Welcome to the Digital Arts Research Center (DARC)

Or as you may more often see it

Welcome to the Algorithmic Music Classroom Look around you Behind me is the break room for the workshop Behind you is the graduate student algorithmic workshop Across the hall are the offices of Cope, Nauert, and Elsea. Out the windows is Monterrey Bay

Welcome to WACM Workshop In Algorithmic Computer Music

WACM Pronounced “whack-em” Our eighth year We will be asking you to introduce yourself (with a brief interesting story) shortly. Be thinking about what you might say.

Staff introductions David Cope (Dave) Peter Elsea (Peter) Paul Nauert (Paul) Daniel Brown (Daniel)

Class Introductions A brief short story that will identify you for the rest of us throughout the workshop and, for that matter, forever. The stranger and more “out there” the better (within reasonable limitations).

Algorithm: from Greek word arithmós—number Arabic word algorism—number series meaning: a set of rules for solving a problem in a finite number of steps.

Recipe ranging from severe control (Bach) to almost no control (Cage)

Historically isorhythmic motets figured bass fugues Musikalisches Würfelspiele golden mean serialism indeterminacy minimalism Xenakis Hiller

Note: Tonal voice-leading/doubling/triad rules are algorithms

Note: both paper and computer algorithms

Why computers? faster more accurate able to tackle large amounts of data

Why programming? Composing and Analysis applications harbor their creator's biases The less bias the more apt you are to get what YOU want.

Why Lisp? great programming environment IRCAM, Grame, CCRMA, CNMAT, MIT, etc.

Lisp is: (1) high level (2) functional (3) symbolic (4) interpreted (5) recursive

Programming Credo Divide and Conquer

Programming Credo Divide and Conquer

Programming Credo Divide and Conquer

Programming Credo Divide and Conquer

Lisp Credo Simple is beautiful (kiss) Small is best

Lisp Credo Simple is beautiful (kiss) Small is best

Lisp Credo Simple is beautiful (kiss) Small is best

Above All Readability everything.

Need a text for reference: A Gentle Guide to Common Lisp By David Touretzky Free on the server

Need a reference volume: Common Lisp The Language By Guy Steele Free online

Final Project We’ll have plenty of daily exercises for you. However, each student is responsible for creating a final music project (examples provided later this week). Presentations of these projects takes place on the final two days of the workshop. Be thinking (start now) of some project that you wish to accomplish in the next two weeks.

Former Students One will have a premiere of an instrumental work at the International Computer Music Conference this year. Another has finished a book on Max for Oxford University Press that includes algorithmic composition (and a mention of us here at the workshop) One of us now teaches in the Workshop (Daniel Brown) And believe me many other success stories.

Welcome to WACM Workshop In Algorithmic Computer Music