Music Invented by Songworks

Music invented by Songworks

Songworks features an idea generator that can stimulate your musical imagination. Let it invent an idea and then you can take that idea and add to it: extend and develop until you have a composition of your own. What we'll show you below is the unmodified raw product just as it comes out of the program.
Songworks creates these using a sophisticated algorithm that selects notes randomly but in a "connected" way, and then tries to fit them into a random but logical harmony.
We'll freely admit that most of the time the ideas are not very interesting. But sometimes Songworks will surprise us by coming up with an idea that really makes sense. Oddly, too, the computer gives the impression of having different moods. It may seem pensive at one time, exuberant at another.
Below you can click to hear some of our favorite ideas created by Songworks. These are exactly as Songworks wrote them, without a single note changed. Except for "Drifting," which includes four chords of accompaniment specified by Jeff, all notes were created by Songworks according to its own whims. We've exported them as MIDI files, then imported the MIDI files into Apple's GarageBand software and performed them with good-quality instruments. The instrument sounds are all either from GarageBand itself or from the sounds provided in the Garritan Personal Orchestra, but the notes are those of Songworks alone, without human intervention.
When you click to hear these you'll find some words of explanation of how Songworks created each one, and how each was orchestrated.
(The sound files on this page are mp3 files - most browsers should be able to play them)

Here's one with a solid theme. Click to hear "Nice Start."
This idea has a dreamy quality. Click to hear "Drifting."

"Lively" offers a change of mood.
Click to hear "Lively."

So does "Lugubrious."
Click to hear "Lugubrious."

Songworks is in a country mood for this one.
Click to hear "Ramblin'."

This sure sounds Russian.
Click to hear "From Redmond with Love."

By using the "include triplets" option we ended up with a surprisingly graceful tune.
Click to hear "Theme with Triplets."

Just seems like the droids are sitting around the campfire.
Click to hear "Droid Cowboys."

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Songworks features an idea generator that can stimulate your musical imagination. Let it invent an idea and then you can take that idea and add to it: extend and develop until you have a composition of your own. What we'll show you below is the unmodified raw product just as it comes out of the program. Songworks creates these using a sophisticated algorithm that selects notes randomly but in a "connected" way, and then tries to fit them into a random but logical harmony. We'll freely admit that most of the time the ideas are not very interesting. But sometimes Songworks will surprise us by coming up with an idea that really makes sense. Oddly, too, the computer gives the impression of having different moods. It may seem pensive at one time, exuberant at another. Below you can click to hear some of our favorite ideas created by Songworks. These are exactly as Songworks wrote them, without a single note changed. Except for "Drifting," which includes four chords of accompaniment specified by Jeff, all notes were created by Songworks according to its own whims. We've exported them as MIDI files, then imported the MIDI files into Apple's GarageBand software and performed them with good-quality instruments. The instrument sounds are all either from GarageBand itself or from the sounds provided in the Garritan Personal Orchestra, but the notes are those of Songworks alone, without human intervention. When you click to hear these you'll find some words of explanation of how Songworks created each one, and how each was orchestrated. (The sound files on this page are mp3 files - most browsers should be able to play them)

Here's one with a solid theme.	Click to hear "Nice Start."
This idea has a dreamy quality.	Click to hear "Drifting."
"Lively" offers a change of mood.	Click to hear "Lively."
So does "Lugubrious."	Click to hear "Lugubrious."
Songworks is in a country mood for this one.	Click to hear "Ramblin'."
This sure sounds Russian.	Click to hear "From Redmond with Love."
By using the "include triplets" option we ended up with a surprisingly graceful tune.	Click to hear "Theme with Triplets."
Just seems like the droids are sitting around the campfire.	Click to hear "Droid Cowboys."