ABSTRACT
One of the more significant advantages of the computer for music making is its ability to be programmed; its ability to automatically execute a series of tasks and to do them quickly. This is, of course, the basis for all software development but can also be the basis for a music making practice. Algorithmic music using a computer takes advantage of this ability to automate a series of instructions (an algorithm) to musical ends. An algorithm is a series of instructions, not unlike a recipe for making a cake, and computers can be very efficient at following such a series of instructions or rules. The challenge for the composer of algorithmic music is to write instructions that lead to interesting and expressive music. Musical algorithms can describe how each of the musical elements are specified and varied as the piece proceeds. This can include control over the pitch, duration, and loudness of notes, the timbre of sounds, the use of structural features such as repetition and variation, as well as tempo, volume balance, and so on.
