Abstract:
This paper will review electronic music and sonic
art applications of Cellular automata (CA) in a
historical and technical context. Algorithmic and
computational processes have been of interest
to artists for many years, creating an emerging
culture of generative electronic art. Creating
patterns and sequences is necessary for the
creative artist working spatially and temporally
within a chosen medium. CA are capable of
a wide variety of emergent behaviours and
represent an important generative tool for the
artist.
The sonic artist and musician must be prepared
to investigate the theoretical background of
CA in order to successfully employ their vast
behaviour space within compositional strategy.
There is an extensive amount of mathematical
and scientific literature relating to CA, however
much of this is esoteric or difficult to understand.
Important and accessible CA concepts are
presented concisely in a non mathematical
context to give sufficient background for the
review.
There have been several approaches at
applying CA in the production of electronic
music and sonic art. Examples exist in the
fields of overall structural composition, MIDI
sequencing and sound synthesis/modification
techniques. Applications from academic,
independent and commercial sectors will be
critically reviewed in an artistic, historical and
technical context This will provide the artist and
scientist with a balanced view of this emerging
field.
