Generative music and cellular automata

Burraston, David M

Generative music and cellular automata

Burraston, David M

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Publication Type:: Thesis
Issue Date:: 2006

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	02Whole.pdf	thesis	38.59 MB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Burraston, David M
dc.date.accessioned	2016-11-08T23:41:20Z
dc.date.available	2016-11-08T23:41:20Z
dc.date.issued	2006
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/60573
dc.description	University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Information Technology.	en_AU
dc.description	NO FULL TEXT AVAILABLE. Access is restricted indefinitely. The hardcopy may be available for consultation at the UTS Library.
dc.description.abstract	NO FULL TEXT AVAILABLE. Access is restricted indefinitely. ----- Complex systems such as Cellular Automata (CA) produce global behaviour based on the interactions of simple units (cells). They are fascinating objects, producing more pattern than a single human is capable of observing within their own lifetime. Their evolution is specified by local interaction rules that generate some form of ordered, complex or chaotic behaviour. This wide variety of behaviour represents an important generative tool for the artist. However, chaotic behaviour dominates rule space, which has serious implications for application and investigation. The main contribution of this thesis is a new perspective into a recognised key problem, the structure of rule space. This is achieved through empirical observation of a fundamental connection between state space and rule space. The methodology combines experimental music composition and reflective practice in its approach. The techniques are based on recent perspectives of CA theory, called global dynamics, and music composition practice. The significant problem of identifying rule space structure is approached from an artists perspective to obtain mixtures of behaviour, which differs from the traditional method of grouping together similar dynamics. A detailed account exposes the main process of creating mixed, but related groups of CA rules. The approach taken provides an interesting and alternative method of studying CA rule spaces in general, independent of musical application. Further contributions are made throughout the thesis and provide a significant foundation for the main contribution relating to rule space structure. An extensive review of CA and their application in music presents a balanced view of the field to set the work in context. The methodology proposes criteria for evaluation of this new approach to rule space structure. Important concepts of global dynamics are utilised in composition practice for the first time, enabling the key observations on the state and rule space connection. Fundamental connections between well known rules and music composition technology are introduced to establish links between the fields. This approach to produce generative music is fundamentally different from previous work and several descriptions of CA music mappings are presented in a practice-based context. New generative music compositions, a significant amount of CA data and an electronic copy of the thesis are included on the CD-ROM. The state/rule space connection identified in this thesis has the potential to open new directions, in both science and music.	en_AU
dc.format	Thesis (PhD)
dc.language.iso	en_AU	en_AU
dc.rights	The author owns the copyright in this thesis including all reproduction and reuse rights for the work. The work may not be altered without the permission of the copyright owner. Attribution is essential when quoting or paraphrasing from this thesis.
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.title	Generative music and cellular automata	en_AU
dc.type	Thesis	en_AU
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access

Abstract:

NO FULL TEXT AVAILABLE. Access is restricted indefinitely. ----- Complex systems such as Cellular Automata (CA) produce global behaviour based on the interactions of simple units (cells). They are fascinating objects, producing more pattern than a single human is capable of observing within their own lifetime. Their evolution is specified by local interaction rules that generate some form of ordered, complex or chaotic behaviour. This wide variety of behaviour represents an important generative tool for the artist. However, chaotic behaviour dominates rule space, which has serious implications for application and investigation. The main contribution of this thesis is a new perspective into a recognised key problem, the structure of rule space. This is achieved through empirical observation of a fundamental connection between state space and rule space. The methodology combines experimental music composition and reflective practice in its approach. The techniques are based on recent perspectives of CA theory, called global dynamics, and music composition practice. The significant problem of identifying rule space structure is approached from an artists perspective to obtain mixtures of behaviour, which differs from the traditional method of grouping together similar dynamics. A detailed account exposes the main process of creating mixed, but related groups of CA rules. The approach taken provides an interesting and alternative method of studying CA rule spaces in general, independent of musical application. Further contributions are made throughout the thesis and provide a significant foundation for the main contribution relating to rule space structure. An extensive review of CA and their application in music presents a balanced view of the field to set the work in context. The methodology proposes criteria for evaluation of this new approach to rule space structure. Important concepts of global dynamics are utilised in composition practice for the first time, enabling the key observations on the state and rule space connection. Fundamental connections between well known rules and music composition technology are introduced to establish links between the fields. This approach to produce generative music is fundamentally different from previous work and several descriptions of CA music mappings are presented in a practice-based context. New generative music compositions, a significant amount of CA data and an electronic copy of the thesis are included on the CD-ROM. The state/rule space connection identified in this thesis has the potential to open new directions, in both science and music.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/60573