C. P. U. Bach: A Probabilistic Rule-Based System to Compose Chorales

Program year: 1992/1993Digitized from print original stored in HDRThe purpose of this study, stated plainly, is to develop a computer system which is capable of composing chorales. The object is not just to compose a piece of music which is recognizable as a chorale, but to compose a chorale which may be identifiable as a good chorale. It is the reasoning of this study that, if a person can teach a computer to compose good chorales, then surely other persons could be taught similarly. Therefore, it is not the intention of this study to in any manner entertain the thought of replacing human composers with computers. A computer brings with it absolutely no outside influences and has only the knowledge that the programmer gives to it. Therefore, it is the hope that in using, a computer as a student, the techniques of teaching good composition can be more easily isolated than when working with human students. However, there is a dual purpose to this study. While it is hoped that the general body of knowledge concerning music composition can be improved by incorporating computers, it is likewise hoped that the general body of knowledge concerning the techniques of artificial intelligence can be bettered by incorporating the cognitive task of music composition