Music & Technology I: Computer Music
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Computer-Assisted Composition a Short Historical Review
MUMT 303 New Media Production II Charalampos Saitis Winter 2010 Computer-Assisted Composition A short historical review Computer-assisted composition is considered amongst the major musical developments that characterized the twentieth century. The quest for ‘new music’ started with Erik Satie and the early electronic instruments (Telharmonium, Theremin), explored the use of electricity, moved into the magnetic tape recording (Stockhausen, Varese, Cage), and soon arrived to the computer era. Computers, science, and technology promised new perspectives into sound, music, and composition. In this context computer-assisted composition soon became a creative challenge – if not necessity. After all, composers were the first artists to make substantive use of computers. The first traces of computer-assisted composition are found in the Bells Labs, in the U.S.A, at the late 50s. It was Max Matthews, an engineer there, who saw the possibilities of computer music while experimenting on digital transmission of telephone calls. In 1957, the first ever computer programme to create sounds was built. It was named Music I. Of course, this first attempt had many problems, e.g. it was monophonic and had no attack or decay. Max Matthews went on improving the programme, introducing a series of programmes named Music II, Music III, and so on until Music V. The idea of unit generators that could be put together to from bigger blocks was introduced in Music III. Meanwhile, Lejaren Hiller was creating the first ever computer-composed musical work: The Illiac Suit for String Quartet. This marked also a first attempt towards algorithmic composition. A binary code was processed in the Illiac Computer at the University of Illinois, producing the very first computer algorithmic composition. -
Interpretação Em Tempo Real Sobre Material Sonoro Pré-Gravado
Interpretação em tempo real sobre material sonoro pré-gravado JOÃO PEDRO MARTINS MEALHA DOS SANTOS Mestrado em Multimédia da Universidade do Porto Dissertação realizada sob a orientação do Professor José Alberto Gomes da Universidade Católica Portuguesa - Escola das Artes Julho de 2014 2 Agradecimentos Em primeiro lugar quero agradecer aos meus pais, por todo o apoio e ajuda desde sempre. Ao orientador José Alberto Gomes, um agradecimento muito especial por toda a paciência e ajuda prestada nesta dissertação. Pelo apoio, incentivo, e ajuda à Sara Esteves, Inês Santos, Manuel Molarinho, Carlos Casaleiro, Luís Salgado e todos os outros amigos que apesar de se encontraram fisicamente ausentes, estão sempre presentes. A todos, muito obrigado! 3 Resumo Esta dissertação tem como foco principal a abordagem à interpretação em tempo real sobre material sonoro pré-gravado, num contexto performativo. Neste caso particular, material sonoro é entendido como música, que consiste numa pulsação regular e definida. O objetivo desta investigação é compreender os diferentes modelos de organização referentes a esse material e, consequentemente, apresentar uma solução em forma de uma aplicação orientada para a performance ao vivo intitulada Reap. Importa referir que o material sonoro utilizado no software aqui apresentado é composto por músicas inteiras, em oposição às pequenas amostras (samples) recorrentes em muitas aplicações já existentes. No desenvolvimento da aplicação foi adotada a análise estatística de descritores aplicada ao material sonoro pré-gravado, de maneira a retirar segmentos que permitem uma nova reorganização da informação sequencial originalmente contida numa música. Através da utilização de controladores de matriz com feedback visual, o arranjo e distribuição destes segmentos são alterados e reorganizados de forma mais simplificada. -
Chuck: a Strongly Timed Computer Music Language
Ge Wang,∗ Perry R. Cook,† ChucK: A Strongly Timed and Spencer Salazar∗ ∗Center for Computer Research in Music Computer Music Language and Acoustics (CCRMA) Stanford University 660 Lomita Drive, Stanford, California 94306, USA {ge, spencer}@ccrma.stanford.edu †Department of Computer Science Princeton University 35 Olden Street, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, USA [email protected] Abstract: ChucK is a programming language designed for computer music. It aims to be expressive and straightforward to read and write with respect to time and concurrency, and to provide a platform for precise audio synthesis and analysis and for rapid experimentation in computer music. In particular, ChucK defines the notion of a strongly timed audio programming language, comprising a versatile time-based programming model that allows programmers to flexibly and precisely control the flow of time in code and use the keyword now as a time-aware control construct, and gives programmers the ability to use the timing mechanism to realize sample-accurate concurrent programming. Several case studies are presented that illustrate the workings, properties, and personality of the language. We also discuss applications of ChucK in laptop orchestras, computer music pedagogy, and mobile music instruments. Properties and affordances of the language and its future directions are outlined. What Is ChucK? form the notion of a strongly timed computer music programming language. ChucK (Wang 2008) is a computer music program- ming language. First released in 2003, it is designed to support a wide array of real-time and interactive Two Observations about Audio Programming tasks such as sound synthesis, physical modeling, gesture mapping, algorithmic composition, sonifi- Time is intimately connected with sound and is cation, audio analysis, and live performance. -
´Electronique Based On
Vincenzo Lombardo,∗ Andrea Valle,∗ John Fitch,† Kees Tazelaar,∗∗ A Virtual-Reality Stefan Weinzierl,†† and Reconstruction of Poeme` Wojciech Borczyk§ ´ ∗Centro Interdipartimentale di Ricerca Electronique Based on sulla Multimedialita` e l’Audiovisivo Universita` di Torino Philological Research Virtual Reality and Multi Media Park ViaS.Ottavio20 10123 Torino, Italy [email protected]; [email protected] †Department of Computer Science University of Bath BA2 7AY, Bath, United Kingdom [email protected] ∗∗Institute of Sonology Royal Conservatory Juliana v. Stolberglaan 1 2595CA Den Haag, The Netherlands [email protected] ††Fachgebiet Audiokommunikation Technische Universitat¨ Berlin Einsteinufer 17c D-10587 Berlin, Germany [email protected] §Instytut Informatyki Wydzial Automatyki Elektroniki i Informatyki Politechniki Slaskiej´ Akademicka 16 44-100 Gliwice, Poland [email protected] “The last word is imagination” [Le dernier mot est Electronique´ (1958). This seminal work was Varese’s` imagination] (Edgard Varese,` in Charbonnier 1970, only purely electroacoustic work (apart from the p. 79): with this statement, Varese` replies to George very short La Procession de Verges` of 1955; Bernard Charbonnier, closing a 1955 interview about the 1987, p. 238), and also, to the best of our knowledge, aesthetic postulates of his long but difficult career. the first electroacoustic work in the history of While speaking about the relationship between music to be structurally integrated in an audiovisual music and image, Varese` declares—somewhat context (cf. Chadabe 1997). surprisingly—that he would like to see a film based The history of Poeme` Electronique´ , as docu- on his last completed orchestral work, Deserts´ mented by Petit (1958) and Treib (1996), goes back (1954). -
Program Notes
NSEME 2018 Installations (ongoing throughout festival) Four4 (1991, arr. 2017) - room 2009 Anthony T. Marasco, Eric Sheffield, Landon Viator, Brian Elizondo ///Weave/// (2017) - room 2008 Alejandro Sosa Carrillo (1993) Virtual Reality Ambisonic Toolkit (2018) - room 2011 Michael Smith (1983) Within, Outside, and Beside Itself:The Architecture of the CFA - room 2013 Jordan Dykstra (1985) Installations Program Notes: Alejandro Carrillo “///Weave///” A generative system of both random and fixed values that cycle over a period of 6 minutes. By merging light and sound sine waves, parameters such as frequency, amplitude and spatialization have been mapped into three sound wave generators or voices (bass line, harmonies and lead) and three waveforms from a modular video synthesizer on MaxMSP aiming to audiovisual synchronicity and equivalence. Jordan Dykstra “Within, Outside, and Beside Itself: The Architecture of the CFA” A performance which plays not only with the idea of lecture-performance as a musicological extension of history, narrative, and academic performance-composition Within, Outside, and Beside Itself: The Architecture of the CFA also addresses how the presenta- tion of knowledge is linked to the production of knowledge through performance. I believe that creating space for new connections through creative presentation and alternative methodologies can both foster new arenas for discussion and coordinate existing relationships between academia and the outside world. A critique regarding how the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University func- tions as an academic institution, as well as its physical role as the third teacher, my lecture performance playfully harmonizes texts from art historians at Wesleyan University, archaeologists, critical theorists, YouTube transcriptions, quotes from the founder of the Reggio Emilia school, and medical journal articles about mirror neurons. -
Akrata, for 16 Winds by Iannis Xenakis: Analyses1
AKRATA, FOR 16 WINDS BY IANNIS XENAKIS: ANALYSES1 Stéphan Schaub: Ircam / University of Paris IV Sorbonne In Makis Solomos, Anastasia Georgaki, Giorgos Zervos (ed.), Definitive Proceedings of the “International Symposium Iannis Xenakis” (Athens, May 2005), www.iannis-xenakis.org, October 2006. Paper first published in A. Georgaki, M. Solomos (éd.), International Symposium Iannis Xenakis. Conference Proceedings, Athens, May 2005, p. 138-149. This paper was selected for the Definitive Proceedings by the scientific committee of the symposium: Anne-Sylvie Barthel-Calvet (France), Agostino Di Scipio (Italy), Anastasia Georgaki (Greece), Benoît Gibson (Portugal), James Harley (Canada), Peter Hoffmann (Germany), Mihu Iliescu (France), Sharon Kanach (France), Makis Solomos (France), Ronald Squibbs (USA), Georgos Zervos (Greece) … a sketch in which I make use of the theory of groups 2 ABSTRACT In the following paper the author presents a reconstruction of the formal system developed by Iannis Xenakis for the composition of Akrata, for 16 winds (1964-1965). The reconstruction is based on a study of both the score and the composer’s preparatory sketches to his composition. Akrata chronologically follows Herma for piano (1961) and precedes Nomos Alpha for cello (1965-1966). All three works fall within the “symbolic music” category. As such, they were composed under the constraint of having a temporal function unfold “algorithmically” the work’s “outside time” architecture into the “in time” domain. The system underlying Akrata, undergoes several mutations over the course of the music’s unfolding. In its last manifestation, it bears strong resemblances with the better known system later applied to the composition of Nomos Alpha. -
Musique Algorithmique
[Version adaptée pour un cours commun ATIAM/CURSUS d’un article à paraître dans N. Donin and L. Feneyrou (dir.), Théorie de la composition musicale au XXe siècle, Symétrie, 2012] Musique algorithmique Moreno Andreatta . La plupart des études sur la musique algorithmique soulignent, à juste titre, le caractère systématique et combinatoire de certaines démarches compositionnelles qui ont accompagné l’évolution de la musique occidentale. De l’isorythmie du Moyen Âge aux musikalische Würfelspiele ou « jeux musicaux » attribués à Johann Philipp Kirnberger, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Josef Haydn ou Carl Philipp Emmanuel Bach, l’utilisation de méthodes combinatoires et algorithmiques n’a pas dû attendre l’« implémentation » informatique pour voir le jour1. Fig 0.1 : « Jeux musicaux » (générés par http://sunsite.univie.ac.at/Mozart/dice/) 1 En attendant un article sur la musique algorithmique dans le Grove Music Online, nous renvoyons le lecteur à l’étude de Karlheinz ESSL, « Algorithmic Composition » (The Cambridge Companion to Electronic Music (Nick COLLINS et Julio D’ESCRIVAN, éds.), Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2007, p. 107-125) pour une analyse plus large des procédés algorithmiques. On pourrait penser, et c’est l’hypothèse le plus souvent proposée, que c’est l’artifice de l’écriture qui rend possible l’exploration de la combinatoire. Cela est sans doute vrai dans plusieurs répertoires, des polyphonies complexes de Philippe de Vitry ou Guillaume de Machaut aux œuvres sérielles intégrales de la seconde moitié du XXe siècle. Cependant, comme l’ont bien montré certains travaux d’ethnomusicologie et d’ethnomathématique (voir Marc CHEMILLIER, Les Mathématiques naturelles, Paris : Odile Jacob, 2007), l’utilisation d’algorithmes est également présente dans les musiques de tradition orale – une problématique que nous n’aborderons cependant pas ici, car elle dépasse le cadre de cette étude. -
Expanding Horizons: the International Avant-Garde, 1962-75
452 ROBYNN STILWELL Joplin, Janis. 'Me and Bobby McGee' (Columbia, 1971) i_ /Mercedes Benz' (Columbia, 1971) 17- Llttle Richard. 'Lucille' (Specialty, 1957) 'Tutti Frutti' (Specialty, 1955) Lynn, Loretta. 'The Pili' (MCA, 1975) Expanding horizons: the International 'You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man' (MCA, 1966) avant-garde, 1962-75 'Your Squaw Is On the Warpath' (Decca, 1969) The Marvelettes. 'Picase Mr. Postman' (Motown, 1961) RICHARD TOOP Matchbox Twenty. 'Damn' (Atlantic, 1996) Nelson, Ricky. 'Helio, Mary Lou' (Imperial, 1958) 'Traveling Man' (Imperial, 1959) Phair, Liz. 'Happy'(live, 1996) Darmstadt after Steinecke Pickett, Wilson. 'In the Midnight Hour' (Atlantic, 1965) Presley, Elvis. 'Hound Dog' (RCA, 1956) When Wolfgang Steinecke - the originator of the Darmstadt Ferienkurse - The Ravens. 'Rock All Night Long' (Mercury, 1948) died at the end of 1961, much of the increasingly fragüe spirit of collegial- Redding, Otis. 'Dock of the Bay' (Stax, 1968) ity within the Cologne/Darmstadt-centred avant-garde died with him. Boulez 'Mr. Pitiful' (Stax, 1964) and Stockhausen in particular were already fiercely competitive, and when in 'Respect'(Stax, 1965) 1960 Steinecke had assigned direction of the Darmstadt composition course Simón and Garfunkel. 'A Simple Desultory Philippic' (Columbia, 1967) to Boulez, Stockhausen had pointedly stayed away.1 Cage's work and sig- Sinatra, Frank. In the Wee SmallHoun (Capítol, 1954) Songsfor Swinging Lovers (Capítol, 1955) nificance was a constant source of acrimonious debate, and Nono's bitter Surfaris. 'Wipe Out' (Decca, 1963) opposition to himz was one reason for the Italian composer being marginal- The Temptations. 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone' (Motown, 1972) ized by the Cologne inner circle as a structuralist reactionary. -
The Evolution of the Performer Composer
CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES TO LIVE COMPUTER MUSIC: THE EVOLUTION OF THE PERFORMER COMPOSER BY OWEN SKIPPER VALLIS A thesis submitted to the Victoria University of Wellington in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Victoria University of Wellington 2013 Supervisory Committee Dr. Ajay Kapur (New Zealand School of Music) Supervisor Dr. Dugal McKinnon (New Zealand School of Music) Co-Supervisor © OWEN VALLIS, 2013 NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL OF MUSIC ii ABSTRACT This thesis examines contemporary approaches to live computer music, and the impact they have on the evolution of the composer performer. How do online resources and communities impact the design and creation of new musical interfaces used for live computer music? Can we use machine learning to augment and extend the expressive potential of a single live musician? How can these tools be integrated into ensembles of computer musicians? Given these tools, can we understand the computer musician within the traditional context of acoustic instrumentalists, or do we require new concepts and taxonomies? Lastly, how do audiences perceive and understand these new technologies, and what does this mean for the connection between musician and audience? The focus of the research presented in this dissertation examines the application of current computing technology towards furthering the field of live computer music. This field is diverse and rich, with individual live computer musicians developing custom instruments and unique modes of performance. This diversity leads to the development of new models of performance, and the evolution of established approaches to live instrumental music. This research was conducted in several parts. The first section examines how online communities are iteratively developing interfaces for computer music. -
Transgressing the Wall. Mauricio Kagel and Decanonization of the Musical Performance
Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov Series VIII: Performing Arts • Vol. 13 (60) No. 2 - 2020 https://doi.org/10.31926/but.pa.2020.13.62.2.2 Transgressing the Wall. Mauricio Kagel and Decanonization of the musical performance Laurențiu BELDEAN1, Malgorzata LISECKA2 Abstract: The article discusses selected some musical concept by Maurcio Kagel (1931–2008), one of the most significant Argentinian composer. The analysis concerns two issues related to Kagel’s work. First of all, the composer’s approach to musical theatre as an artistic tool for demolishing a wall put in cultural tradition between a performer and a musical work – just like Berlin Wall which turned the politics paradigm in order to melt two political positions into one. Kagel’s negation of the structure’s coherence in traditional musical canon became the basis of his conceptualization which implies a collapse within the wall between the musical instrument and the performer. Aforementioned performer doesn’t remain in the passive role, but is engaged in the art with his whole body as authentic, vivid instrument. Secondly, this article concerns the actual threads of Kagel’s music, as he was interested in enclosing in his work contemporary social and political issues. As the context of the analyze the authors used the ideas of Paulo Freire (with his concept of the pedagogy of freedom) and Augusto Boal (with his concept of “Theater of the Oppressed”). Both these perspectives aim to present Kagel as multifaceted composer who through his avantgarde approach abolishes canons (walls) in contemporary music and at the same time points out the barriers and limitations of the global reality. -
Chunking: a New Approach to Algorithmic Composition of Rhythm and Metre for Csound
Chunking: A new Approach to Algorithmic Composition of Rhythm and Metre for Csound Georg Boenn University of Lethbridge, Faculty of Fine Arts, Music Department [email protected] Abstract. A new concept for generating non-isochronous musical me- tres is introduced, which produces complete rhythmic sequences on the basis of integer partitions and combinatorics. It was realized as a command- line tool called chunking, written in C++ and published under the GPL licence. Chunking 1 produces scores for Csound2 and standard notation output using Lilypond3. A new shorthand notation for rhythm is pre- sented as intermediate data that can be sent to different backends. The algorithm uses a musical hierarchy of sentences, phrases, patterns and rhythmic chunks. The design of the algorithms was influenced by recent studies in music phenomenology, and makes references to psychology and cognition as well. Keywords: Rhythm, NI-Metre, Musical Sentence, Algorithmic Compo- sition, Symmetry, Csound Score Generators. 1 Introduction There are a large number of powerful tools that enable algorithmic composition with Csound: CsoundAC [8], blue[11], or Common Music[9], for example. For a good overview about the subject, the reader is also referred to the book by Nierhaus[7]. This paper focuses on a specific algorithm written in C++ to produce musical sentences and to generate input files for Csound and lilypond. Non-isochronous metres (NI metres) are metres that have different beat lengths, which alternate in very specific patterns. They have been analyzed by London[5] who defines them with a series of well-formedness rules. With the software presented in this paper (from now on called chunking) it is possible to generate NI metres. -
This Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation Has Been Downloaded from Explore Bristol Research
This electronic thesis or dissertation has been downloaded from Explore Bristol Research, http://research-information.bristol.ac.uk Author: Vagopoulou, Evaggelia Title: Cultural tradition and contemporary thought in Iannis Xenakis's vocal works General rights Access to the thesis is subject to the Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International Public License. A copy of this may be found at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/legalcode This license sets out your rights and the restrictions that apply to your access to the thesis so it is important you read this before proceeding. Take down policy Some pages of this thesis may have been removed for copyright restrictions prior to having it been deposited in Explore Bristol Research. However, if you have discovered material within the thesis that you consider to be unlawful e.g. breaches of copyright (either yours or that of a third party) or any other law, including but not limited to those relating to patent, trademark, confidentiality, data protection, obscenity, defamation, libel, then please contact [email protected] and include the following information in your message: •Your contact details •Bibliographic details for the item, including a URL •An outline nature of the complaint Your claim will be investigated and, where appropriate, the item in question will be removed from public view as soon as possible. Cultural Tradition and Contemporary Thought in lannis Xenakis's Vocal Works Volume I: Thesis Text Evaggelia Vagopoulou A dissertation submitted to the University of Bristol in accordancewith the degree requirements of the of Doctor of Philosophy in the Faculty of Arts, Music Department.