Algorithmic Music

[soliloquy]

Randomly, what does everybody think of it?

[BoliverAllmon]

I have not heard an algorithmic piece that I liked. Interesting concept, crappy music.

[jlh]

Yeah, that's what happens when you take the ears out of the picture... if it doesn't start sounding good when you're composing it, how do you expect it to sound good when it's being performed?

[soliloquy]

Since when does Barlow not sound good?

[ted]

I enjoy experimenting with it very much, but purely at a heuristic level and not to try to approximate human compositional processes or intelligence, only the results of them. It's a bit like the Eliza trick, except with music there is no deception involved. The resulting sound, its effect on my brain, and whether or not it interests, moves or surprises, is all that concerns me with any music at the best of times. Whether it is written by human beings or computer programmes does not matter. If it sounds good to me then it's okay.

The simple experiments I have tried with fugues tell me that with a bit more effort I could probably write something much more interesting, and I intend to do this before too long. However, I do not want to develop routines to scrupulously imitate the masters and their forms and theories, either old or new; I cannot see any point in that. I prefer to allow the code, through constant tweaking and revision to form a musical personality of its own, hopefully one which is capable of constantly surprising and delighting me as a listener.

My private conjecture is that so far most writers of algorithms go to tremendous complexity and lengths trying to duplicate the human thought process rather than the results of it; back to front in other words.   

[jlh]

Since when does Barlow not sound good?

I never said all algorithmic music doesn't sound good.  Maybe I wasn't clear in what I meant by that.  Algorithmic music is generally NOT first and foremost composed by what sounds good to the ears; however, any compositions in this category do end up sounding great.

[mrdaveux]

Would someone mind explaining what is algorithmic music ?

[ted]

Algorithmic music is music composed by an algorithm, a sequence of logical instructions. As an algorithm can be written as a computer programme, it seems an equivalent definition would be music composed by a computer programme. Strictly speaking, computers do not have to be involved; they are just very convenient devices for the purpose.

Various people have gone about the process in different ways. Some, such as David Cope, seek to produce results resembling the works of the masters. Others just use mathematical and logical procedures to produce sounds which may or may not resemble conventional music.

I often wonder why more people do not try it, as nothing more is needed than an ordinary home computer running a programming language. Sophistication and expense are not necessary; any Basic compiler such as BlitzPlus, which gives easy control over both sound and logic will do.

[Bob]

I know Band-In-A-Box (jazz software) will imitate the improvisation of different performers.  I have heard jazzers say it was accurate.

I wonder what would happen if this kind of processed creation music was combined with computers doing genetic algorithyms.  Or maybe it's already been done.

[jlh]

Would someone mind explaining what is algorithmic music ?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algorithmic_composition