The Nature of Music

1
The Nature of Music

• Scott Novakowski
• Levi Horn
• Kelsey Gartner

2
Project Goals

• Explore the nature of music by simulating sound
  agents to produce emergent behavior.
• Create groups of agents which imitate distinct
  musical elements.
• Allow these groups to interact to produce higher
  level musical structures.

3
Related Research

• Tim Blackwell The Swarm Music Project
• Swarm properties (self-organization) used to
  generate music.
• Can be influenced by outside human events.
• ref www.timblackwell.com

4
Related Research

• Eduardo Reck Miranda An Introduction to Music
  and AI
• Music is the ability to recognize patterns and
  imagine them modified by actions.
• ref website.lineone.net/edandalex/ai-ess
  ay.htm

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Project Description

• Music is structured and algorithmic in nature.
• The basic elements of music Rhythm, Harmony,
  and Melody.
• Integration of the basic elements to create
  music.

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Project Description cont

• Sound generated by QuickTime Instruments (MIDI).
• Sound agents are visually simulated as spheres in
  the breve environment.
• Agents bounce and produce sounds as they hit
  bottom.

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Rhythm

• The key to rhythm is timing.
• Rhythm is structured and algorithmic in nature.
• Constant downward acceleration and bounce
  velocity create steady timing.
• Agents are independent of each other.

8
Harmony

• Harmony is relayed through the structure,
  progression, and relation of musical notes.
• Harmonic sequences are created through limiting
  the notes produced by each agent.
• As a whole these agents correspond to a musical
  scale, in effect producing a musical key. (C
  major, D minor)

9
Melody

• Melody is the structure of a musical piece with
  respect to the arrangement of a succession of
  notes.
• Least structured of the three musical elements.
• Agents behave in relation to each other.
• Melody achieved through pre-programmed sequences.

10
Integrating Musical Elements

• Ideas for integrating the three musical elements
• Control agents that correspond to higher level
  musical constructs.
• Timing agents to control the speed at which
  individual agents operate.

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Future Challenges

• Nature of control mechanism.
• Integrating various agents to make musical sense.