Dr Archer Endrich Richard Dobson BETT January 2015, ExCeL, London ©CDP Ltd .

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Dr Archer EndrichRichard Dobson

BETT January 2015, ExCeL, London CDP Ltd

http://people.bath.ac.uk/masrwd/smcs/smcshome.htmlhttp://www.composersdesktop.com"Over the past century, the UK has stopped nurturing its polymaths.You need to bring art and science back together." Eric Schmidt, MacTaggart lecture, 2012


SMC is inherently multi-disciplinary


MusicComputingMathsPhysicsWith a long and illustrious historyCognitive psychology, psycho-acoustics Pythagoras Guido dArezzo Helmholtz


Max Mathews,1926-2011


Now a major academic and research subject

Large international research community: http://smcnetwork.org

International Conference: 2015 in Maynooth. http://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/smc15

It is now time to bring SMC into schools.


SMC for Computer Scientistsabstraction algorithms - analysis compression concurrency data structures - decision-making determinism expansion exploration generalization generative processes human-computer interaction iteration lists loops maths modules parallelism random recursion repetition selection sequential transformation variation


SMC for Musiciansabstraction algorithms - analysis compression concurrency data structures - decision-making determinism expansion exploration generalization generative processes human-computer interaction iteration lists loops maths modules parallelism random recursion repetition selection sequential transformation variation


SMC for Schools?New techniques for music and MusTech studentsMany tools, languages for music computing (free/OS)Immediate auditory feedback (incl. for bugs!)We believe SMC offers:Engaging and effective environment for teaching CSuseful approach for the visually impairedSoftens boundaries between subjects


Sound example 1Using MIT Scratch 1.4A classic example of musical recursion?

(and concurrency / polyphony)



(and concurrency / polyphony)




Sound Example 1Using MIT Scratch 1.4Other classic musical rounds include:

Row, row, row the boatSumer is Icumen In (mid 13th Century)The problem with any round is how to stop it!


Three core aspects of SMC

Algorithmic Composition

Data Sonification and Audification

Digital Audio (data representation, MIDI)



Richard Orton, 1940 2013

All music is algorithmic



Music isAudible mathematics

We suggest: also audible algorithms


Sound Example 2

A typical approach starts with an elementary pattern:


Sound Example 2

A typical approach starts with an elementary pattern:

A plain major scale


An AbstractionAn instance


Extensions, VariationsThe scale is an abstraction as is a triangle or square.

It can be shifted up and down arbitrarily:


Extensions, VariationsThe scale is an abstraction as is a triangle or square.

It can be shifted up and down arbitrarily

... and even be drawn in a different colour!Sound Example 3


Three levels of (finite) loopingAnd an element of random selection a generative algorithm


Generative Algorithmsor Generative Music (Brian Eno):music that is ever-different and changing, and that is created by a system (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_music)

Simplest starting point random numbersNot only for music creation also texture, ambience, effects, foley, games


Random NumbersNo such thing as a random numberGiven a stream of N numbers, can we predict the next one?Maths: distributions, probability density functionsComputing: deterministic v stochastic, PRNG Sound: jitter, rumble, noise (white, pink, red, brown)Physics: Brownian motion, chaos theory


A Pseudo-Random Number Generator

We can randomise anything numeric, over time:pitchdurationvolumeinstrumenttempo


Sound Example 4varies three parameters over time:


Sound Example 4varies three parameters over time:


Sound Example 5New instrumentConcurrencyRandom rest is quantised( sixteenth note, eighth note)


Sound Example 5New instrument(s)ConcurrencyRandom rest is quantised( sixteenth note, eighth note)


Sound Example 6Smoothing random numbers a simple filter

Maths: calculate average, arithmetic mean.Computing: algorithm to compute a running sum.Each number played is the average of N random numbers.Music: what do we expect to hear?


Sound Example 6Smoothing random numbers a simple filter

A virtuoso performance


Sound Example 7Two possible variations of Sound Example 6.1. Pick out numbers above a threshold, play a long note:


Sound Example 7Two possible variations of Sound Example 6.1. Pick out numbers above a threshold, play a long note:


Sound Example 8Two possible variations of Sound Example 6.2. Randomise times, change the instrument:


Sound Example 8Two possible variations of Sound Example 6.2. Randomise times, change the instrument:

Dawn chorus on a planet far, far away?


Sonificationthe use of non-speech audio to convey information or perceptualize data (Wikipedia)We have already heard some examples of sonification:Loops (multiply nested)IterationRecursion (sort of)

ConcurrencyRandom numbersArithmetic mean


Data Sonificationmathematical functions, tables, chartsimagesmulti-dimensional data a final example of an audible algorithm can you work out what it is doing?

exploits the ability of the ear to discern information presented aurallyused by e.g. NASA, CERN on large data sets


Data Sonificationmathematical functions, tables, chartsimagesmulti-dimensional data a final example of an audible algorithm can you work out what it is doing?exploits the ability of the ear to discern information presented aurallyused by e.g. NASA, CERN on large data sets

Frere JaquesCDP LtdBETT 2015201527000.0plain scaleCDP LtdBETT 2015201512648.0multiloop scaleCDP LtdBETT 2015201525344.0rnotes-1CDP LtdBETT 2015201510104.0rnotes-1bCDP LtdBETT 2015201511664.0rnotes-2bCDP LtdBETT 201520158064.0rnotes-2dCDP LtdBETT 2015201514736.0tweet chorusCDP LtdBETT 2015201520304.0bubblesortCDP LtdBETT 2015201531728.0

Dr Archer Endrich Richard Dobson BETT January 2015, ExCeL, London ©CDP Ltd .

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