Music composing software

Csound score generator using musical series

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muses

Overview

MU.SE.S. ( MUsical SEries Software ) is a software that allows to manipulate the musical series in alpha-numerical format through the use of the Csound code. A musical series is, here, a sequence of twelve values, not necessarily different among them, related to one of the four musical parameters (intensity, duration, timbre, pitch). MU.SE.S. elaborates an input series, and releases the new series as output. The mechanism used by the algorhythm of MU.SE.S. is enough simple. The series furnished by the user, is recombined through one of the counterpoint combinations available (chosen by the user). Besides, some or all values of the series, are replaced with others values, selected by the program. This choice happen in relationship to some logical rules, and to the limits indicated by the user. Of course, is also possible to exclude the automatic functions, and control the series manually. The values relative to the four musical parameters, are been implemented as monodimensional array. When the program replaces the values of the series, it chooses one or more values casually, from the subset of the array relative to the treated parameter. This subset is defined by the user through the choice of the min. and max. limits. To the four traditional parameters, an other has been added, relating to the start time of the notes. This series will be therefore composed, by a sequence of values express in seconds. The values of this series will indicate the point on the line of the time, on which to put the single musical event

What's new

What's new in version 0.1.3 (released 27/8/06)

Automatic configuration make muses ready to run after the installation.
Quick insertion of headers
Quick insertion of iamp and ifrq convertions
Quick insertion of score's functions tables
The Csound binary version 423f13 has been included on the packages

What's new in version 0.1.2

Series to manipulate the parameters from p6 to p25.
A basic Csound interface, that allow to open and edit the "*.orc" and "*.sco" files, run Csound, and launch the current "*.wav" file.
Controls to set wich series to memorize in the output data file.

Copyright

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.

This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.

You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.

Tutorial

Basic concepts

Write music using MU.SE.S. means to develop the musical sequences, through the use of the musical series. Each musical parameter is therefore managed by the relating series.

Series

The series are shown in three differents windows into a large black rectangle. The series disposition is as follow (from the top):

First window: pitch series durations series db series instr series act series
Second and third windows: On the windows relatives to the parameters from p6 to p15 and from p16 to p25, the series has been disposed in numerical order.

Modification and recombination of the series

To apply the algorithm's rules to modify the series and recombine it automatically through a counterpoint combination, set the relative "generation" button on the active status (yellow light), and select a combination present on the "write" button.
To write a single series on the score "as is" without modify and recombine its values, set the "generation" button to the inactive status (light = OFF).
To recombine all series with a counterpoint combination, but not modify its values, set to 0 all the values of the "formula" (a,b,c).

Series limits

The series limits can be plan using the relatives "min" and "max" controls, for the series from p1 to p5 only. The series from p6 to p25 can be activate or deactivate, besides is possible to choice if apply to this series the counterpoint function that is selected through the "write" button. Memorize the input series.
It's possible to memorize the series values on the output data ("*.txt") file setting to ON/OFF the buttons with the "M" label (a green light to the left). Save a series setting

Open the "Path window" and press the "SAVE" button This operation allow to modify the path setting for the current series. Alternatively press CTRL+S, to save the series with the current path setting. Load the series for the parameters from p6 to p25
When you start a new session, the parameters from p6 to p25 are not load. To load this parameters it's need to open the relatives windows. Once opened this windows the parameters are active also if the window not be shown.

Formula: The term "formula" means a triple of whole values used by the program to "decide" how modify the values of the series. The first of this values define the number of values to modify, the second and third values define which rhythmic constants values must be used to generate the duration series. To widen the functioning of the algorythm see the article An example of musical generation * w, x, y, z values This values are the rhythmic constants.

Counterpoint controls
To recombine a single series select a counterpoint combination from the control to the right of the serie

The "Write" button
This button write all the series into the current score file. If the generation button relative to a series is set to light ON, and if a valid triple of formula's values has been introduced, this series will be modify by the internal rules of the program's algorithm, and the series will be recombined whit the selected combination.
Series from p6 to p25
This series cannot be modify by the algorithm's rules. The first (from the left) yellow light buttons present to the right of the series enable the output of thes series to the score, the second enable the recombination of the series whit the counterpoint combination selected by the "write" button.