Musical Genes: A Conceptual Framework for Culturally Informed Feature Extraction in Traditional Music

Feature extraction in traditional music requires decisions about which relations to compare, which variations preserve the identity of an analytical unit, and what cultural interpretations the resulting features can support. Drawing on culturally situated information modeling and cross-cultural similarity research, this article develops a conceptual framework through conceptual analysis, a purposive synthesis of the literature, and qualitative reanalysis of selected score excerpts. The term ‘musical gene’ connects two claims about the same candidate unit: that it retains its structural identity across realizations and that it is transmitted through cultural practice. Each claim requires corresponding evidence. A three-layer model distinguishes core structure, realization, and contextual constraints. A six-step procedure defines units for specific tasks, specifies data fields such as register, part, position, and provenance, and assesses structural, perceptual, and transmission claims separately. Hezhou Daling illustrates how register informs the description of a tonal pattern. A pedagogical comparison of a Dong cicada-song excerpt shows which data are needed to distinguish part pairings. Both cases identify supported judgments, inferences requiring revision or withdrawal, and claims awaiting further evidence. The framework links feature selection, encoding, and interpretation through traceable records, clarifying when a musical-gene claim is warranted and when a general feature description remains appropriate.Keywords: musical gene; musical traditions; feature extraction; analytical unit; quantitative research; cultural transmission