What is Generative Music?

One can make music independently or design systems that make music. The definition of a system is “A set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network; a complex whole”. In 1965, Steve Reich designed the first mechanical generative machine which consisted of two tape recorders that looped the same recording endlessly, each on a slightly different speed from the other. This in turn created a phasing process, a musical phenomena of ever changing sound loop.

Brian Eno took this method further by using seven tape recorders instead of two and the recordings were even more wicked and further interlinked with each other. Imagine playing one instrument, a guitar that you control and feel. Compare that to seven independent instruments playing simultaneously, without your control. The mere chaos and possibilities which arise from that chaos are endless and the music form becomes completely free and totally infinite.

Back then, designing a synthesizer instrument was only possible on physical instruments and tools however nowadays there is plenty of software DAWs like Bitwig Studio and VCV Rack which can lead the sound engineer to places never seen and heard before. It’s all about designing a process generating machine, an instrument which can take musical notes and run them endlessly- each time providing surprising results. These systems can be very helpful in creating Polyrhythms.

We have studied the broad spectrum of works by Brian Eno while creating atmospheric textures, SFX and transitions, drops and calm ambient loops for our sound packs: Ambient Pulses, Hip Hop Waves and Experimental Resonance.  Please take a minute to listen to the demo tracks available at the bottom of each single page. 

Bitwig Studio, The Grid Interface.

Sound engineers at Pretty Samples, use multitude of production techniques especially when it comes to generative music. We know that the music engineering can not be entirely based off Artificial Intelligence, not yet, however letting an independent system make random independent choices efficiently and effectively can yield truly extraordinary results. It’s all about the level of expression one can achieve through exerting minimum amount of control. Make sure to check out our Store, where through constant experimentation, we try to develop sounds that meet in the middle of chaos, while giving freedom to chance.