How the computer assists composers: A survey of contemporary practise

With the increased prevalence of the computer as a compositional tool comes an expansion of the musical genres that constitute "computer music." Traditionally computer music composition was a marginal practice, dominated by a desire to use the computer to create novel music by freeing the composer from the limitations of traditional mediums. As we enter a new millennium the use of the computer for music making is common place and therefore the need to consider the impact of the computer on music composition is greater than ever. This paper will examine the ways in which the computer assists the composer and in doing so will shed light on the complex relationship between the composer and computer, and indicate trends in computer assisted compositional practice. In particular, I will suggest that the computer assists the composer in three ways, (i) by defining the range of compositional choices available, (ii) by acting as a sounding board that reflects back the composers ideas, and (iii) by being a vehicle that enables composers to realise their musical ideas