Algorithmic Music Composition and Interactivity in the MIRAG: Musically Intelligent Robotic Algorithmic Guitar.
Chester Udell, Antonio Arroyo, Eric M. Schwartz · 2011
The MIRAG (Musically Intelligent Robotic Algorithmic Guitar) is a musically autonomous robot encompassing an eclectic variety of disciplines including: 17th century counterpoint, Brazilian folk guitar, algorithmic music composition, proximal human-robot interactivity, and color tracking. Inspired by Pat Metheney's guitarbot built for his Orchestration project, the MIRAG consists of 3 monocords (platforms on which individual strings and actuators are mounted) that play note events. These note events are generated by a central processor using rules of 17th century counterpoint (step-by-step rules that determine how to construct music note- for-note that composers like J.S. Bach would have been familiar with). The brain microprocessor takes in environmental data like human proximity, ambient light, and the color of the human observer's shirt (red, green, or blue) to influence musical parameters as it composes a musical improvisation in real-time and sends note event commands to reflex microprocessors that drive the actuators and strings. Keywordsmusic, musical intelligence, autonomy, proximal interactivity, counterpoint, color tracking.