Algorithmic/generative music and all its sub categories fascinates me. It has been an eye opening aspect of my studies at London South Bank, and has opened my mind to new and alternative ways of creating music. The construction of computer codes and systems that generate musical structures perhaps resides in the realm of avant garde production. Yet developments of software such as Laurie Spiegel's music mouse are capable of creating music that has a tangible 'human' touch.
A pioneer of the New York music scene during the 70s and 80s, Laurie Spiegel's eclectic educational background gave her unique insight and perspective on music. Studying social sciences before going onto a masters degree in music composition, Spiegel developed a unique grasp on different styles of composition and their social/geographical roots. Perhaps it was this that inspired her to pioneer a completely new style. In her words, her use of algorithm generative melody was bred from the philosophy of, in her words:
'automate whatever can be automated to be freer to focus on those aspects of music that can't be automated. The challenge is to figure out which is which'
Her most recognised work, the music mouse, is described as an intelligent instrument that uses built in knowledge of scale/chord convention and stylistic constraints to cater to improvisation and experimentation, and allow users to focus on other aspects of music in real time.
Most simply put, the software reacts to movement of the computer mouse around a visualiser that when landing in different spots, plays a different chord voicing, which can be confined to specific scales and expression styles by the user. This ultimately through the input of physical movement of the mouse, generates harmony and melody, within the confines of the software's parameters. It is a fun tool, and perhaps most uniquely, offers the user almost instant access to the synergy of performance, regardless of experience and training. Those with an understanding of music theory can most creatively use this tool to set scales, intervals and expression styles to their informed choosing, and quickly generate ideas that may then be developed more concretely through traditional methods.
The track 'MORNING', featured on my album 'WAIT FOR ME', was written using this software. A 6 minute improvisation using four voice diatonic intervals in the scale of A minor was recorded in MIDI, and saved to an ableton session. I then went through the process of laboriously chopping up this midi, arranging it to a tempo. Once this was done, I had a fully fleshed out idea for a song, in one MIDI track. I then began building an instrument in ableton to run this midi through.
The instrument rack I produced contained a stereo-spread sine wave from abletons operator, a slow attack saw wave that opens up at the end of the track, a polyrhythmic arpeggiated piano, and a virtual guitar, distorted and EQ'd for ambient effect.
Drums and a synth bass following the root note of the chords were built around this instrument, and lyrics were then recorded over the instrumental and mixed. The song is perhaps a highlight for me on this album, simply due to the way it came about. The lyrics it inspired me to write were quite emotionally charged, and produced deep emotional reactions from the first people I played it to, my twin and my friend. All this started with a computer.
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