Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for determining acoustic feature vectors of query and target items in a first vector space, and mapping the acoustic feature vectors to a second vector space having a lower dimension. The distribution of vectors in the second vector space can then be used to identify items from the same songs, and/or items that are complementary. A mapping function is trained using a machine learning algorithm, such that complementary audio items are closer in the second vector space than the first, according to a given distance metric.

Abstract: A system for multi-track playback of media content includes: a media device; a user interface, provided at the media device, which displays a visual array of media options, a playback logic, provided within the media device, which is configured so that, while a selected point or region is determined by the user interface as being moved in response to user input, within the visual array of media options, the system determines media options that are proximate to the selected point or region, and adjusts playback parameters for corresponding media content items, by crossfading or otherwise combining playback to reflect the media options relative distances from the selected point or region; and a tempo logic, provided within the media device, which is configured to provide or receive a selected tempo and provide the one or more media content items associated with the selected tempo.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for identifying media content using indirect qualities are provided. An example media-delivery system includes a content identification engine that applies a model associated with an indirect quality to media content items to generate indirect quality scores for the media content items, filters the media content items based on metadata associated with the media content items to generate filtered media content items, and presents at least some of the filtered media content items based on the indirect quality scores. An example media-playback device includes a search control engine that presents a search interface with a user-actuatable control for specifying a value of an indirect quality for use as a search criteria, transmits the search criteria to a media-delivery service, and receives media content items matching the search criteria from the media-delivery service, wherein the media content items are identified using a statistical model.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for identifying and playing media content are provided. An example media-playback device for identifying and playing media content for a user traveling in a vehicle includes an audio identification engine and a media playback engine. Audio content is recorded and identified by comparison to media content databases. The audio content is identified and immediately played on the same device. Additional media content is selected for playback based on user listening preferences.

Abstract: A playlist preview is generated to provide a preview of media content items identified by a media playlist. The playlist preview can be created by selecting all or some of the media content items in the playlist, determining preview portions of the selected media content items, and arranging the preview portions with or without a transition effect. The playlist preview can be easily shared with other users through, for example, social media sites.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for mining playlist data, for use in providing advertisement-supported media content or targeted advertisements. A media server provides media content items as one or more media streams. Each of a plurality of playlists is associated with theme words provided by a title and/or description of the playlist. A playlist can also be associated with one or more theme words associated with the at least one media content item included in the playlist based on inclusion of the at least one media content item in the playlist. A dataset of media content item-theme word pairs provides an association of a particular media content item included in a particular playlist, with a theme word associated with that playlist. A score is assigned to each of the media content item-theme word pairs based on their appearances across several playlists.

Abstract: A system is provided for streaming media content in a vehicle. The system includes a personal media streaming appliance system configured to connect to a media delivery system and receive media content from the media delivery system at least via a cellular network. The personal media streaming appliance system includes one or more preset buttons for playing media content associated with the preset buttons. Data about the preset buttons and the media content associated with the preset buttons can be stored in the media delivery system.

Abstract: An audio cancellation system includes a voice enabled computing system that is connected to an audio output device using a wired or wireless communication network. The voice enabled computing device can provide media content to a user and receive a voice command from the user. The connection between the voice enabled computing system and the audio output device introduces a time delay between the media content being generated at the voice enabled computing device and the media content being reproduced at the audio output device. The system operates to determine a calibration value adapted for the voice enabled computing system and the audio output device. The system uses the calibration value to filter the user's voice command from a recording of ambient sound including the media content, without requiring significant use of memory and computing resources.

Abstract: A server performs a method of controlling the manipulation of a playlist that includes a queue of media items to be played. The method includes authorizing a first electronic device to control the manipulation of the playlist and generating the playlist based on a set of media preferences associated with the first electronic device. The method further includes, after authorizing a second electronic device to manipulate the playlist, receiving, from the second electronic device, a request to update an order of media items in the playlist and generating an updated order of media items in the playlist in response to receiving the request from the second electronic device.

Abstract: A system, method and computer product for training a neural network system. The method comprises inputting an audio signal to the system to generate plural outputs f(X, ?). The audio signal includes one or more of vocal content and/or musical instrument content, and each output f(X, ?) corresponds to a respective one of the different content types. The method also comprises comparing individual outputs f(X, ?) of the neural network system to corresponding target signals. For each compared output f(X, ?), at least one parameter of the system is adjusted to reduce a result of the comparing performed for the output f(X, ?), to train the system to estimate the different content types. In one example embodiment, the system comprises a U-Net architecture. After training, the system can estimate various different types of vocal and/or instrument components of an audio signal, depending on which type of component(s) the system is trained to estimate.

Abstract: A media system includes: a media-playback device including: a media-output device that plays media content items; and a tempo control engine to: select media content based upon suitability for a repetitive-motion activity; place each media content item from the media content into two or more pools of media content, with a first pool including media content which the user has previously indicated as being relevant, and a second pool including media content that the user has not previously indicated as being relevant; and sort the media content in each of the first pool and the second pool based upon tempo.

Abstract: A media-playback device acquires a heart rate, selects a song with a first tempo, and initiates playback of the song. The song meets a set of qualification criteria and the first tempo is based on the heart rate, such as being equal to or less than the heart rate. The media-playback device also initiates playback of a binaural beat at a first frequency. Over a period of time, the binaural beat's first frequency is changed to a second frequency. Over the period of time, the first tempo can also be changed to a second tempo, where the second tempo is slower than the first tempo.

Abstract: A text-to-speech engine creates audio output that includes synthesized speech and one or more media content item snippets. The input text is obtained and partitioned into text sets. A track having lyrics that match a part of one of the text sets is identified. The location of the track's audio that contains the lyric is extracted based on forced alignment data. The extracted audio is combined with synthesized speech corresponding to the remainder of the input text to form audio output.

Abstract: Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for predicting user and media-playback device states are provided. Systems, devices, apparatuses, components, methods, and techniques for representing cached, user-selected, and streaming content are also provided.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, described herein is a system and method for providing access to media content associated with an artist scheduled for performance. A media application enables display of a playlist personalized for a user, based on a location of the user, a list of artists scheduled for performance, and a media consumption history of the user. An input action causes a media server to populate the playlist with media content. The media server determines the location of the user, retrieves those performance listings within a predetermined distance, retrieves the media consumption history of the user, filters the performance listings based on the media consumption history to obtain a set of artists having performance listings relevant to the user, selects media content items associated with each artist, and organizes the selected media content items within the playlist.

Abstract: A method of providing voice feedback to a listener as part of a user interface of a media playback system may include: storing multiple different voice feedback recordings in at least one computer-readable storage device, where each of the multiple different voice feedback recordings is of a different voice artist; receiving a listener command corresponding to a musical selection; determining an identifying musical characteristic of the musical selection; selecting a first voice feedback recording from the multiple different voice feedback recordings, where the first voice feedback recording corresponds to the identifying musical characteristic; and playing the first voice feedback recording to the listener via the media playback system.

Abstract: A system is provided for streaming media content in a vehicle. The system includes a personal media streaming appliance system configured to connect to a media delivery system and receive media content from the media delivery system at least via a cellular network. The personal media streaming appliance system operates to transmit a media signal representative to the received media content to a vehicle media playback system so that the vehicle media playback system operates to play the media content in the vehicle. Various types of rotations of a knob part of the personal media streaming applicant system result in different media playback actions.

Abstract: A system, method and computer product for training a neural network system. The method comprises applying an audio signal to the neural network system, the audio signal including a vocal component and a non-vocal component. The method also comprises comparing an output of the neural network system to a target signal, and adjusting at least one parameter of the neural network system to reduce a result of the comparing, for training the neural network system to estimate one of the vocal component and the non-vocal component. In one example embodiment, the system comprises a U-Net architecture. After training, the system can estimate vocal or instrumental components of an audio signal, depending on which type of component the system is trained to estimate.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling playback of media content items on a media playback device. A graphical user interface displays media playback controls including an automatic playback switch. The switch is configured to enable or disable automatic playback of an autoplay queue of media content items. An initial queue of media content is selected for playback on the media playback device. When automatic playback is enabled, the system automatically generates a queue of media that is related to the initial queue and initiates playback on the media playback device after the initial queue concludes. Automatic playback options can also include repeating the initial queue or a single track within the initial queue.