#computer music algorithms

[tladb]

AC Toolbox and Music Algorithms - slow progress

Moving the algorithms in Computer Music Algorithms to AC Toolbox is taking longer than I anticipated. Some of the problems is just getting back into the tools and techniques of AC Toolbox .

The main issue though is trying to port a set of low level C procedures in which the algorithms are written into the myriad of AC Toolbox functions accessed through the UI.

My work with  AC Toolbox use of global variables, referred to in the program as Controllers, is a problem. In some cases I create collections but the variable names are not parsed into variable within the AC Toolbox functions. It could be I am just missing something fundamental. However there is progress even if it is not listenable yet.

[tladb]

Algorithmic Composition - Windchimes

References Computer Music Algorithms (2nd ed) by John Francis AC Toolbox by Paul Berg

Aim: Convert “Computer Music Algorithms”project to AC Toolbox

Structure of Windchimes

7 instruments

4 sections with 7 notes randomly placed Section 1: notes from Pentatonic scale, slow tempo Section 2: notes from Whole tone scale fast tempo Section 3: notes from Pentatonic scale, medium tempo Section 4: notes from Locrian Scale, medium temp

AC Toolbox notes:

In the initial algorithm the note are place in time while in AC Toolbox in general notes are place serially with rests.  My solution was to generate a stockpile of 64 random values between -8 time unit and 4 time units  (rv -8 4). The note duration would be randomly chosen from this list.

My method was to create a Data Section for each of the 7 channel for each of the scales, e.g.

Name: windchimes-lydian-2 Clock: (rv 180 240) // 180 - 240 milliseconds Rhythm: (Rc wind-rhythm-8) // Randomly choose from the stockpile “wind-rhythm-8″. Number: 10 // notes Pitch: (rc (generate-range (lydian c3) c5)) // randomly choose  from a list in the lydian scale from C3 to C5 Velocity: mf // medium Channel: 2 

A parallel section which used the data sections of the scales which constructed for each scale. This process meant that any change to a group meant that all changed sections had to be generated again and the combination had to be generated. I had hope yo use the AC Toolbox feature “Generate parallel section” which remakes all the components of the section and related objects but this ignored the channel designations. Every thing was sent to Channel 1 which was wrong. 

The Final structure was 

windchimes-pentatonic-1 // I started with single sections as the all channel version too often started with simultaneous notes. 

windchimes-pentatonic-all

windchimes-pentatonic-1

windchimes-pentatonic-2

windchimes-pentatonic-3

windchimes-pentatonic-4

windchimes-pentatonic-5

windchimes-pentatonic-6

windchimes-pentatonic-7

windchimes-wt-1 // single

windchimes-wt-all // parallel combination of whole tone sections

windchimes-pentatonic-1 // Initial reprised 

indchimes-pentatonic-all

windchimes-lydian-1 // single

windchimes-lydian-all // // parallel combination of whole tone sections

There maybe a more efficient structure but this gets the job done for now.