Algorithmic Composition

Andrés Cabrera

MAT 200B

Algorithmic composition

Composing according to rules

Not a new idea

Mozart's (?) Musicalisches Würfelspiel

Not a new idea

Schönberg's 12 tone system

Not a new idea

Xenakis and Cage:

Stochastic and rule based compostion

(fixed or variable)

With a computer

Lejaren Hiller and Karlheintz Stockhausen

Kontakte

“In the preparatory work for my composition Kontakte, I found, for the first time, ways to bring all properties [i.e., timbre, pitch, intensity, and duration] under a single control”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kontakte_%28Stockhausen%29

The computer as algorithmic composer

David Cope:

Experiments in musical intelligence

http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/mp3page.htm

The computer as algorithmic composer

http://tones.wolfram.com/

Dozens of automatic dance/techno generators...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbjlt85Vvxg

Big claims!

http://juke-bot.com/

Automatic accompaniment

Computer follower:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOYky8MmrEU

Band in a box:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-nxm_h3az4