Roboser - An Autonomous Interactive Musical Composition System

Abstract

This paper describes Roboser (http://www.roboser.com), an autonomous interactive music composition system. The core of the system comprises two components: a program for simulating large-scale neural networks, and an algorithmic composition system. Both components operate in real-time. Data from e.g. cameras, microphones and pressure sensors enter the simulated neural system, which is also used to actively control motor devices such as pantilt cameras and robots. The neural system relays data representing its current operational state on to the algorithmic composition system. The composition system in turn generates musical expressions of these neural states within an a priori stylistic framework. The result is a real-time system controlled by a brain-like structure that behaves and interacts within a given environment and expresses its internal states through music.