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Composers have used formalized procedures to create music throughout history. With the advent of the computer, algorithmic composition allows composers not only to create and experiment with different formalisms, but to hear and evaluate results quickly. Often in algorithmic composition, the composer has only a vague idea how the output will sound, but because the input is highly automated, the composer can make adjustments to take advantage of happy accidents, program bugs, and other creative sources of sound.

Algorithmic Composition: A Guide to Composing Music with Nyquist provides an overview of procedural approaches to music generation. It introduces programming concepts through many examples written using the Nyquist system for music composition and sound synthesis. Nyquist is freely available software, and over 100 program examples from this book are available in electronic form. Readers will be well equipped to develop their own algorithms for composition.

Music students who are learning about computer music and electronic music will all be interested in this innovative book, as generative music becomes an important part of the future of the discipline. Students and scholars in computer science will also find much to interest them, in a straightforward and fun way.

Table of Contents

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  1. Cover
  2. p. 1
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  1. Front Matter
  2. pp. 2-7
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  1. Contents
  2. pp. vii-x
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  1. Preface
  2. pp. xi-xii
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  1. Acknowledgments
  2. pp. xiii-15
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  1. Chapter 1. Introduction
  2. pp. 1-5
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  1. Chapter 2. The History and Philosophy of Algorithmic Composition
  2. pp. 6-15
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  1. Chapter 3. Introduction to SAL
  2. pp. 16-42
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  1. Chapter 4. Programming and Nyquist
  2. pp. 43-60
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  1. Chapter 5. Introduction to Algorithmic Composition
  2. pp. 61-73
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  1. Chapter 6. Printing, Reading, and Debugging
  2. pp. 74-81
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  1. Chapter 7. Variable Assignment and Scoping
  2. pp. 82-98
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  1. Chapter 8. Conditionals
  2. pp. 99-107
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  1. Chapter 9. Sets and Tables
  2. pp. 108-124
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  1. Chapter 10. Functional Programming
  2. pp. 125-131
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  1. Chapter 11. Recursion
  2. pp. 132-147
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  1. Chapter 12. Iteration
  2. pp. 148-163
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  1. Chapter 13. Algorithmic Composition Using Probabilistic Methods
  2. pp. 164-186
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  1. Chapter 14. Hierarchical and Recursive Musical Structure
  2. pp. 187-197
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  1. Chapter 15. Composing Sonic Microstructure and Macrostructure
  2. pp. 198-212
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  1. Chapter 16. Extended Examples
  2. pp. 213-229
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  1. Chapter 17. Epilogue
  2. pp. 230-231
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  1. Appendix. SAL Commands and Functions
  2. pp. 232-235
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  1. Bibliography
  2. pp. 236-242
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  1. Discography
  2. pp. 243-244
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  1. Index
  2. pp. 245-249
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