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Topic: What do you think ?

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Korkesova

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Posted: Oct. 27 2007, 06:51

I read part of Changeling these days and I looked at video with Mike and his new album Music of the Spheres. Mike spok about mathematic harmony in music. When he knows that certain mathematic combination of tones are very nice for our ears, he does computer's programme which is able to create splendid music. It is possible ? What do you think about it ?
I am sure, that Mike is able to do.

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it's never too late for me

larstangmark Offline

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Posted: Oct. 27 2007, 07:43

Try this:

http://www.fractal-vibes.com/fm/

Personally music like that doesn't catch my attention. Without human input music just can't become interesting. The problem is that a computer is unable to surprise, unless it's told exactly how to.
Typical for bad composers is that they just do it according to the "rulebook", which is what a computer would do. The great thing about Mike's music (for instance) is that he does it a bit different to anybody else simply because his idea of harmonics is a little bit different from other those of composers. He got his own little "errors" if you good by the book, and that's the human input. Without the human input it just doesn't become good music IMO.

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"There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste"
Mark E Smith

Sir Mustapha Offline

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Posted: Oct. 27 2007, 10:27

There are already computer programs that can generate music, starting from certain kinds of input from the user. Pete Townshend has the Lifehouse Project, inspired by an idea he had back in the 70's, which produces a "musical portrait" of a person, based on stuff like an image, a sample of voice, etc.. The results are interesting, and in my opinion, exactly because they don't focus on sounding "pleasant". Music can't be pleasant all the time without becoming pedestrian and monotonous. Music exists in dissonance, resolution of tension, movement of harmony, etc.. Even ambient music does that.

But anyway... well, Boards of Canada titled one of their tracks as Music Is Math. It is, to a certain extent. If you treat music as a matrix of notes, it is math. And just as it is possible to "teach" a computer to play chess (and even beat the world #1 champion at it...), it's perfectly possible to teach it to write music, and teach it to learn to do so. It's computationally possible, and no doubt there's a lot of research going on in that area. The problem lies in what is not in the notes - i.e., how relevant and important a piece of music is, given the social, historical, regional context and so on. Would Stravinsky's Rite of Spring cause a riot if it premièred today, for example? Would Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band cause the globe to spin the other direction (metaphorically!! ) today like it did back in 1967? To me, that's the heart of the matter. Art is a social, cultural phenomenon. Maybe the idea of an electronic chip producing music out of nowhere could cause a cultural revolution, but the results of the process themselves? I'm not so sure.

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Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds.
Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com

Korkesova

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Posted: Oct. 27 2007, 13:30

We are right, that good music - extra good by Mike , is full of emotion, which are not possible to preprogram. But when Mike puts together this ability with harmony combination sounds of computer's programm , Who knows?

I look forward to it !

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it's never too late for me

jonnyw

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Posted: Oct. 27 2007, 19:37

I think theres always a possibility that he has found a certain harmony or chord by a patch or a synthesizer created on a computer. There are many patches that produce a chord and harmony when the user presses only one note. However, I think if he did, its completley by accident. Really hs is just gifted at what he does, and I wouldn't think for a second that he uses a mathematical formula.

Music in its raw theory form is mathematical, As sir mustapha said, Though let's not forget, Mike isnt the most theoretical of the bunch.. and had to use Logic's Score view and enlist the help of Karl Jenkins the sibileus program to completely score his latest album for orchestra.

I don't think Oldfield has a Mathematical rule, other than knowing what a 5th, 3rd or octave is semitonal-wise. He jus uses his talent combined with expeience of playing instruments for what? 40 years now?

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Grand piano.
Reed and pipe organ.
Glockenspeil.
Bass guitar.
Vocal chords.
Two slightly sampled electric guitars.
The venitian effect.
Digital sound processor.
And Tubular bells.

Solo music - http://-terrapin-.bebo.com

Band music - http://www.rsimusic.com

Silver Negus Offline

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Posted: Dec. 21 2007, 14:34

Mathematical, logical, yet creative. Probably something in the blood. I have a few freinds who are artists, and two of them have parents who have worked in the medical proffession, as doctors. Perhaps the logical and ceative sides cross over sometimes. To be too logical would not be good, as it means these types of people are quite stoic and can not empathize. I've met atleat two Consultants like that. Yet to be too creative and to never be logical would make an individual quite 'away with the fairies.'

So it's good to have a balance of spiritual mindedness and logical thinking.

Tati The Sentinel Offline

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Posted: Dec. 21 2007, 16:23

Being mathematical + creative can lead to a wonderful blend.But you don't need to think mathematical while you create something,just let it go and flow...

As for myself,being a chemist requires from me my mathematical side,but it's well balanced with my love of music and arts...

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"But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014

"I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011

Silver Negus Offline

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Posted: Dec. 21 2007, 17:14

Quote (Tati The Sentinel @ Dec. 21 2007, 16:23)

Too true Tati. It's good to have a blend. Mathematical still means 'structure', and lots of art forms have a structure. :cool:

7 replies since Oct. 27 2007, 06:51

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Mike Oldfield Forums » Tubular Talk » General discussion » What do you think ?