I have been living with Lou Gehrig's disease for some time now. It has
progressed sufficiently that I am unable to play musical instruments.
However, computer technology allows me to do as much music as I have time for. I do some engineering, producing, mastering, composition, design of software instruments and effects, as well as some DSP algorithm construction. Luckily, my life long musical experience includes traditional classic training, electrical engineering and computer science, as well as knowledge of how to get around in a traditional music jam session on the banjo and play rock 'n roll in
shitty bars. Most of the learning process began in elementary school;
therefore I am a very firm advocate of fine arts training in elementary
and secondary schools. After all, music saved my life.
One of the areas of composition I am exploring is algorithmic
composition. I am particularly interested in software that can
generate MIDI data by strictly mathematical processes in which the
composer does not interact with the process of generation after setting
up the initial conditions. You would think that the truly beautiful
results obtained by visualization of the solutions to various fractal
equations could be translated into beautiful sounds. In my experience,
this is not the case. Most of the fractal music I have generated and
have come across sounds like crap to my ears. However, when you
severely restrict the input set of musical possibilities (for example,
multi-octave chromatic scales can be limited to single octave
pentatonic, modal, or synthetic scales), approximations of Oriental and
Balinese material may be produced, and the results begin to sound
like music. Multi-voice algorithmic composition can also produce
interesting harmonies and unusual harmonic directions. In addition, the
algorithmic output may suggest a basis for further standard
compositional applications. I still find it hard to believe that this
approach yields so much garbage.
Occasionally the chaotic output of algorithmic composition produces
the desired results. Below is my composition titled "Neurological
Disorder", something I can relate to.
http://home.comcast.net/~steventrish/Neurological Disorder.mp3
progressed sufficiently that I am unable to play musical instruments.
However, computer technology allows me to do as much music as I have time for. I do some engineering, producing, mastering, composition, design of software instruments and effects, as well as some DSP algorithm construction. Luckily, my life long musical experience includes traditional classic training, electrical engineering and computer science, as well as knowledge of how to get around in a traditional music jam session on the banjo and play rock 'n roll in
shitty bars. Most of the learning process began in elementary school;
therefore I am a very firm advocate of fine arts training in elementary
and secondary schools. After all, music saved my life.
One of the areas of composition I am exploring is algorithmic
composition. I am particularly interested in software that can
generate MIDI data by strictly mathematical processes in which the
composer does not interact with the process of generation after setting
up the initial conditions. You would think that the truly beautiful
results obtained by visualization of the solutions to various fractal
equations could be translated into beautiful sounds. In my experience,
this is not the case. Most of the fractal music I have generated and
have come across sounds like crap to my ears. However, when you
severely restrict the input set of musical possibilities (for example,
multi-octave chromatic scales can be limited to single octave
pentatonic, modal, or synthetic scales), approximations of Oriental and
Balinese material may be produced, and the results begin to sound
like music. Multi-voice algorithmic composition can also produce
interesting harmonies and unusual harmonic directions. In addition, the
algorithmic output may suggest a basis for further standard
compositional applications. I still find it hard to believe that this
approach yields so much garbage.
Occasionally the chaotic output of algorithmic composition produces
the desired results. Below is my composition titled "Neurological
Disorder", something I can relate to.
http://home.comcast.net/~steventrish/Neurological Disorder.mp3
No comments:
Post a Comment