lips Device for Brass Instruments with Real-Time Pitch Feedback Control
by Hiroaki Sonoda, Hikari Kuriyama, Kouki Tomiyoshi and Gou Koutaki
Sensors 2026, 26(3), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26030984 - 3 Feb 2026
Viewed by 719
Abstract
We propose a semi-automatic artificial lips control device that allows a human performer to produce sound on a brass instrument without the need to vibrate their own lips. The device integrates position control that presses artificial lips toward the mouthpiece and aperture control [...] Read more.
We propose a semi-automatic artificial lips control device that allows a human performer to produce sound on a brass instrument without the need to vibrate their own lips. The device integrates position control that presses artificial lips toward the mouthpiece and aperture control via wire traction, together with a pre-calibrated motor table and acoustic feedback for pitch stabilization. In evaluations using a euphonium, we verified timbre, pitch range, and pitch stabilization, including harmonic modes. The results showed that the harmonic structure of tones produced by a human using the device can be comparable to those produced by a human player in the conventional manner. Pitch-range and pitch-stabilization tests confirmed that the system can generate practical musical intervals and achieve reliable harmonic mode changes. Furthermore, real-time acoustic feedback improved pitch stability during performance. These findings demonstrate that, rather than fully automating human performance, the proposed system provides a compact and reproducible framework for controllable brass sound generation and pitch stabilization using only three actuators. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic Sensing for Musical Instrument Study and Vocal Analysis)
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