Automated classification of piano-guitar notes

In this paper, a new decisively important factor in both the perceptual and the automated piano-guitar identification process is introduced. This factor is determined by the nontonal spectral content of a note, while it is, in practice, totally independent of the note spectrum tonal part. This conclusion and all related results are based on a number of extended acoustical experiments, performed over the full pitch range of each instrument. The notes have been recorded from six different performers each of whom played a different instrument. Next, a number of powerful criteria for the classification between guitar and piano is proposed. Using these criteria, automated classification between 754 piano and guitar test notes has been achieved with a 100% success rate.