Extracting “childhood” from the melody of douyou

Abstract

Warabe uta (children's songs), the foundation of traditional Japanese music, comprises melodies that are spontaneously created by children during play; douyou (nursery rhymes) is also a similar music genre. Although both genres are associated with children, douyou is different from warabe uta as these melodies are composed by adults with the explicit intention of attracting children. In this study, we define “childhood” as the childlike feature of warabe uta naturally created by children. Information on pitch interval and note length was extracted from melodies of warabe uta, douyou, and popular Japanese songs of the same era; these features were used to perform statistical comparisons. Thus, by examining the features that elucidate the commonalities and differences among the music genres, this study clarifies the “childhood” hidden in douyou melodies.