Computer-assisted orchestration, machine learning, creation, and orchestration pedagogy
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Computer-assisted orchestration, machine learning, creation, and orchestration pedagogy
Gilbert Nouno (Haute École de Musique de Genève) [PI] with Carmine Cella (University of California, Berkeley), and Kit Soden (McGill University).
Description:
Computer-assisted orchestration can be thought of as the process of searching for the best combinations of orchestral sounds to match a target sound under specified metrics and constraints. Although a solution to this problem has been a long-standing request from many composers, it remains relatively unexplored because of its high complexity, requiring knowledge and understanding of both mathematical formalization and musical writing.
The state-of-the-art software for computer-assisted orchestration is Orchidea, developed by ACTOR member Carmine-Emanuele Cella. Orchidea is deployed in several formats including a Max/MSP package, a set of command line tools and a standalone software for OSX. The Max/MSP version is geared towards more advanced users who know how to program the language and aim to solve complex orchestration tasks. On the other hand, the standalone software is much easier to understand and use and has been designed for composers who do not have the technical skills and for composition students.
The current version of the standalone version implements a limited subset of the functionalities present in Orchidea and is part of a pilot project meant to create a proof-of-concept software. However, the reaction of the Orchidea community to the standalone has been very positive and has motivated the necessity of a newer and more complete version.
With the support of the Strategic Project Funding from ACTOR, this project aims to create such a version, including many new features. Alessandro Petrolati has been the main developer of the current version and is the ideal candidate to continue the work on the standalone. The selection of the new features to be added is supervised by Gilbert Nouno (HEM), Carmine Cella (UC Berkeley), and Kit Soden (McGill).
Under the supervision of Nouno, a student composer from HEM is testing the new software by working on a research/creation project on orchestration. Project documentation includes a Research-Creation Module on the TOR. Student member Louis Goldford (Columbia) is responsible for creating new video tutorials for the software, to be added to the YouTube channel of Orchidea and to the TOR.