Keio University has launched the traditional performing arts database "Global Jukebox," which collects 1,026 audio recordings of folk music representing 5,776 ethnic groups around the world.A research team of 17 people, including Associate Professor Patrick Savage of the School of Environment and Information Studies and Dr. Anna Wood of the American Association for Cultural Equity, compiled the results.

 According to Keio University, the Global Jukebox contains 1,026 songs from 5,776 ethnic groups around the world, collected by ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, and classified by rhythm, melody characteristics, voice tone, etc.Statistical analysis has revealed that the type of music is correlated with social structure, although the causal relationship is unknown.

 Anyone, including researchers and the general public, can download it.Data about the songs that are coded at the same time as the songs are also available.

 A preliminary version of the Global Jukebox was released in 2017, but the research team reviewed the song data and released it with higher accuracy.In the future, the research team plans to add audio recordings of areas that have not been covered so far, such as Polynesia.Furthermore, we hope that researchers in various countries will use this data to conduct a variety of investigations into the evolution of musical traditions and culture.

Paper information:[PLOS ONE] The Global Jukebox: A public database of performing arts and culture

Keio University

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