Information Retrieval with the Use of Music Clustering by Directions Algorithm

This paper introduces the Music Clustering by Directions (MCBD) algorithm. The algorithm is designed to support users of query by humming systems in formulating queries. This kind of systems makes it possible to retrieve songs and tunes on the basis of a melody recorded by the user. The Music Clustering by Directions algorithm is a kind of an interactive query expansion method. On the basis of query, the algorithm provides suggestions that may be used to enhance the query. The MCBD algorithm is bases on the Clustering by Directions (CBD) that was designed to support users of web search engines in information retrieval. The MCBD algorithm is used for retrieval of music documents similarly as the CBD algorithm is used with text documents. This paper also introduces a new kind of interface designed to perform interactive query expansion in query by humming systems. The interface is a kind of tag cloud applied to music information retrieval systems.