Audio

You will find here some audio works that use genetic evolution algorithms in order to let anyone with no musical skills create music. This process is based on a reproduction/selection cycle:

1- Reproduction: the program randomly modifies a given piece of music (or creates one at first).

2- Selection: the listener decides whether this new evolution is better than the original one or not. If it is, it will be used again on stage 1. If not, it is deleted.

Two applications have been developed according to this principle (both very far from being user-friendly, so please no email about availability):

Music Generator:
Music Generator is an application that lets anyone create music, even with no musical experience. The following works have been created using only two keys (select & delete) and the ability to copy/paste a part of the track.

Caution: These songs have no melody because the author doesn't know anything about melody, not because it can not be done. Obviously it would be interesting to have some examples done by a musician, but for the time being, here is what could be described as “hypnotic tribal crescendo” (basically that means piling sounds samples... up to 60 together at some times).

Click to download the MP3s
ComCheck
What Melody (or see the video)
OK Pressure (or see the video)
They're Dancing
Marseillaise
Starmatic (or see the video)

Metamix:
Metamix is used to create a new song out of another one. First it will automatically slice the track (or parts of it) into a lot of very small “one beat” samples (instead of a few long samples, as is usually done), then it will mix them randomly and repeat the genetic evolution process described above.

MP3 Examples (click to download):
Metamix based on a guitar solo by Brian May, from "It's a kind of magic" (Queen)...

based on a piano solo by Ray Charles, from “Mess around”...

based on a guitar solo by Niagara, from “J'ai vu”.

Visual

Watching Music In 3D
The followings videos are early works showing a few ways of turning music into 3D dynamics. The simultaneous perception of correlated audio and visual signals creates a very captivating experience. Obviously a real music video would have more than one morphing effect, as well as the artist(s) included.

Click the thumbnails to see the videos.
Caution:
- If interruptions occur, click the “pause” button and wait until the download has progressed.
- Some songs have been retuned to give them silly voices. Silly voices are cool.

Donna Summer: I Feel Love
(retuned, Click here for Hi-Res)
See how the drum beat makes two wings clap. Left and right channels take half a circle each, with high frequencies close to camera.

Albinoni: Adagio
(Click here for Hi-Res)
Now you see what harmonics are about... simultaneous frequencies.

India Arie: Brown Skin
(retuned, truncated @100Mb)
This simple spherical shape is moving its fat belly like no other spherical shape before.

Markus: Pop Musik
(retuned, Click here for Hi-Res)
Particles effects in a twister.

Avalancher: StarMatic
Dance floor.

Santana: Europa
(Click here for Hi-Res)
One particular spring.

Cat Stevens: Sad Lisa
(Click here for Hi-Res)
No frequencies here, just the base signal filtered and normalized. Notice the short wavelength associated to high notes.

Leonard Cohen: Suzan
(Click here for Hi-Res)
Same as the previous one but on a sphere.

Madonna: Ray Of Light
(retuned)
Flaming particles.

Erik Satie: Gymnopedia
(Click here for Hi-Res)
A relaxing flow.

Avalancher: What Melody
Not the best one to really “see” the music, but beautiful water effects (although low-res). Wait until the end to ear 60 simultaneous sound samples.

Duellin' Banjos
(Click here for Hi-Res)
More water effects. If you're in a dance mood watch the next one instead.

Madonna: Love Profusion RMX
(retuned, truncated @100Mb)
Same as before. If dancing sounds to you like polka or bouzouki, don't bother.

Avalancher: OK Pressure
Quite the same as No.2. Best viewed in a darkened room. If you're at the office, find an excuse.

If you are interested in our works, contact us:

© 2007 Avalancher Studios