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Algorithmic Composition // Non Real-Time Systems

MUSI10087 // MUSI11019

Week 1
Musical Algorithms Overview

Tom Mudd // Marcin Pietruszewski // Dario Sanfilippo

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Course Overview - Staff

• Course organiser:
• Tom Mudd
• tmudd@ed.ac.uk

• Additional lectures and workshops:

• Marcin Pietruszewski and Dario Sanfilippo
mpietrus@ed.ac.uk | dario.sanfilippo@ed.ac.uk

• Course secretary:
• Carrie Lyall
• carrie.lyall@ed.ac.uk
• 0131 650 2422
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Course Overview - Organisation

• Lectures:
• Tuesdays 4:10pm – 6pm
• Sound Lab 1.08, Alison House
• Every week except ‘ILW’ (i.e. 19th Feb 2018)

• Workshops/Tutorials:
• On even numbered weeks only (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 -
check timetable to be sure)
• Fridays 11:10-12:05 (group 1) and 12:05–1pm
(group 2)
• Sound Lab 1.08
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Objectives
1. Participants will develop sonic pieces created by different sets of
rules.
2. Participants will explore a range of approaches to creating
process-based sonic works, both through listening to, watching
and reading about existing examples, and through creating their
own.
3. Participants in this project should feel pushed to develop their
creative and expressive voice and challenged to apply imaginative
and conceptual ideas introduced in lecture and tutorial sessions in
order to prototype works of sound design that may end up in their
professional portfolio.
4. It also expects its participants to push themselves technically, to
attempt to grasp the concepts behind algorithmic processes and
articulate good ideas for employing such processes, even if their
skills are at a basic level.
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Software / Tools

Pure Data graphical programming language

- free and open source
- puredata.info

Max graphical programming language

- not free or open source, but widely available at the
University
- cycling74.com

SuperCollider text-based language

- free and open source, but widely available at the
University
- http://supercollider.github.io
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Assessments

Assessment 1 (35% - deadline: noon on 26th Feb)

• Note-based algorithmic composition
• Create a 2-4 minute piece that explores automatic composition methods
• Components: sound file, PD/Max/SC program + video demo, 600 word report

Assessment 2 (65% - deadline: noon on 23rd Apr)

• Project exploring one or more of the areas covered in the classes: sonification,
chance processes, iterative and/or chaotic processes, live coding, critical
algorithms, and so on
• Could be an infinite installation, series of short pieces, single long piece, etc.
• Components: sound files, PD/Max/SC program + video demo, 1000 word report
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Useful Week 1 Reading and Listening

Michael Edwards
Algorithmic Composition: Computational Thinking in Music
Journal article
http://people.ace.ed.ac.uk/staff/medward2/algorithmic-composition.pdf
Also: youtube introduction to Algorithmic Composition

Mary Simoni
Algorithmic Composition: A Gentle Introduction to Music Composition
Using Common LISP and Common Music
Online book
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/s/spobooks/bbv9810.0001.001/1:5/--algorithmic-composition-a-gentle-introduction-to-
music?rgn=div1;view=fulltext

Mark Fell / Joe Gilmore

Composing with Process
Podcast series
http://rwm.macba.cat/en/composingwithprocess_tag
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Useful Week 1 Software Resources

Johannes Kriedler’s Pure Data Tutorial: http://pd-tutorial.com

Martin Parker’s Pure Data resources:

https://digital.eca.ed.ac.uk/sonicstructures/category/supplements/

SuperCollider (comes with a “getting started” tutorial series):

http://supercollider.github.io

Also:
-- Les Hutchins’ SuperCollider tutorials
-- Eli Fieldsteel’s SuperCollider YouTube tutorials
-- Bruon Ruvario’s pdf tutorial
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What is this course about?

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What is this course about?

(stolen from Michael Edwards’ introduction)

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What is an algorithm?
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Examples
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Why use algorithms in music?

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Course Structure
W1 – Introduction

W2 – Basic algorithms in practice

W2 workshop – Basic algorithms in practice

W3 – Process based composition

W4 – Chance processes, open form, nonlinear composition

W4 workshop – Chance based processes

W5 – Sonification

[Independent learning week]

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Course Structure
W6 – Deterministic/Chaotic processes (with Dario Sanfilippo)
W6 workshop - Deterministic/Chaotic processes (with Dario Sanfilippo)

W7 – Live Coding (with Marcin Pietruszewski)

W8 – Multiscale approaches (with Marcin Pietruszewski)

W8 workshop – Multiscale approaches (with Marcin Pietruszewski)

W9 – Critical Algorithms / Exposing Algorithms

W10 – TBC
W10 workshop – tutorials relating to your second assignments

W11 - TBC
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Early examples
Isorhythmic motets

Species counterpoint

Canon processes:
-- direct repetition, transposed, half speed, double speed, inverted
(contrary motion)

Open form

Serial processes:
-- 12 tone series, permutations of rows, inversions, retrograde, other
methods for formally deriving material from the initial set (total
serialism: similar rules for other musical parameters such as rhythm,
dynamics, etc.)