Music Generation Using Recurrent Neural Networks

Abstract

Over the past years music has been continually evolving through the its tempos and beats as well as it’s melody. Traditionally, music is produced by a group of musicians with different instruments combining together to create a final synchronised product. In recent years, harmonies and beats were always considered to be generated manually. However, with the advent of digital technologies and software, it has become possible for machines to generate music automatically at an alarming pace. The purpose of this research is to propose a method for creating musical notes using Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), specifically Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)networks. To implement this algorithm, a model is created and the data is represented in the form of a percussive instrument digital interface (MIDI) file for easy access and interpretation. The process of preparing the data for input into the model isalso discussed, as well as techniques for receiving, processing, and storing MIDI files for use as input.To enhance its learning capabilities, the model should be able to remember previous details of a musical sequence and its structure. This paper discusses the use of a layered architecture in the LSTM model and how its connections interweave to create a neural network.