2 Live Generative Musical Systems

Maurice Methot, MA

School of Visual and Media Arts

Emerson College

maurice_methot@emerson.edu

1. Humanpiano

The output is computed in real time from a continuous iteration of the classical non-linear dynamical system named after Mitchell Feigenbaum [1].

f(x) = a * x * (1 - x)

This is mapped as MIDI information to a digital sampler. The system uses a computational kernal written in MAX/MSP by Peter Elsea [2]. The author has created a system that randomizes the variables and rate of computation and creates additional non-linearities. The output is then further mapped to various modes, ragas, and scales and creates an ongoing flow of musical data.

2. 2D Live Cellular Automata / NKS

The real time output from live and static cellular automata [3] are used to create infinite variations of organized sound through remapping, transposition, and other explorations of datasets derived from the 256 rules of 2D cellular automata.. The author has designed musical primitives written in the MAX/MSP language building upon NKS [4] systems written by John Kiehl [5].

References

[1] J. Gleick, Chaos: Making a New Science, Penguin, New York (1987)

[2] Peter Elsea: http://arts.ucsc.edu/EMS/Music/PQE/About_Peter_Elsea.html

[3] J. Gleick

[4] Stephen Wolfram, A New Kind of Science

http://www.wolframscience.com/nksonline/toc.html

[5] John Kiehl, Maurice Methot: NKS / Music http://pages.emerson.edu/faculty/maurice_methot/nks