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Algorithmic Composition: Computational Thinking in Music

By Michael Edwards
Communications of the ACM, July 2011, Vol. 54 No. 7, Pages 58-67
10.1145/1965724.1965742
Comments (5)

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Algorithmic Composition, illustration — Credit: Studio Tonne

The composer still composes but also gets to take a programming-enabled journey of musical discovery.

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Comments

Michael Edwareds

July 04, 2011 03:55

For anyone interested in this topic, I thought now would be a good time to start a blog and mailing list related to algorithmic composition: http://sites.ace.ed.ac.uk/algocomp/

Anonymous

July 12, 2011 09:04

http://youtu.be/m1E1-5_4JdU

This is my Youtube video of drum exercises - counting in 3, 5, 7, and Pi. It seemed appropriate to share here.

"Intermediate - Independence Exercise

Paradiddles in feet (RLRR LRLL) with groups of 3 ( RRR LLL) on Snare drum ( same note values as feet )

When comfortable and relaxed add counting patterns on top to free your mind from what your muscles are doing. This will also help your ears to be able to focus on other rhythms, melodies and patterns ( Guitar, Bass, Piano...... ) while playing your parts no matter how complicated.

Count groups of 3's, 5's, 7's. Be aware of these patterns that repeat. When you play them long enough you will realize ,notice and locate certain parts or hits that line up with other pattern you are playing. DO NOT FORCE THESE TO SYNC. Them being spot on should be a result of you playing all given parts precisely to the "Time" as it happens.

Knowing this I like practicing counting patterns that don't repeat because it makes it a lot harder for your body to subconsciously force parts to sync. I picked Pi -3.1415926535897...."

Bartosz Dobrzelecki

July 30, 2011 04:57

I have created a collaborative playlist on Spotify that includes most of the works and composers mentioned in the text. Feel free to append more pieces relevant to the subject.

http://open.spotify.com/user/bardobrze/playlist/45ZeUDjweP4chJ2kuGNy0D

Emre Sevinc

August 04, 2011 03:45

I had great pleasure reading this article (having prepared presentations and reports on AI and music, as well as having dabbled in Common Music, I was happy to learn some surprising points such as strange and negative reactions to Hiller). But I also have to admit I'm a bit surprised to see no reference to Strasheela, "a highly expressive constraint-based music composition system": http://strasheela.sourceforge.net

Anonymous

September 08, 2011 02:19

Nice article, some of David Cope's more recent work is also very interesting to listen to.

There are also a series of algorithmic composition tutorials here

www.algorithmiccomposer.com

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