Advances in technology, such as MP3 players, the Internet and DVDs, have led to the production, storage and distribution of a wealth of audio signals, including speech, music and more general sound signals and their combinations. MPEG-7 audio tools were created to enable the navigation of this data, by providing an established framework for effective multimedia management. MPEG-7 Audio and Beyond: Audio Content Indexing and Retrieval is a unique insight into the technology, covering the following topics: the fundamentals of MPEG-7 audio, principally low-level descriptors and sound classification and similarity; spoken content description, and timbre, melody and tempo music description tools; existing MPEG-7 applications and those currently being developed; examples of audio technology beyond the scope of MPEG-7. Essential reading for practising electronic and communications engineers designing and implementing MPEG-7 compliant systems, this book will also be a useful reference for researchers and graduate students working with multimedia database technology.

Advances in technology, such as MP3 players, the Internet and DVDshave led to the production, storage and distribution of a wealth ofaudio signals, including speech, music and more general soundsignals and their combinations. MPEG-7 audio tools were created toenable the navigation of this data, by providing an establishedframework for effective multimedia management. MPEG-7 Audio andBeyond: Audio Content Indexing and Retrieval is a uniqueinsight into the technology, covering the following topics:* the fundamentals of MPEG-7 audio, principally low-leveldescriptors and sound classification and similarity;* spoken content description, and timbre, melody and tempo musicdescription tools;* existing MPEG-7 applications and those currently beingdeveloped;* examples of audio technology beyond the scope of MPEG-7.Essential reading for practising electronic and communicationsengineers designing and implementing MPEG-7 compliant systems, thisbook will also be a useful reference for researchers and graduatestudents working with multimedia database technology.