A music search method for finding a desired song in a song database. The method comprises generating a difference sequence for each song in the song database by determining the relative difference between adjacent notes. Next, a note sequence is chosen for the song to be found within the song database. A difference argument is generated for the note sequence by determining the relative difference between adjacent notes. The difference argument for the note sequence and the difference sequence for each song in the song database is compared. The desired song is found if the difference argument for the note sequence corresponds to a portion of the difference sequence for the desired song, or if the net difference at the closest match position is within a set difference threshold.