220a-fall-2007/hw6

Homework #6: "Generative Clouds"

In this assignment, you are to create a generative musical system in ChucK, defining its parameters and creating a piece of music using the system (either automatically, or via real-time high-level input).

Tools at your disposal

• ChucK
• Audacity/Ardour (for intermediate + final recording/assembly)
• optional: keyboard, mouse, joystick, and/or other sensors as input device

Specification

What to do:

• create one or more ChucK programs that generates music "automatically" (i.e., with minimal or no human intervention) or "semi-automatically" (i.e., with limited "high-level" human interaction)
• here are some example ideas (you can use, combine, extend these, or go with something else altogether)
  • modeling playing style of a particular instrument, or a group of instruments ("real" and/or imagined)
  • model a particular compositional style (e.g., "classic" Musique Concrete, a certain approach to minimalism)
  • leverage or musically sonify a mathematical model or a computer algorithm
  • a system that somehow evolves over time, giving a set of starting parameters
  • invent something new/crazy!
• figure out what parameters you want to expose/export from your system, these parameters might serve as "seeds" or starting points, or guidelines/rules for your music generator to follow
• it might be helpful to design/partition your system into modules that you can exert independent control over, or that take care of different types of tasks/sounds in the system
• create a composition using your system, paying attention to overall form, density, and texture throughout (think "sonic clouds"...)

Resources

• Graham Coleman's most excellent tutorial on ChucK for Music
• ChucK unit generator reference (check out the section on STK instruments, as potential starting points for ready-to-go instruments)
• ChucK examples
• In particular, look at the examples under "STK". These might serve as ideas or starting points.
  • mand-o-matic2 : caffeinated virtual mandolin player (note: by itself, this example probably isn't very interesting (for example, it doesn't come from or go anywhere). However, by figuring out the parameters, and varying those over time somehow, and/or by arranging it with other "band members", one can use this as a building block.)
  • shake-o-matic : virtual shaker player, again a potential building block.
  • karp-o-matic : virtual stif karp player.
  • wurley : virtual wurlitzer player.

Deliverables

As usual, turn in all files by putting them in your Library/Web/220a/ directory.

• 1) hw6.wav should go into the 220a directory
• 2) create a hw6/ directory, and put all the stuff below in there:
• 3) all related source/sound files (.wav/.ck)
• 4) a short README text (readme.txt) file that:
  • specifies instructions on running your programs
  • describes your process/adventure, and perhaps the ideas (technical/aesthetic) behind the composition
  • gives credit, if needed, for the sounds you are using
  • describe any difficulties you encountered in the process

Have fun with it!