Digital libraries for singing: The example of the AIRS project

There is a sizeable and growing body of research on singing, as represented by pioneers including Johan Sundberg (1987, 2013), Ingo Titze (1994, 2011), Graham Welch (1985, 2005) and the increasing numbers of researchers they have inspired. Contributing to the potential for ever-expanding knowledge in this field is the ability to collect singing data in digital formats as compared to formats derived from the analogue devices of the past. New technologies have also led to the possibility of collecting recordings from the different locations where researchers work or travel and sharing data across the world, free from geographic restrictions. Analysis of raw singing data could thereafter be conducted by other researchers, who could then disseminate their findings to others. This chapter outlines some of the information technology resources that have been developed to collect and share singing and musical data, with a focus on the development of a digital library as part of the Advancing Interdisciplinary Research on Singing (AIRS) project which aims to advance knowledge about singing with a focus on human development, education, and well-being.