I’ve just released an application for macOS called “Resonant Element” that uses an array of generative techniques to produce an endless stream of high-quality music in a variety of genres. One of the primary goals of the project was to try to create a system that would be able to pass the Musical Turing Test, and early indications are that this is a pretty reasonable attempt!

The system uses stochastic models to guide chord progressions, select subsequent notes (both pitch and duration) in melodies, select performance techniques to use to interpret the musical structures, and many other aspects of the generative process.

I presented a paper describing the internals of the system at the 19th Generative Art conference in December of last year, though in the months that followed, I made many improvements and modifications to the structure of the system, with many more to come!

(submitted by B.T. Franklin)

More No Man’s Sky hype in the New Yorker. This time about the audio, which hasn’t been discussed as much as the visuals. Apparently, they built a simulation of a vocal tract, reminiscent of pre-electronic speaking machines.

Procedurally generated audio doesn’t get quite as much attention as procedurally generated visuals, which is a pity, because I think it can be even more challenging to get something that sounds good. It’s not something you can just throw in at the last minute. The audio experience is intrinsically linked to time (there’s no equivalent of a still image) and the wrong combinations can be accidentally harsh and painful in a way that visual images seldom reach.