The Generative Process, Music Composition and Games

The generative process through which artistic creators render artworks calls upon many perceptual and cognitive abilities. Because perceptions are knowledge and context dependent, creators and noncreators perceive structure in artworks differently. Analyses of artworks decoupled from the creating artists' perceptions offer an incomplete understanding of the generative process. The author's music composition games offer insight into the perceptions and styles of creators and provide a basis for empirical studies by enabling creators and non-creators to share a context and knowledge of constraints. Game results point toward more informed models of the generative process and new opportunities for the generative arts.