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Striking Similarities: Toward a Quantitative Measure of Melodic Copyright Infringement

This paper examines whether music copyright infringement be quantified and measured. Using the tools offered by the study of similarity in music theory and in music informatics, a new method of measuring the degree of similarity between two melodies is developed and tested using the principal music copyright infringement jurisprudence of the United States. Under some circumstances, this method of quantifying the similarity of two musical works shows that it may indeed act as a good general indicator of the likelihood of a finding of copyright infringement. The paper assumes prior knowledge of music and music theory by the reader, but comparatively little legal knowledge. The paper explains the relevant legal terminology and concepts as is necessary to grasp the method and significance of its findings.