The behavior of these programs/players features their ability to change and react to what the other players are doing. Because the players are "trying" to eventually play in sympathy, it creates tension and release in a way that may seem to emulate humans improvising together. These programs "understand" some basic tonal theory.
The programs generating this in Pure Data produce 3 layers of music:
1. moving diads (2-note chords) of parallel 5ths, but only moves in certain preferred intervals. this player does whatever it wants and doesn't listen to the others.
2. single tones which are chosen to harmonize with those of #1, often changing its mind suddenly to respond to #1. #2's choice of notes draws from color tones it learned by listening to jazz (maj 7ths, 10ths, 9ths, etc.).
3. a variably repeating bassline which also "listens" to #1, and sometimes alternates between the low note of #1 (the root) and a 3 half-steps below it (6th degree, or relative minor). This player likes to finish its phrase before adjusting to the other players.
credits
from Ephemerides (2021),
released January 9, 2021
The bassline was inspired by sounds heard in the soundtrack to the film Ex Machina by Ben Salisbury & Geoff Barrow
Pure Data originally by Miller Puckete; puredata.info
mixed in Harrison Mixbus 6
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