Evolutionary music
Encyclopedia
Evolutionary music is the audio counterpart to Evolutionary art
, whereby algorithmic music is created using an evolutionary algorithm
. The process begins with a population
of individuals which by some means or other produce audio (e.g. a piece, melody, or loop), which is either initialized randomly or based on human-generated music. Then through the repeated application of computational steps analogous to biological selection
, recombination
and mutation
the aim is for the produced audio to become more musical. Evolutionary sound synthesis is a related technique for generating sounds or synthesizer
instruments. Evolutionary music is typically generated using an interactive evolutionary algorithm
where the fitness function
is the user or audience, as it is difficult to capture the aesthetic qualities of music computationally. However, research into automated measures of musical quality is also active. Evolutionary computation techniques have also been applied to harmonization and accompaniment
tasks. The most commonly used evolutionary computation techniques are genetic algorithm
s and genetic programming
.
has been using genetic algorithms for music composition including works such as Saint Ambrose and his string quartets. In 1997 Brad Johanson and Riccardo Poli developed the GP-Music System which, as the name implies, used genetic programming to breed melodies according to both human and automated ratings. Several systems for drum loop evolution have been produced (including one commercial program called MuSing).
Evolutionary Computer Music edited by John "Al" Biles and Eduardo Reck Miranda is devoted exclusively to evolution in music with chapters on composition, performance, and improvisation and other aspects of music production and study using genetic algorithms.
The Art of Artificial Evolution: A Handbook on Evolutionary Art and Music edited by Juan Romero and Penousal Machado examines applications in art, music, and design". The book includes a section on evolutionary music.
The EuroGP Song Contest (a pun
on Eurovision Song Contest
) was held at EuroGP 2004. In this experiment several tens of users were first tested for their ability to recognise musical differences, and then a short piano-based melody was evolved.
Al Biles gave a tutorial on evolutionary music at GECCO 2005 and co-edited a book on the subject with contributions from many researchers in the field.
Evolutune is a small Windows
application from 2005 for evolving simple loops of "beeps and boops". It has a graphical interface where the user can select parents manually.
The GeneticDrummer is a Genetic Algorithm based system for generating human-competitive rhythm accompaniment.
The easy Song Builder is a evolutionary composition program. The user decides which version of the song will be the germ for the next generation.
Evolutionary art
Evolutionary art is created using a computer. The process starts by having a population of many randomly generated individual representations of artworks. Each representation is evaluated for its aesthetic value and given a fitness score...
, whereby algorithmic music is created using an evolutionary algorithm
Evolutionary algorithm
In artificial intelligence, an evolutionary algorithm is a subset of evolutionary computation, a generic population-based metaheuristic optimization algorithm. An EA uses some mechanisms inspired by biological evolution: reproduction, mutation, recombination, and selection...
. The process begins with a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of individuals which by some means or other produce audio (e.g. a piece, melody, or loop), which is either initialized randomly or based on human-generated music. Then through the repeated application of computational steps analogous to biological selection
Natural selection
Natural selection is the nonrandom process by which biologic traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of differential reproduction of their bearers. It is a key mechanism of evolution....
, recombination
Genetic recombination
Genetic recombination is a process by which a molecule of nucleic acid is broken and then joined to a different one. Recombination can occur between similar molecules of DNA, as in homologous recombination, or dissimilar molecules, as in non-homologous end joining. Recombination is a common method...
and mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
the aim is for the produced audio to become more musical. Evolutionary sound synthesis is a related technique for generating sounds or synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
instruments. Evolutionary music is typically generated using an interactive evolutionary algorithm
Interactive evolutionary computation
Interactive evolutionary computation or aesthetic selection is a general term for methods of evolutionary computation that use human evaluation...
where the fitness function
Fitness function
A fitness function is a particular type of objective function that is used to summarise, as a single figure of merit, how close a given design solution is to achieving the set aims....
is the user or audience, as it is difficult to capture the aesthetic qualities of music computationally. However, research into automated measures of musical quality is also active. Evolutionary computation techniques have also been applied to harmonization and accompaniment
Accompaniment
In music, accompaniment is the art of playing along with an instrumental or vocal soloist or ensemble, often known as the lead, in a supporting manner...
tasks. The most commonly used evolutionary computation techniques are genetic algorithm
Genetic algorithm
A genetic algorithm is a search heuristic that mimics the process of natural evolution. This heuristic is routinely used to generate useful solutions to optimization and search problems...
s and genetic programming
Genetic programming
In artificial intelligence, genetic programming is an evolutionary algorithm-based methodology inspired by biological evolution to find computer programs that perform a user-defined task. It is a specialization of genetic algorithms where each individual is a computer program...
.
History
NEUROGEN (Gibson & Byrne, 1991) employed a genetic algorithm to produce and combine musical fragments and a neural network (trained on examples of "real" music) to evaluate their fitness. A genetic algorithm is also a key part of the improvisation and accompaniment system GenJam which has been developed since 1993 by Al Biles. Al and GenJam are together known as the Al Biles Virtual Quintet and have performed many times to human audiences. Since 1996 Rodney Waschka IIRodney Waschka II
Rodney Waschka II is an American composer known for his algorithmic compositions and his theatrical works.-Biography:Waschka studied at Brooklyn College, at the Institute of Sonology, then newly part of the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, and earned his doctorate at the University of North Texas...
has been using genetic algorithms for music composition including works such as Saint Ambrose and his string quartets. In 1997 Brad Johanson and Riccardo Poli developed the GP-Music System which, as the name implies, used genetic programming to breed melodies according to both human and automated ratings. Several systems for drum loop evolution have been produced (including one commercial program called MuSing).
Conferences
The EvoMUSART Conference (http://evostar.dei.uc.pt/2012/call-for-contributions/evomusart/)from 2012 (previously a workshop) was being carry on in the Evo* event annually from 2003. Some of the webs of these workshops are (2007 2006 2005 2004 2003) This event on evolutionary music and art is one of the main outlets for work on evolutionary music.Recent work
In 2007, Springer published two books on this topic.Evolutionary Computer Music edited by John "Al" Biles and Eduardo Reck Miranda is devoted exclusively to evolution in music with chapters on composition, performance, and improvisation and other aspects of music production and study using genetic algorithms.
The Art of Artificial Evolution: A Handbook on Evolutionary Art and Music edited by Juan Romero and Penousal Machado examines applications in art, music, and design". The book includes a section on evolutionary music.
The EuroGP Song Contest (a pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
on Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
) was held at EuroGP 2004. In this experiment several tens of users were first tested for their ability to recognise musical differences, and then a short piano-based melody was evolved.
Al Biles gave a tutorial on evolutionary music at GECCO 2005 and co-edited a book on the subject with contributions from many researchers in the field.
Evolutune is a small Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
application from 2005 for evolving simple loops of "beeps and boops". It has a graphical interface where the user can select parents manually.
The GeneticDrummer is a Genetic Algorithm based system for generating human-competitive rhythm accompaniment.
The easy Song Builder is a evolutionary composition program. The user decides which version of the song will be the germ for the next generation.
Links
- Al Biles' Evolutionary Music Bibliography - also includes pointers to work on evolutionary sound synthesis.
- The Art of Artificial Evolution: A Handbook on Evolutionary Art and Music
- Evolectronica interactive evolving streaming electronic music
Books
- Evolutionary Computer Music. Miranda, Eduardo Reck; Biles, John Al (Eds.) London: Springer, 2007.
- The Art of Artificial Evolution: A Handbook on Evolutionary Art and Music, Juan Romero and Penousal Machado (eds.), 2007, Springer
- Creative Evolutionary Systems by David W. Corne, Peter J. Bentley