Music and Computer Composition

The problem discussed is that of simulating human
composition of Western popular music by computer 
and some relevant theories of music and harmony are given.
 Problems with this kind of program and several 
schemes that are known not to work are discussed.  Several
previous computer compositions are discussed, 
including the ILLIAC Suite.  A program to generate short
melody fragments was written to simulate some 
of the aspects of human composition.  Five samples of
its output are presented and discussed.  It was 
discovered that although the fragments show many of
the characteristics of popular melodies, they have 
a strangely alien sound.  It is theorized that this
is because the relevant probabilities which would 
discriminate against unfamiliar sequences were not used.

CACM February, 1972

Moorer, J. A.

artificial intelligence, heuristic programming,
models of cognitive processes, computer music, 
computer composition, music theory

3.44 3.65

CA720208 JB January 31, 1978  3:54 PM

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