MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)
At the crossroads of technology and tradition, Carlos Guedes, an associate professor of music at New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), is using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to capture and document the rich, but largely understudied, musical traditions of the Arabian Gulf.
This work is being led by the Music and Sound Cultures (MaSC) research laboratory at NYUAD, which was co-founded by Guedes and ethnomusicologist Andrew J. Eisenberg.
In an interview with Aletihad, Guedes explained that the Gulf's musical traditions, such as the Ayala - a traditional performance involving music and dance - have been passed down orally for centuries, often with little written documentation.
As a result, many of these practices face the threat of being forgotten as older generations who perform them age without younger generations stepping in to carry on the traditions.
This is where the work of Guedes and his team becomes critical.
The Role of Computational Methods
"We're trying to understand the music of the Arabian Gulf from a computational perspective," Guedes noted.
This involves using AI and machine learning alongside traditional ethnomusicology and anthropology to study, document and encode the region's musical heritage on digital platforms in a way that makes it discoverable and accessible, he explained.
Today, people mostly consume music on digital platforms, which rely heavily on algorithms to recommend songs and artists based on users' tastes, according to Guedes.
However, these algorithms are primarily designed for Western pop and rock genres, not the treasures of traditional Gulf music, he noted.
"Music information retrieval is the key here," Guedes explained.
"We are developing tools that allow for the identification of Gulf music in the digital domain. This will help preserve it and ensure it is not lost to future generations."
Music as Cultural Identity and Social Cohesion
Guedes, a composer with a deep interest in music systems and technology, was drawn to this project over a decade ago after moving to the UAE.
"When I arrived here, I was struck by the lack of access to music from this region. There were no recordings, no way to explore it digitally," he recalled.
His solution was to begin recording and archiving traditional music directly from festivals and performances to create a database of Gulf music.
For Guedes, music is as fundamental to cultural survival as food is to physical survival.
"Music is a form of cultural expression that brings people together," he said.
Guedes pointed out that music has a unique power to unite people across social and cultural divides.
Historically, music has been used to synchronise communities in work and rituals, such as the pearl diving songs that helped coordinate physical labour here in the UAE, he said.
"Music is about bringing people together," Guedes added, reflecting on the power of sound to connect individuals and communities across time and space.
"It's something that transcends language and brings a sense of shared identity."