Evolutionary Computer Music (eBook)

Eduardo Reck Miranda is a Professor in Computer Music at the University of Plymouth, UK, where he heads the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR). He has recently been appointed the Edgard Varèse Guest Professor of Computer Music at the Technical University of Berlin.   Al Biles has been applying evolutionary computation to music since 1993, when he built the first of many versions of GenJam, the Genetic Jammer. Since that time he and GenJam have performed around the world together, and Al has watched the field of evolutionary computer music emerge as a fascinating creative enterprise. Al is Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Information Technology at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Foreword 4
Preface 6
Contents 9
List of Contributors 11
An Introduction to Evolutionary Computing for Musicians 13
1.1. Introduction 13
1.2. Evolutionary Search Algorithms 15
1.3. Evolutionary Computing in Musical Composition 22
1.4. Evolutionary Computing in Sound Design 28
1.5. New Musical Possibilities Through Adaptive Systems 31
1.6. Concluding Remarks 34
References 35
Evolutionary Computation for Musical Tasks 40
2.1. Introduction 40
2.2. What Is Music? 40
2.3. Musical Tasks 45
2.4. Evolutionary Tools and Techniques 51
2.5. Final Thoughts 60
References 60
Evolution in Digital Audio Technology 64
3.1. Introduction 64
3.2. Music Synthesis and Processing 65
3.3. Other Digital Audio Applications 81
3.4. Conclusions 83
Acknowledgements 84
References 84
Evolution in Creative Sound Design 91
4.1. Introduction 91
4.2. Interactive Evolution 92
4.3. Genetic Representation 97
4.4. Genetic Representation for Sound 99
4.5. MutaSynth 101
4.6. Patch Mutator 103
4.7. Concluding Discussion and Further Work 108
References 111
Experiments in Generative Musical Performance with a Genetic Algorithm 112
5.1. Introduction 112
5.2. Musical Performance with Hierarchical Pulse Set 113
5.3. Fitness Function Based on Musical Structure 117
5.4. Evolution Procedure 119
5.5. Demonstration 122
5.6. Concluding Discussion 127
References 127
Composing with Genetic Algorithms: GenDash 129
6.1. Introduction 129
6.2. Background 130
6.3. First Thoughts 130
6.4. First Attempts 132
6.5. Cage, Bambi and Vonnegut 133
6.6. GenDash 134
6.7. Empty Frames and Beethoven 135
6.8. Other Attributes: Johnny Carson, Late Bloomers and Elizabeth Taylor 136
6.9. A Brief Example 139
6.10. Individual Pieces 140
6.11. Conclusion and Future Work 144
Appendix: Compositions Created by the Author Using Evolutionary Computation 146
References 147
Improvizing with Genetic Algorithms: GenJam 149
7.1. Introduction 149
7.2. Improvization 150
7.3. GenJam Overview 152
7.4. Representation - Genotype to Phenotype Mapping with GJNF 154
7.5. Evolving a Soloist 157
7.6. Genetic Operators 159
7.7. Interactivity 167
7.8. Making GenJam Autonomous 171
7.9. Technology Versus Domains 174
7.10. GenJam as a Musician 176
7.11. Conclusions 179
References 180
Cellular Automata Music: From Sound Synthesis to Musical Forms 182
8.1. Introduction 182
8.2. The Basics of Cellular Automata 183
8.3. Cellular Automata Sound Synthesis 189
8.4. Cellular Automata Music: CAMUS 196
8.5. Concluding Discussion 202
References 204
Swarming and Music 206
9.1. Introduction 206
9.2. Swarm Organization 207
9.3. Swarming and Descriptions of Music 211
9.4. Performing Swarms 213
9.5. Swarm Music 218
9.6. Experience 222
9.7. Autonomy 224
9.8. Outlook 226
References 227
Computational Evolutionary Musicology 230
10.1. Introduction 230
10.2. Mating Selective Pressure and Surprise 233
10.3. Social Bonding and Imitation: Evolution of Intonation 235
10.4. Toward a Connectionist Memory for Evolving Sequencing Rules 247
10.5. Concluding Remarks 258
References 259
Appendix: The Accompanying Music CD 262
Index 265