Compositional Strategies in Computer-Based Music-Making

Folkestad, Göran; Hargreaves, David J.; Lindström, Berner

doi:10.1017/s0265051700003788

Cited by 62 publications

(47 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Gardner (1982) is also intrigued by similarities in the learning of songs with other domains such as language and drawing. Patterns may be important when composing with computer-based sequencing programmes where the shapes or blocks of music can be manipulated with reference to an on-screen visual representation of the musical material (Folkestad, 1998;Folkestad, Hargreaves & Lindstrom, 1998). In that way, thinking about composition involves other domains which can enrich understanding in music, in those other domains and in the relationships between them.…”

Section: Critical Thinking In Musicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinking Music Matters: Key Skills and Composition

et al. 2001

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This paper is concerned with the idea that learning to compose music also enables students to think in ways that might be helpful in other contexts. In Britain and elsewhere it has become common to refer to this type of thinking as the 'core' or 'key' skill of critical thinking. Whilst the authors are sceptical about using such reference, they nevertheless argue that there are features of musical composition that are worth learning not only for their own sake but also because they are helpful in learning to think in other curricular contexts. Their small-scale empirical study of classroom practice in Scotland indicates that while this type of learning might be desirable, it is not likely to be realised in contexts in which the emphasis in assessment is on producing a folio of compositions for examination purposes. The authors found that teachers tended not to encourage thinking about the presumed merits of the composition, how merit might be determined and how the composition related to other curricular areas. The study has implications for policy makers and assessment authorities concerned to encourage the development of core or key skills and for teachers and learners who would like to extend their understanding of music into other areas.

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Section: Critical Thinking In Musicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinking Music Matters: Key Skills and Composition

et al. 2001

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“…This paper argues that if we remove children from an environment in which their creative, expressive and musical choices are constrained by the instruments, the environment itself, (Amabile and Gitomer, 1984;Kratus, 2001) and their skills, then what occurs when we place them in a new environment will be richer. The restriction now is placed on "the potential of the computer" (Folkestad et al, 1998) rather than on the musical ability of the child.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The children are encouraged to throw nothing away, even the files they no longer wish to use. I do not believe it necessary or practical to collect every saved version of every alteration to a file (Folkestad et al, 1998), the analysis of what the children produce each session should be adequate. In this way computers can aid the process of examination of the "history of a particular composition as displayed in the composer's written manuscripts" (Sloboda, 1985: 102).…”

Section: Computer As Data Collectormentioning

confidence: 99%

The Computer as Scaffold, Tool and Data Collector: Children Composing with Computers

Reynolds

2005

Educ Inf Technol

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This paper looks at children's approaches to music composition using advanced music software. The data indicate that the software allowed children different ways of looking at their compositions: visually, musically and aurally. The paper explores the notion of the computer as a scaffold with reference to the Swanwick and Tillman (1986) stages of musical development, seeking to investigate different ways of demonstrating children's musical development. The paper also discusses the way the software can be used as an analysis and data collection tool.

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“…However, it would be hard to define an appropriate level of abstraction at which to make the comparison: we would not expect the compositions themselves to be the same at the note level. However, a number of studies have demonstrated broad strategic differences between composers (Folkestad et al, 1990) and related such differences to degrees of compositional expertise (Colley et al, 1992;Davidson & Welsh, 1988). A basis for the comparison of cognitive models with human data might be found at this level of general strategy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivations and Methodologies for Automation of the Compositional Process

2002

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Our aim in this paper is to clarify the range of motivations that have inspired the development of computer programs for the composition of music. We consider this to be important since different methodologies are appropriate for different motivations and goals. We argue that a widespread failure to specify the motivations and goals involved has lead to a methodological malaise in music related research. A brief consideration of some of the earliest attempts to produce computational systems for the composition of music leads us to identify four activities involving the development of computer programs which compose music each of which is inspired by different practical or theoretical motivations. These activities are algorithmic composition, the design of compositional tools, the computational modelling of musical styles and the computational modelling of music cognition. We consider these four motivations in turn, illustrating the problems that have arisen from failing to distinguish between them. We propose a terminology that clearly differentiates the activities defined by the four motivations and present methodological suggestions for research in each domain. While it is clearly important for researchers to embrace developments in related disciplines, we argue that research in the four domains will continue to stagnate unless the motivations and aims of research projects are clearly stated and appropriate methodologies are adopted for developing and evaluating systems that compose music.

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Compositional Strategies in Computer-Based Music-Making

Cited by 62 publications

References 5 publications

Thinking Music Matters: Key Skills and Composition

Thinking Music Matters: Key Skills and Composition

The Computer as Scaffold, Tool and Data Collector: Children Composing with Computers

Motivations and Methodologies for Automation of the Compositional Process

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