Chaos Melody Theory
Making Music with Chaos Theory: Masters Thesis, Elaine Walker, New York University, 2001
1-rx^2 was composed in MAX using Chaos Melody Theory in 1991 (in the Bohlen-Pierce Scale tuning).
Movement 1 | Movement 2 | Movement 3 | Movement 4
Movement 1 | Movement 2 | Movement 3 | Movement 4
The Chaos Controller:
This is a homemade hardware MIDI instrument that uses the method of Chaos Melody Theory to create beautiful music. Listen to a live improvisation!
I built the Chaos Controller in 2001 as a hardware version of my Chaos Melody Maker program that I had created in MAX (visual programming software for algorithmic MIDI based music).
A benefit of Chaos Melody Theory is that practically anyone can "conduct" beautiful and satisfying music! The performer is only required to vary a couple parameters (with sliders on two poles) to control the phrasing of the melodies and the amount of "chaos." Once you get a feel for the dynamics of the math and the melodies that come out, it's really fun and satisfying. It allows people with no formal musical training to get personally involved with music, using technology and math, which many argue have taken away from musicality in the past.
Please feel free to build your own Chaos Controller! Read my Masters Thesis (above) first, to understand the process that it uses.
The Chaos Controller was my final project for Physical Computing class with Dr. Igoe at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU in 2000. Each student did an “art” project involving the Basic Stamp. It was the perfect opportunity to learn how to emulate my Chaos Melody Theory "MAX patch" software with a stand-alone hardware device. Since it was "art" we were encouraged to be creative with the visuals!
I used stuff I had around the house to build it, including keyboard stand pipes for the two arms, cut-up water bottles and mouse pads for the round sliders on the poles, and black and white printed paper in the pattern of 3-bit grey code (0 to 7, but out of order so that only one bit changes at a time). Three LED lights with accompanying photoresistors are mounted inside each slider to read the 3-bit greycode.
I programmed the Chaos Controller to use the iterative equation, x=1-rx^2, but it could be programmed with any number of equations. One arm/slider combo is for the r value and one is for the x value. The r slider sets the r (chaos) parameter, and it can be continuously changed. A button on the r slider starts the mathematics loop running. The x slider sets the x value and a button on the x slider is available to reset the x value at any time. A controller pedal can adjust the tempo of the iterative loop.
A benefit of Chaos Melody Theory is that practically anyone can "conduct" beautiful and satisfying music! The performer is only required to vary a couple parameters (with sliders on two poles) to control the phrasing of the melodies and the amount of "chaos." Once you get a feel for the dynamics of the math and the melodies that come out, it's really fun and satisfying. It allows people with no formal musical training to get personally involved with music, using technology and math, which many argue have taken away from musicality in the past.
Please feel free to build your own Chaos Controller! Read my Masters Thesis (above) first, to understand the process that it uses.
The Chaos Controller was my final project for Physical Computing class with Dr. Igoe at Tisch School of the Arts at NYU in 2000. Each student did an “art” project involving the Basic Stamp. It was the perfect opportunity to learn how to emulate my Chaos Melody Theory "MAX patch" software with a stand-alone hardware device. Since it was "art" we were encouraged to be creative with the visuals!
I used stuff I had around the house to build it, including keyboard stand pipes for the two arms, cut-up water bottles and mouse pads for the round sliders on the poles, and black and white printed paper in the pattern of 3-bit grey code (0 to 7, but out of order so that only one bit changes at a time). Three LED lights with accompanying photoresistors are mounted inside each slider to read the 3-bit greycode.
I programmed the Chaos Controller to use the iterative equation, x=1-rx^2, but it could be programmed with any number of equations. One arm/slider combo is for the r value and one is for the x value. The r slider sets the r (chaos) parameter, and it can be continuously changed. A button on the r slider starts the mathematics loop running. The x slider sets the x value and a button on the x slider is available to reset the x value at any time. A controller pedal can adjust the tempo of the iterative loop.
Grab the code for the Basic Stamp controller.
Read some more notes about the Chaos Controller here.
