Transcript Presentation1

The Nature of Music
Scott Novakowski
Levi Horn
Kelsey Gartner
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.

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
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-essay.htm
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’.
Project Description con’t

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.
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.

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)
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.
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.
Future Challenges

Nature of control mechanism.

Integrating various agents to make
musical sense.