Assignment 1: Research Question
Prepare a sketch (max 1 A4 page) where you formulate a research question (problemstilling) for your master’s thesis. Indicate how you intend to proceed to answer this question, and what difficulties you may encounter.
(You are not bound to use this research question in your thesis or in your semester assignment. This is a start to help you get going, and may be changed later on)
Please make proper scientific referencing a habit. Small assignments like this is no exception.
Send your assignment in an email to Kristian and Victor by Sunday 4 February
Assignment 2: MATLAB Data processing
Download the files EDMGroup1 and EDMGroup2 (you might need to right-click on the link and choose “save as” to download each file).
The files contain data from two groups of 5 and 6 participants respectively, dancing to a music excerpt made of salsa and electronic dance music (EDM). The data is made of the x, y, and z coordinates of the position of a marker placed on the head of each participant (one marker per participant, units are millimeters).
Assignment:
Write a MATLAB script that reads and plots the vertical position from one participant from each file. The produced plots should have the following characteristics:
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x axis must show time in seconds
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y axis must show vertical position in meters
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the figures should be as clear as possible
Some useful tips:
- Use axis labels
- Use a figure title
- Make sure the range and resolution of the x and y axes are the optimal
- A grid on the figure could make it more readable
You must submit:
- Your Matlab script: (a file with extension .m)
- A picture of your figures (can be an screenshot)
- A brief(!) report:
- Can you say something about the individuals from the plotted data?
- Was there something else you think could be done with the data to get more information?
Send your assignment in an email to Kristian and Victor by Sunday 18 March.
Assignment 3: Music Information Retrieval (MIR)
Conduct a small sound analysis study. Download the SalsaEDM file used for the EDMGroup motion capture recordings from assignment 2.
- Analyse the sound track performing at least 3 different analyses that you think might be relevant for a study on music and motion based on your results from Assignment 2. You may use functions from the MIRtoolbox or other tool to perform the analysis.
- Explain the analyses you chose (e.g. What parameters did you use? What question were you trying to answer by doing each analysis? Did you find anything relevant relating the motion and the music?)
You may use the MIRtoolbox manual and the MIRtoolbox primer-document as references. This article and also Orio's article which is on the core syllabus list may be relevant references.
Send your assignment in an email to Kristian and Victor by Sunday 18 March.
Assignment 4: Essay sketch
This assignment is closely related to your semester assignment and to the presentations you will give towards the end of the term (11./18. april).
Write a short text (max 1 page), explaining your chosen topic, research question, and method for your semester assignment. The document should contain suggestions for specialization literature (fordypningslitteratur) – to be chosen in addition to the core syllabus. Contact Victor or Kristian if you have any questions, or if you want to discuss your topic / research question up front.
Feedback on the sketches will be given as part of the discussion of your presentations
Hand in your assignments via email to Kristian and Victor by Sunday 8 April