With the unparalleled success and abuse of Napster, the world is hyper-sensitive to advances in music search technology known as musical data mining.  Music similarity research based on audio descriptors has been identified as the potential key factor in expanding search technology.  The race is  on for companies and research institutions to blow open the secrets to audio similarity while ultimately  fighting to keep their research funding in tune with current political agendas.
One of the first and largest musical data mining projects is the CUIDADO project organized by French research giant, IRCAM.  The CUIDADO project aims to span the gap between information resources and information usefulness on the Net.  In more scientific terms, CUIDADO can be summarized as a three-tier database management system (DBMS) designed specifically for music data; a music database, a query system built on audio descriptors, and a music browser to control access and distribution of audio data (Pachet 2001b).
The CUIDADO DBMS came about due to similar research paths by research institutions and industry for the analysis and data management of audio data.  At CUIDADO's conception, IRCAM had created a software called “Studio Online” for timbre space analysis. Concurrently, the industry started creating an audio codec to replace MP3 in attempt to improve the technology and sell more music online.  The timing was right, and a large grant began an effort to combine emerging technologies (CUIDADO).
On to the race of men; seven companies came together who above all else desired power. ORACLE to supply the database and software consulting technologies, CREAMWARE to provide a web interface based on sound palette technology,  Ben Gurion University statistical analysis, UPF audio descriptors and editing features, ArtsPages to develop user validation and dissemination, IRCAM to supply their expertise in analysis/synthesis, music perception and cognition, music representation, and research teams and technical teams for which they are famous, and lastly Sony CSL to contribute their music browser, and audio descriptors research (CUIDADO).  But all of them were deceived (Tolkein 1954).
In the dark caves of Hollywood a secret master contract was forged by the RIAA and MPEG who poured in their malice and hatred and will to dominate all life. CUIDADO technology's most powerful aspect would be its focus on digital music control.  One software to rule them all, one software to find them, one software to bring them all and in the darkness bind them (Tolkein 1954).
Tolkien aside, musical data mining is a good thing.  Searching for audio data is very difficult and the current method of searching relies on file name searching.  The first research to come out of CUIDADO was indeed about file name searching, but file names give very limited amounts of data.  More information about audio similarity is needed in order to find both the audio file you are looking for, but also similar audio files (Pachet 2001a).
Audio descriptors could in theory reduce the dependency on file names.  These descriptors include information about the audio signal that relates to information that is not easily expressed in words or that would require expert human interaction.  IRCAM made a basis for this with “Studio Online” (IRCAM).
“Studio Online” was an online server with access to a 117,000 instrument sample database.  It is intended for browsing a specifically designed sample hierarchical taxonomy derived from timbre spaces.  “Studio Online” was in reality offline, and in an immature state.  For the purposes of CUIDADO, “Studio Online” became “Sound Palette”, thereby making the move from offline to vaporware online (Pachet 2001c).
Sound Palette contains many audio descriptors.  It separates elements like drum rhythms and searches for them in a known database of drum loops.  This could help link tunes with similar beats, and further genre analysis.  More specifically, this could help a listener find similar tunes so that recording labels could sell them more music.
The front end to the “Sound Palette” query system is a “Music Browser”.  Its' main purposes are to automatically build playlists for its user and to control which songs they get to hear.  Fortunately, not a lot of progress has been made in the Music Browser (CUIDADO).  Much of the technology has yet to be created. However, the fact of the matter is that any attempts to control audio in this manner are impractical.   Any sound that can be heard can be recorded and distributed.  Attempts to do so are at the creators peril (me [damned proud of it] 2003).
Regardless of the political problems involved with such a system, the real research and ideas out of CUIDADO are less heated.  The ideas that would restrict public rights do not really exist yet.  Rather they have defined a few simple rules for musical data mining, the most interesting of which are the natural tendencies of file names (Pachet 2001a).
CUIDADO is a very interesting project.  It addresses the problem of musical data mining by taking the well developed concept of database management and applying it to audio files.  The underlying concepts are well tested, but actual music similarity remains at its infant stage.  Until further research is finished it is impossible to judge the relevance of the software and its inseparable political agenda.

Works Cited

Pachet, F and D. Laigre.  2001a.  A naturalist approach to music file name analysis.  USA: ISMIR 01.

Pachet, F,  G. Westermann. and D. Laigre. 2001b. Musical data mining for electronic music distribution. Proceedings of the 1st WendelMusic Conference.

Pachet, F. 2001c.  Metadata for music and sounds: The Cuidado project. Proceedings of the CBMI Workshop, University of Brescia.

Tolkein, J. 1954. The Lord of the Rings. New York: Ballantine Books.

March 12, 2003.  CUIDADO. http://www.cuidado.mu. 

IRCAM Online. March 12, 2003.  Soundbase and Processing Server. http://www.ircam.fr/produits/technologies/sol/page-e.html