How to Implement Audio Data Augmentation with PyTorch

Jun 9, 2021 | Data Science

Are you looking to enhance your audio machine learning models? Welcome to the world of audio data augmentation with torch-audiomentations, a powerful library designed to help you transform audio data seamlessly. This guide will walk you through the setup, usage, and troubleshooting, making it easy to get started!

What is torch-audiomentations?

torch-audiomentations is a PyTorch-based library that enables audio data augmentation. It allows you to apply various transformations to your audio data, crucial for training robust neural networks. Whether you’re working with multi-channel or mono audio, this library supports both CPU and GPU for optimal performance.

Setting Up torch-audiomentations

To get started with torch-audiomentations, you’ll need to install it using pip. Open your terminal and follow the command below:

pip install torch-audiomentations

Using torch-audiomentations

After you’ve successfully installed the library, you can use it to augment your audio data. Here’s a quick example of how to use it:

import torch
from torch_audiomentations import Compose, Gain, PolarityInversion

# Initialize augmentation callable
apply_augmentation = Compose(
    transforms=[
        Gain(min_gain_in_db=-15.0, max_gain_in_db=5.0, p=0.5),
        PolarityInversion(p=0.5)
    ]
)

torch_device = torch.device("cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu")

# Create a tensor with white noise
audio_samples = torch.rand(size=(8, 2, 32000), dtype=torch.float32, device=torch_device) - 0.5

# Apply augmentation
perturbed_audio_samples = apply_augmentation(audio_samples, sample_rate=16000)

Understanding the Code with an Analogy

Think of torch-audiomentations as a chef in a kitchen who has a variety of tools (transforms) at their disposal. The chef can decide to stir (Gain), mix (Polarity Inversion), or utilize other kitchen gadgets (various augmentation techniques). The goal is to create a delicious dish (robust model) by adjusting flavors (audio characteristics) as needed. The chef works quickly, using either gas burners (CPU) or induction cooktops (GPU) to speed up the cooking process, ensuring efficiency in producing multiple servings (audio samples).

Troubleshooting Tips

While using torch-audiomentations, you may encounter some common issues. Here are a few troubleshooting ideas:

  • Target Data Processing: Processing target data is in an experimental state. If you encounter issues, consider using freeze_parameters and unfreeze_parameters.
  • Multiprocessing Context: Using this library in multiprocessing contexts may lead to memory leaks. The best practice is to run the transforms on the CPU.
  • Multi-GPU Support: Multi-GPU Data Parallelism (DDP) is not officially supported yet. If you’re experiencing issues, execute the transforms on a single GPU instead.
  • PitchShift Limitations: Small pitch shifts may not work effectively for low sample rates. In this case, consider using PitchShift in audiomentations or torch-pitch-shift.

For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.

Conclusion

By incorporating audio data augmentation into your workflow using torch-audiomentations, you’ll be equipped to handle a broader range of audio scenarios and improve your machine learning models. At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

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