Resumen de Assessing unknown parameters of instrument finds by writing software
Music-archaeology can show exemplarily the potential as well as the dangers of digital approaches. Both are here illustrated using case studies from the field of virtual modelling the intended scales of ancient reed instruments, with a focus on the requirement of the closest possible collaboration between music-archaeologists and programmers from the planning stages of a project and throughout its development. On the one hand, the potential robustness of predictive algorithms is shown, on the other, methodological fallacies are exposed that have led to redundant results and consequently misguided interpretations, which however, due to the ubiquitous partition of expertise, have slipped through reviewing processes. Finally, the author amends a problematic detail in the approach underlying previous publications of his own, showing how reflecting the physiology of aulos playing more accurately may enhance the harmonicity of modelled pitch sets, which in turn lends further credibility to the general method.
