[r-t] Software

[John Goldthorpe]

King, Peter R wrote:
> Can I ask how these compositions were produced? I assume from the rapidity of their production that they were computer generated. If so what was the software? As a more general (and perhaps more interesting question) could someone write something about the general principles behind composition generating algorithms. Clearly it is more intelligent than just trial and error or exhaustive search. I would be quite interested to see what the structured approach is.
>  
> thanks,
>  
> Peter
>   
The compositions are computer generated.  I use my own software which I 
wrote about 11 years ago, though there have been a few modifications 
since.  Perhaps I should make a web page to explain the details?  I seem 
to remember explaining on this list how I produced the 45 method atw 
composition.  These 8 parts are just the same.  I think it would be fair 
to say that the "intelligent" part of the process is not in the 
software, but how it's used.

This is a basic flowchart of the process:

1. choose methods
2. create a file with a lead of each method in it (software)
3. choose part heads
4. choose available lead heads
5. choose calls
6. choose what music to look for
7. create a map (software)
8. create a seed for the search (optional)
9. choose search parameters (eg. max length, max amount of each method, 
how to use the seed, etc.)
10. search map (software)
11. check results
12. either select a composition, or go back to step 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 
9 and try again

John