Algorithmic Composition: A Gentle Introduction to Music Composition Using Common LISP and Common Music
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16.3 Compositional Environments
Quite often, the output of an algorithm does not result in the creation of an entire composition. Higher-level compositional environments such as MIDI sequencers or multi-track digital audio workstations may be used to edit, process, or assemble the output of your algorithms. Post processing of the output of compositional algorithms implies that these algorithms themselves are a part of a whole. For this reason, the composer must carefully think about the formal structure of a composition and how the output of an algorithm relates to the composition as a whole.
Algorithms that output MIDI data may be positioned onto the tracks of a MIDI sequencer. By positioning the data in a time-domain representation, the composer can readily experiment with the placement of events in time and the density of those events. A MIDI sequencer allows for graphic editing of MIDI data so small changes to the output of an algorithm are simplified.
Figure 16.3.1 shows an example of the output of two algorithms positioned in the time-domain representation of a MIDI sequencer.
Figure 16.3.1
Because Common Music outputs MIDI data as well as data that may be used as input to sound synthesis languages such as Csound, the composer may wish to assemble a composition using a digital audio workstation that imports MIDI. Similar to Figure 16.3.1, the user-interface of a digital audio workstation generally uses a time-domain representation of audio and MIDI allowing the composer great freedom in the organization of musical events.
