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21M.383 | Spring 2023 | Undergraduate, Graduate

# Computational Music Theory and Analysis

### Composing with Scales, Chords, and RomanNumerals

Watch Video 22a either after you’re done with Problem Sets 7–8—completely or all but the open-ended question and the composition—or if you are struggling to remember some ways to find the root of a triad. It begins with a review of the Chord object in music21 which is locked for much of the assignment. At around 6 minutes it switches topics to describe some problems with the concept of roots that can crash a computer algorithm, especially when it comes to 7-note chords.

This will be helpful if you want to know more about inversions and conceptions about basic music theory of chords and Roman numerals and go further either in the problem set open-ended question or the final project—or if you just like Benjamin Britten!

Video 22a: Chord Review and 13th Chords: Some Problems with Roots

Video 22b is an introduction to Question 4 on Problem Sets 7–8 that asks you to make an open-ended extension:

Video 22b: Problem Sets 7–8: Working and Composing with Scales, Chords, and Roman Numerals

### Algorithmic Composition and Computer Improvisation

Reading for Class 22: History of the Illiac Suite

Video 22c is an introduction by the instructor to algorithmic improvisation and George Lewis:

Video 22c: Algorithmic Improvisation: Intro to George Lewis

Watch this talk by George Lewis on algorithmic improvisation. Be ready to answer the question: Why does George Lewis think we should teach computers to improvise?

Video 22d: Why Do We Want Our Computers to Improvise? (George Lewis at Berlin’s CTM Festival, 2018)

## Course Info

##### Instructor

- Prof. Michael Scott Asato Cuthbert

##### Departments

- Music and Theater Arts

##### As Taught In

Spring 2023

##### Level

Undergraduate
Graduate

##### Topics

- Fine Arts
  - Music
    - Music History
    - Music Theory
- Mathematics
  - Computation
  - Mathematical Analysis
  - Probability and Statistics

##### Learning Resource Types

notes Lecture Notes
theaters Lecture Videos
theaters Other Video
assignment Multiple Assignment Types
grading Exams
Editable Files

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