Generation of Complex Sound Sequences Using Physical Models with Dynamical Structures

Mass-interaction physical modeling is one of the few formalisms that can unify the work on music composition and sound synthesis. It allows generating sound sequences that exhibit, for example, some of the qualities of instrumental performance. This article introduces a method for building mass-interaction models whose physical structure changes during the simulation. Structural evolution is implemented in a physically consistent manner, by using nonlinear interactions that set temporary viscoelastic links between simulated objects. We present in details a model built with this method. It produces a wide range of complex sound sequences, the user having a control over global aspects of its behavior. This example shows that evolving models are particularly useful for the generation of macrotemporal musical forms.