Some of you might not know that I'm a computer programmer in my day job. I specialize in object oriented programming using languages like C++ and Java.

About two weeks ago I discovered an exciting Java library for making computer music. It's called jMusic, and it's being developed at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia. I spent some time browsing through the documentation and came to the conclusion that this is very good stuff for developing musical programs.

Here's the link: jmusic.ci.qut.edu.au

So far, I have installed it on two computers (Windows 2000 and Mac OSX), and tested it in various programming environments including Borland JBuilder Personal Edition and Sun's Studio 4 CE (both free). I was able to write programs that generated random notes and sounds, and save the results as MIDI or audio files.

I have to say that I'm very impressed with both the design and the power of jMusic. This library is well thought out. There are numerous tutorials online, and Javadoc is included for all of the classes.

If anyone here is interested in algorithmic "music", visit the site and check out the sample audio files that people have made. It's all very strange and fascinating (for geeks like me, anyway).

jMusic outputted this MIDI file: http://soundhost.net/b0b/DuoPitch.mid

I rendered it to an MP3 (much bigger file to download): http://soundhost.net/b0b/DuoPitch.mp3

I'll be the first to admit that it's not music, but it's fun to write code that makes sound. Plus, every time I run the program it comes out different.

To answer Bill's quesion, YES, you can write algorithms that follow standard song structure and still contain a lot of random elements.

Some of my old algorithms took a chord progression and generated melodies and harmonies around it, like Band In A Box. I tried to codify the "rules" that make a listenable melody. The results weren't great or anything, but I learned a lot about music composition in the process.

I'm hoping to find time this winter to continue this research using jMusic.

My first algorithmic music "composition" was written in ForMuLa Forth in 1989. It was called "Dothing". The guts of it was a note stream generator called wha:

quan      its
pquan     bottom
 
:ap wha  ( n -- )
     to bottom
     /1 bottom $ /4
     its 3 + 3 
     do   20 irnd 10 - $volume + 0 max to $volume
          i 3 / 36 irnd over / * bottom + $
     loop
     /1 bottom $
;ap

void wha(int its, Phrase phrase, int volume, int bottom)
  {
    phrase.add(new Note(bottom, WHOLE_NOTE, volume));
 
    for (int i = 3; i < (its + 3); ++i)
    {
      volume = volume + (get(21) - 10);
 
      int third = i / 3;
      int pitch = bottom + ((get(37) / third) * third);
      phrase.add(new Note(pitch, QUARTER_NOTE, volume));
    }
 
    phrase.add(new Note(bottom, WHOLE_NOTE, volume));
  }

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               Bobby Lee
-b0b-   quasar@b0b.com
-System Administrator

[This message was edited by b0b on 17 November 2002 at 12:01 PM.]

I am currently getting my Master's degree and the school I go to makes all students take 4 semesters of Java programming. I am really getting into Java. I have been a network guy for a while and the programming side is fresh and exciting for me. I enjoy the OOP stuff the best. It is easier for me to understand. Great link! Keep 'em coming!

Mark

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Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com

Can jMusic be used to create or combine such a program? It would be neat to use it for trying new setups and you can HEAR what exactly is happening. The computer keyboard could be used to emulate the pedals and levers up/down movements and the mouse for the bar postion. It is not the intention to play PSG on the keyboard, but it could be useful for "what if" situations.

Just a thought. If I had time, I would love to create it.

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Peter den Hartogh-Fender Artist S10-Remington U12-Hilton Volume Pedal-Gibson BR4 lapsteel-Guya "Stringmaster" Copy-MusicMan112RP-Peavy Rage158- - My Animation College in South Africa