Computer Generated Music Contest

Inventor

Since the topic of algorithmic composition and computer generated music keeps popping up from time to time, and folks appear to be pleased with their own efforts in this category, I thought it would be fun to have a contest, with a prize and everything.

I happen to be a chainmaille hobbyist - note that is not chain mail, but chainmaille - the art of creating objects out of middle ages armor techniques. You know, metal rings painstakingly woven together. I also happen to be the guy who figured out how to make spheres out of chainmaille - well, a particular type of sphere that is hollow, rigid-shell, and made of only one ring size. So I thought I would offer one of my hard-earned spheres as a prize to make things interesting. You can read more about my spheres on my site, http://www.freedomodds.com/chainmaille/, and you can see the image of a pile of spheres below.

But enough about prizes, on to the contest! Here are the rules:

1. To enter you must post a computer-generated music piece of your own creation (or a link to one).
2. Entries may contain non-computer generated audio as long as the main focus of the sound is on the computer generated part.
3. All competitors are judges, each getting one vote to cast for their favorite entry.
4. Competitors may not vote for themselves.
5. If the winner chooses not to give out a snail mail address, I suppose it will go to second place and then on down the line.

I will post my entry soon. Good luck to all, and may the spheres be with you!

PileOfSpheresLarge.jpg

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The prize is one of these lovely chainmaille spheres!

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Inventor · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 8:29 am Post subject:

Here is my contest entry, it is called "KNoW Octaves". KNow stands for Kijjaz No Wave because the music is No wave style from the '80's, and Kijjaz because he made so many contributions to the generator. It is called "Octaves" because the guitar and sax are allowed to algorithmically wander over three octaves of a scale. I hope you like it.

KNoW_Octaves.mp3

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KNoW Octaves

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KNoW_Octaves.mp3

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Antimon · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:11 am Post subject:

Ooh goody, an excuse for noodling around a bit! thumleft

Nice initiative.

I like your entry, Inventor - nice variations that still stick to the concept.

Here's my entry, done in an automated Nord Modular G2 performance called "Cing Me a Cong" (well, it has to be called something, right?). I'm attaching the patch and an mp3 excerpt. If anyone wants to try it, you should click all dice buttons between the muxes in slot A - I didn't bother connecting them to an initializer. Embarassed

/Stefan

Cing Me a Cong.prf2

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Cing Me a Cong Excerpt.mp3

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Inventor · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:24 am Post subject:

Stefan, your entry made me feel like I was on a fantasia planet watching little water creatures chirp at each other playfully. What a nicely uplifting piece - not my usual in-yer-face rock-n-roll, so a refreshing change.

Octahedra · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 11:57 am Post subject:

Well you knew I'd be here didn't you? Cool stuff has been coming in already!

Here's the immediate predecessor to all the harmonograph stuff I've been going on about elsewhere - this one is based on strange attractor images instead.

There are two versions - the atonal Polar Transform (for Ligeti / Scelsi / Grisey fans only Twisted Evil

) and this one that I'm entering, Equatorial Transform, which is much easier on the ear for most people. I think this one broke my polyphony record - and my algorithmic-ness record too! Everything apart from the changing instrumentation, and the acoustic cymbal part, is algorithmic. Don't go thinking for a minute that I'm a remotely competent violinist though - I'm simply competent at editing out my mistakes!

Gordon

equatorial_transform.mp3

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Octahedra - Equatorial Transform

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Blue Hell · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 2:54 pm Post subject:

Some nice stuff so far.

Even though I don't like contests I do think it's nice when people post some work here .. and so ... I'll beam something up as well. I'll politely refuse to vote though.

Attached is an excerpt from a granulated noodle which I made in 2004. Named it "four minutes of 04-013-009" for this occasion. It was recorded directly from the Nord Modular G2, normalized and trimmed to four minutes, nothing else done to it. The patch is here, the granulator part was made by Rob Hordijk and that patch is there.

BTW I noticed that no one except me filled in the mp3 tags for their pieces, which means that when they'll end up "somewhere" there is no way to trace back the artist ... which is a waste IMHO.

four-minutes-of-04-013-009.mp3

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Four minutes of 04-013-009

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MitraSpec · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 6:42 pm Post subject:

I'm a new member. I've been to an EM festival when it came to Philadelphia a few years back, though this is the first online music community I've engaged in, (ignoring myspace, etc., which are primarily marketing outlets.)

My laptop was stolen recently, which was quite a loss. I'd already been on the ropes as far as pursuing music, and I found my interest slipping.
Then a few days ago I opened up Reason (3.0) on my Desktop, the only real music program on here, and went playing. Suddenly, I found this song erupting in front of me, and it was completed by morning; the composition process was life changing.

Unfortunately, everyone's subjective perspectives rob any given song of it's maximum potential for experiential glory, but I'm interested in how mine will be received by people of a more relative perspective to my own.

...And I like relics, and those mesh spheres are dandy, so why not start here.

I look forward to meeting everybody!

a_rise_02.mp3

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latest work

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Blue Hell · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject:

Inventor · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 7:25 pm Post subject:

MitraSpec, welcome and nice tune! Now I'm really glad to make this silly contest thingie, to welcome in a new member! Cheers!

MitraSpec · Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 9:23 pm Post subject:

This should be fun; I'm sure I'll learn a ton here. cheers

Oh, and good songs so far; I'll be sure to give each one lots of consideration.

dewdrop_world · Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2008 9:35 pm Post subject:

Some sounds I've been playing with lately -- actually they're for a live computer and violin piece that I hope will be played next year (if I can ever finish the damn thing!). The final piece will be much different, but this particular sound is moody and atmospheric, and has a lot of internal movement that... well, it holds my interest anyway.

All supercollider of course!

James

fhuzz.mp3

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fhuzz

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kara · Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:55 am Post subject:

I'm not used to participate in contest, but decided to contribute to this tread.

Here is my entry, made with 2 algortihmic VSTi's created by HG Fortune.

k

DreamsOfDemons.mp3

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Per · Posted: Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:01 pm Post subject: Random piano Jazz

Using a drum machine as backup and a cheap Roland sound module may be out of the rules. But except of the beat, it is all played by a series of radom generators, logic modules and keyboard scaling units in the G2.
All of it goes to midi, and to that Roland module.
The increasing intensity is from the eight variation knobs on the G2.
I was inspired by the swedish piano trio EST, who´s genious piano player recently died in a diving accident.
It is not my regular style of music, more of an experiment. But I have used it as backing tracks for TV-documentaries.
Per

ESP3.mp3

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Random in note and apprearance, but not in beat. And a common stupid drum machine added. But I tried to do a piano jazz part. conducted by the random generators and logic modules of the G2

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Octahedra · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:18 am Post subject: Re: Random piano Jazz

Inventor · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:39 am Post subject:

Sounds about right, Octahedra. I just threw together a quick set of rules to give the contest some focus, but we can take this wherever we want to take it. All of the entries so far qualify as far as I'm concerned.

You know, I didn't realize the international nature of electro-music.com, being such an ethno-centric American. I hope it doesn't cost too much to ship a small sphere internationally. The spheres are small and light so it should be a minimal shipping charge. Or so I hope!

Tell you what, if it's expensive then I'll substitute a finger ring or a bracelet, those can go in a padded envelope which might be cheaper.

I didn't set an end date for the contest, so I guess we'll just keep it open as long as people are actively making submissions. When it slows down we can stop the contest and vote for a winner. Thanks to everyone who's entered so far, this is fun and interesting.

Per · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:58 am Post subject:

It is OK, for us people living on the other side of the earth, the honour is enough. Wink

Per

x_x · Posted: Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:20 pm Post subject:

I don't agree with music contests because it's like voting for what fruit is "better". Hence, I'll chop my virtual vote divided by the number of participants and vote for everyone (merry Christmas!(oh wait, I'm anti-Christmas(I'm such a grinch (am I?))))...

I'll participate because it's cool to see a compilation of computer-generated music. Very nice stuff.

I hope at least one of you likes my little etude.

gabriel sanchez - algorithmic etude no. 2.mp3

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Inventor · Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:48 pm Post subject:

Well, there haven't been any entries in half a week now, but I won't be able to mail out the prize until the 21st of January, so we have a little time for last minute entries... anyone with a last minute entry this is your chance!

x_x · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:31 am Post subject:

Inventor · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 8:55 am Post subject:

Oh, thanks for tickling the thread, gsanchez, it had gone inactive. I guess it's time to vote! I need to review all the contestants first, then I will vote. In the mean time, let's all vote. I will be able to mail out the prize on the 21st of this month so no hurry, but let's vote!

x_x · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:17 am Post subject:

what happens if Inventor wins?

Blue Hell · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:21 am Post subject:

Inventor · Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2009 9:28 am Post subject:

Octahedra · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:22 pm Post subject:

x_x · Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:04 pm Post subject:

You are now officially disqualified for posting two pieces. Razz

just kidding Laughing

I liked the "atonal" version more than the original. I like the consecutive minor second intervals forming the clusters, gives it a nice cacophonic sense.

cool.