Professor: Douglas Repetto, douglas@music.columbia.edu
TA: Johnathan Lee, jlee@music.columbia.edu
Our Motto: "Why, then how."
First we'll finish with the research presentations from tuesday.
Then we'll finish looking at the pieces we didn't get to last
week. Then we'll move on to today's topic:
There's a lot to talk about here. "Algorithms" is a very large topic! Below is an unordered list of questions and comments; we'll use these in class to drive the discussion as we talk about the idea of the algorithm and how and why they're often used in making electronic art. Some Algorithms.
What is an algorithm? *
If a recipe is an algorithm, what are ingredients? *
Is a musical score an algorithm?
Is a map an algorithm?
How does the idea of data reduction fit in to all of this?
How is a loaf of bread different from the instructions for making a loaf of bread?
Who is the good cook? The person who wrote the recipe, or the person who follows it?
What about if a computer bakes your bread or plays your score? *
What if it's not played at all? What about an impossible algorithm? *
Sometimes you know the result of an algorithm before running it, sometimes you don't.
Some algorithms give the same output every time, others don't.
Some algorithms finish running, others don't.
Some algorithms are used to create other algorithms.
What's a deterministic algorithm?
Are we all just lazy?
How does entropy figure in?
What's creative about random numbers? What if they're not even really random? *
What does non-linear mean?
Nature loves algorithms. *
Some people argue that nature is an algorithm. *
What does it mean to "discover" an algorithm? *
If you make art using algorithms, does your audience need to know that?
Do they need to understand the specifics of the algorithm?
Do you need to understand the specifics of the algorithm? *
What does it mean if you're not sure whether a work is algorithmic or not? Does the meaning of the work change?
You make a non-algorithmic piece and someone comes up to you and says, "What's your algorithm?" *
"Generative Art" *
"Algorithmic Art"
Is all "Computer Music" algorithmic?
"Through-composed."
Is it fair to tweak the output of an algorithm in a piece? Do you have to admit it?
Christian Wolff's text pieces. *
Yoko Ono's instruction paintings. *
"Generative Psychogeography." *
The ubiquitous "Game of Life." *
"Serial Music."
What's an "interactive algorithm?"
What's an algorithm with no inputs? *
What's an algorithm with no outputs?
Algorithms make the infinite seem close.
Or really far away.
The ubiquitous "Monkeys Typing Shakespeare." *
Algorithms as time savers.
Algorithms as creative crutches.
Algorithms can be used at many different levels, from generating sound samples to creating large-scale forms.
What's the interesting part? The final product? Several iterations of the algorithm? The process itself?
Who wants to watch a wheel turn?
Who wants to read a computer-generated poem? *
What's the difference between the output from a really complex, difficult to understand algorithm and a bunch of random gunk?
What's the difference between pressing Play on a CD player and pressing Play on an algorithmic composition?
Can an algorithm tell a story?
Can an algorithm be expressive?
Larry Polansky's Four Voice Cannons. *
Alvin Lucier's I Am Sitting in a Room. *
Sol LeWitt. *
The proof is in the pudding.
Your assignment:
There's an algorithmic sound art festival in town, and they've commissioned you to do two algorithmic sound art pieces in any medium. The output of one is to be recorded once and released on CD, the other will be presented at a live event or as an installation in a gallery. Make a proposal for each piece. Be specific. Create an algorithm. Do some iterations. Have fun.
NO: "I will use chaos theory and quantum mechanics to shine a harsh light on the seamy underbelly of algorithmic sound art festivals."
YES: "Wearing piezo mics in my shoes and an amplifier on my head, I will walk from one side of the building to the other, counting the number of steps it takes me to get to each room. If the number of steps is odd and the room number is also odd, i will add the two numbers together and tapdance for that number of seconds. I will then continue walking. If one number is odd and the other is even I will simply continue walking. If both numbers are even I will return to my starting point and begin again, taking a different route each time. This process will shine a harsh light on the seamy underbelly of algorithmic sound art festivals."
NOTE: Both of the above violate our "Why, then how" motto. B-
You don't have to actually make finished pieces, but be prepared to talk about your ideas. Explain what you're trying to do and how your algorithm works. Feel free to present diagrams, charts, graphics, programs, soundfiles, sketches, code, etc. Also remember that you've only got 15 minutes to make your case.