MASSE: A System for Music Action Selection Through State Evaluation

This paper concerns the development of a music cocreation system that engenders creative partnerships in musical interaction. Towards this goal, specific design guidelines are identified for improving the musicians’ sense of creative partnership with the system through behaviors that communicate musical intent, alternate musical roles based on musical stability, and negotiate transitions in musical characteristics based on togetherness in interaction. The design guidelines motivate the development of an agent architecture for interactive improvisation. The architecture enables an agent to select music response behaviors based on the stability and togetherness sensed during interaction. An agent improvisation system is developed that uses the architecture to make decisions during improvised percussion duets. The agent negotiates transitions between musical roles and musical characteristics by maintaining different degrees of metrical coherence and similarity with the rhythms played by the musician. By negotiating transitions with a musician, the system presumably has an impact on the musicians sense of creative musical partnership