Each Thursday in the Disquiet Junto group, a new compositional challenge is set before the group’s members, who then have just over four days to upload a track in response to the assignment. Membership in the Junto is open: just join and participate. (A SoundCloud account is helpful but not required.) There’s no pressure to do every project. It’s weekly so that you know it’s there, every Thursday through Monday, when you have the time.
Deadline: This project’s deadline is Monday, March 25, 2019, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are. It was posted in the early evening, California time, on Thursday, March 21, 2019.
Tracks will be added to the playlist for the duration of the project.
These are the instructions that went out to the group’s email list (at tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto):
Disquiet Junto Project 0377: Algorithms Assemble The Assignment: Have fun with rules applied to scales, in coordination with the Algorithmic Art Assembly.
This week’s project is being done with the Algorithmic Art Assembly, “a brand new two day conference and music festival, showcasing a diverse range of artists who are using algorithmic tools and processes in their works.” It’s being held in San Francisco on March 22 and 23, 2019. More information at aaassembly.org. The project is lightly adapted from one proposed by Junto member Charlie Kramer (aka NorthWoods).
Step 1: Define a scale of 8 notes (or sounds).
Step 2: Create a melody with 4 notes from the scale resulting from Step 1.
Step 3: Replace note 2 in the melodic sequence from Step 2 with an unused note (selected deterministically or randomly). Then do this for note 4, then for note 3, and then for note 1.
Step 4: Reintroduce the first melody as counterpoint to the result of Step 3. This establishes a pair of notes at each point in time.
Step 5: Repeat the algorithm on these pairs. Repeat to create triplets.
Step 6: Sequence variations to create a piece of music.
Extra credit: Do the same with note durations and velocities (e.g., 8 possibilities, 4 choices).
Seven More Important Steps When Your Track Is Done:
Step 1: Include “disquiet0377” (no spaces or quotation marks) in the name of your track.
Step 2: If your audio-hosting platform allows for tags, be sure to also include the project tag “disquiet0377” (no spaces or quotation marks). If you’re posting on SoundCloud in particular, this is essential to subsequent location of tracks for the creation a project playlist.
Step 3: Upload your track. It is helpful but not essential that you use SoundCloud to host your track.
Step 4: Post your track in the following discussion thread at llllllll.co:
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0377-algorithms-assemble/
Step 5: Annotate your track with a brief explanation of your approach and process.
Step 6: If posting on social media, please consider using the hashtag #disquietjunto so fellow participants are more likely to locate your communication.
Step 7: Then listen to and comment on tracks uploaded by your fellow Disquiet Junto participants.
Additional Details:
Deadline: This project’s deadline is Monday, March 25, 2019, at 11:59pm (that is, just before midnight) wherever you are on. It was posted in the early evening, California time, on Thursday, March 21, 2019.
Length: The length is up to you.
Title/Tag: When posting your track, please include “disquiet0377” in the title of the track, and where applicable (on SoundCloud, for example) as a tag.
Upload: When participating in this project, post one finished track with the project tag, and be sure to include a description of your process in planning, composing, and recording it. This description is an essential element of the communicative process inherent in the Disquiet Junto. Photos, video, and lists of equipment are always appreciated.
Download: Consider setting your track as downloadable and allowing for attributed remixing (i.e., a Creative Commons license permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution, allowing for derivatives).
For context, when posting the track online, please be sure to include this following information:
More on this 377th weekly Disquiet Junto project — Algorithms Assemble / The Assignment: Have fun with rules applied to scales, in coordination with the Algorithmic Art Assembly — at:
The project is lightly adapted from one proposed by Junto member Charlie Kramer (aka NorthWoods).
More on the Disquiet Junto at:
Subscribe to project announcements here:
http://tinyletter.com/disquiet-junto/
Project discussion takes place on llllllll.co:
https://llllllll.co/t/disquiet-junto-project-0377-algorithms-assemble/
There’s also on a Junto Slack. Send your email address to twitter.com/disquiet for Slack inclusion.
Image associated with this project is from the graphics for the Algorithmic Art Assembly, “a brand new two day conference and music festival, showcasing a diverse range of artists who are using algorithmic tools and processes in their works.” It’s being held in San Francisco on March 22 and 23, 2019. More information at aaassembly.org.