Automatic transcription of rhythm - advice requested

[Andrew Nesbit <alnesbit@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear List,

I wrote several weeks ago concerning my starting out in CASA research,
and I received very helpful advice.  I have now narrowed down the
scope of my project, and I am requesting guidance in concentrating my
reading to the most relevant published research.

We have digital recordings of Indigenous Australian music.  It
contains three instruments: yidaki (didjeridu), vocals and clapsticks.
One of each instrument is present in the mix.  What makes this project
interesting is that the music contains polyrhythms, changes of metre
and changes of tempo.  My task is to develop a system (in Python) to
automatically transcribe the rhythms in this music.  Transcription of
pitch and other musical characteristics would be a bonus, but it is
not the main goal.  The system is not a general-purpose CASA tool, but
rather, tailored towards a specific application.

Does anybody have any suggestions for published research which would
be helpful for me to get insight into my project?

(My overall plan, so far, is to separate out each of the instruments
using various instrument models.  Next, perform detection of note
onsets and other salient rhythmic features in each of the separated
parts.  Then, using an (as-yet undetermined) "grid-laying" algorithm,
which operates within a given part and also across different parts, to
find a best-fit combination of metres and tempi which satisfy the
rhythmic characteristics of the original mix.)

Finally, is this the best list to be asking such questions?  If there
is a more appropriate forum, could somebody please direct me to it?

Thankyou in advance.

Andrew.