Knowledge base
Book Excerpt
How Can Pitch Control Other Musical Parameters in Generative Music?
Using Pitch Dependency in Generative MusicMost modular patches treat pitch as an isolated parameter. A note is generated, and other aspects of the sound behave independently. Generative composition offers another… read more
Why Does Generative Music Need Stable Elements?
Stable Elements: Giving Listeners Orientation in Generative MusicGenerative music often contains a huge number of small changes.
Without points of stability, listeners can easily lose their sense of orientation.
The Lighthouse… read moreHow Can Modulation Networks Create Musical Relationships?
Creating Sonic Relationships with Modulation NetworksOne of the most powerful ideas in generative composition is creating relationships between parameters that would otherwise be independent.
This is where modulation networks… read more
How Do You Repeat Musical Ideas When Everything Is Random?
Repeating, Modifying and Inverting Relationships in Generative MusicTraditional composition relies heavily on repetition and variation.
Generative music raises an interesting question:
How can something be repeated when… read more
Should Generative Music Use Melodies or Random Pitches?
Melody vs Random Pitch Development in Generative MusicOne of the most characteristic contrasts in generative music is the opposition between recognizable melody and random pitch movement.
Unlike traditional composition, both… read more
Can Generative Music Be Combined with Field Recordings?
Using Field Recordings and Pre-Recorded Audio in Generative MusicOne particularly effective way of creating contrast is combining generative processes with pre-recorded audio.
This idea has roots in musique concrète and… read more
How Do You Create Contrast in Generative Music?
Creating Contrast in Generative MusicContrast is one of the oldest compositional tools in music. Long before modular synthesis, composers created interest by placing opposing musical ideas next to one another.
Generative music is no… read more
Should a Composer Intervene During a Generative Performance?
Should Generative Music Be Left Alone? Intervention vs AutonomyEvery generative musician eventually faces a philosophical question:
Should the system run entirely on its own?
Or should the composer intervene?
The… read moreHow Can a Piece Jump Between Different Sonic Worlds Without Falling Apart?
Jump Structures and Sonic Worlds in Generative CompositionSudden transitions can create excitement.
They can also destroy coherence.
The challenge is maintaining continuity while allowing dramatic… read more
Can Generative Music Have Direction Without a Theme or Melody?
Direction Without Melody: Creating Movement in Generative MusicMany composers assume that musical direction requires melody.
Generative music demonstrates otherwise.
What Is Direction?Direction simply means that… read more