Composing Music with Computers

Computers play key roles in several aspects of music making, ranging from the synthesis of complex sounds, to the automatic generation of music. Composing Music with Computers focuses on the role of the computer as a generative tool for music composition. It introduces a number of computer music composition techniques ranging from probabilities, formal grammars and fractals, to genetic algorithms, cellular automata and neural computation. Anyone wishing to use the computer as a companion to create music will find this book a valuable resource. As a comprehensive guide with full explanations of technical terms, it is suitable for students, professionals and enthusiasts alike.

This book will be interesting to anyone wishing to use the computer as a companion to create music. It is a comprehensive guide, but the technical terms are explained so it is suitable for students, professionals and enthusiasts alike.

The CD-ROM contains examples, complementary tutorials and a number of composition systems for PC and Macintosh platforms, from demonstration versions of commercial programs to exciting, fully working packages developed by research centres world-wide, including Nyquist, Bol Processor, Music Sketcher, SSEYO Koan, Open Music and the IBVA brainwaves control system, among others.

Contents

• Foreword by Daniel V. Oppenheim
• Preface
• Computer music: facing the facts
• Preparing the ground
• Probabilities, grammars and automata
• Iterative algorithms: chaos and fractals
• Neural computation and music
• Evolutionary music: breaking new ground
• Case studies
• Music composition software on the CD-ROM
• Epilogue
• Appendix 1: Excerpt of J. S. Bach's Choral BWV 668
• Appendix 2: Musical clip
• Appendix 3: Formant chart
• Appendix 4: A primer in Lisp programming
• References
• CD-ROM Instructions