Counterpoint Checker

Jason Zhang, College of Engineering and School of Music, Theatre & Dance

Collaborators: George Fane, Ross School of Business; Alexandru Beloiu, College of Engineering; Jake Hume, College of Engineering

Currently, Counterpoint Checker is nearing the final stages of completing a first-species counterpoint grader. Within the next month, we will have the algorithm completed and integrated into our front-end website. Testing will follow for the following months with development of a testing framework to ensure maximum accuracy within our algorithm. We plan to have a test trial within classes by the beginning of the 2022 winter semester. The next steps are building educational tools by using a database, like organizing students into classes, proctoring tests, and posting grades. Counterpoint Checker is at the intersection of technology and music. We aim to use code to swiftly and accurately grade counterpoint and give feedback. This project is only possible by sourcing talent from different schools within U of M and getting everyone passionate about the parts they can contribute as well as the end whole.

We are expanding opportunities for arts education and enriching the experience of learning music theory. We are planning on working directly with SMTD, specifically the Music Theory and PAT departments in order to deploy this project. The expected impact on campus is integration into entry-level music theory classes, and eventually integration into music theory classes in local high schools and other secondary education. We want to alleviate some of the busy work that music theory professors and teachers do and provide immediate and more accurate feedback to students.