Sensing the Breath: A Multimodal Singing Tutoring Interface with Breath Guidance

Abstract: Breath is a significant component in singing performance, which is still underresearched in most singing-related music interfaces. In this paper, we present a multimodal system that detects the learner's singing pitch and breathing states and provides real-time visual tutoring feedback. Specifically, the breath detector is a wearable belt with pressure sensors and flexible fabric. It monitors real-time body movement of the abdomen, back waist, and twin ribs. A breath visualization algorithm is developed to display real-time breath states, together with the singing pitch contours on an interactive score interface. User studies show that our system can help users not only gain deeper breath during singing but also improve pitch accuracy in vocal training, especially for those with some musical background.