Real-Time Evolutionary Music Composition Using JFUGUE and Genetic Algorithm

Abstract

Computer musicology is the research from the interdisciplinary computer science and music fields to study music but not limited to these aforementioned disciplines. Composing a musical piece is a tedious work, time consuming and sometimes it is frustrating to obtain the same repetitive and unintentionally composed the copyrighted similar patterns from other artists. Therefore, automated computer music composition that is utilizing the computing to music essentially one of the methods is evolutionary music using evolutionary algorithms such as Genetic Algorithm (GA). This focal of the research project is the study of evolutionary music, and focuses on the development of an algorithmic music composer using the Java programming language. The system shall be able generated music based on a genetic algorithm, where users can define basic parameters including the instrument used to play the music, tempo, number of generated notes, and the number of measures to generate. In addition, the system also utilizes JavaFx and JFUGUE for its graphical user interface and music programming respectively. Besides generating music, the developed system includes various functionalities including saving the music into an audio file, editing the generated music, playing music, as well as loading and viewing the music previously generated and saved by the users. The music produced through this system are relatively simple and innovative, and is suited to be applied in personal projects which require such audio accompaniment. Lastly, the deliverable of this project will be a desktop application for users to compose and generate music in real-time with minimal effort.