A multipitch estimation algorithm based on fundamental frequencies and prime harmonics

An algorithm named Prime-multiF0 for the estimation of multiple pitches in a signal is proposed. Unlike other algorithms that consider all harmonics of every pitch candidate, our algorithm considers only on the fundamental frequency and prime harmonics. This approach is shown to work extremely well with chords made of intervals no smaller than a minor third. A test suite was created using synthetic signals of sawtooth, square, and triangle waves; major, minor, diminished and augmented triads in fundamental and first and second inversion, and spanning a bass range of three octaves. Experimental results show that our algorithm was able to detect the correct notes (after rounding to the closest semitone) for all the sawtooth and square waves in the test set, and for 99.3% of the triangle waves, failing only on very high pitch notes.