athenaCL

athenaCL
Download
Documentation
Related Research
Software Resources
Audio & Music
User Discussion List
Development & Code

athenaCL Information

Interface Features
Algorithmic System
Analytic System
Development & Code
Supporting Software Links

athenaCL

modular, polyphonic, poly-paradigm algorithmic music composition in a cross-platform interactive command-line environment.

The athenaCL system is an open-source, object-oriented composition tool written in Python. The system can be scripted and embedded, and includes integrated instrument libraries, post-tonal and microtonal pitch modeling tools, multiple-format graphical outputs, and musical output in Csound, MIDI, audio file, XML, and text formats.

Musical parts are deployed as Textures, layered surface-defining objects containing numerous independent ParameterObjects to control pitch, tempo, rhythm, amplitude, panning, and instrument (Csound) parameters. The system includes an integrated library of Csound instruments, and supports output for external Csound instruments, MIDI, and a variety of alternative formats. Over sixty specialized Generator, Rhythm, and Filter ParameterObjects provide tools for stochastic, chaotic, cellular automata based, markov based, wave-form, fractional noise (1/f), genetic, Xenakis sieve, linear and exponential break-point segments, masks, and various other algorithmic models. ParameterObjects can be embedded in other ParameterObjects to provide powerful dynamic and masked value generation. Textures can be combined and edited, and tuned with algorithmic Temperament objects. Texture Clones allow the filtering and processing of Texture events, performing transformations not possible with parameter generation alone.

The analytic and algorithmic systems use Path objects to organize and share pitch groups. Paths provide simultaneous representations of ordered content groups in set-class, pitch-class space, and pitch space. Paths may contain numerous PathVoices (voice leadings) and may be analyzed with both set-class similarity measures and voice leading rankings. As a reference utility, pitch groups can be searched, analyzed, and compared with a wide variety of tools.

For complete information, see links below:

Interface Features
Algorithmic System
Analytic System
Screen Shots

Download 1.4.9 (15 August 2009)

Python 2.3 to Python 2.6 is required for running athenaCL.

Last Updated: 15 August 2009

athenaCL distribution for Unix (GNU/Linux, BSD)

download athenaCL.tar.gz (9.7 MB)

athenaCL distribution for MacOS X (any)

download athenaCL.dmg (10.7 MB)

athenaCL distribution for Windows (any)

download athenaCL.zip (10 MB)

athenaCL installer for Windows (any)

download athenaCL.exe (1.4 MB)

Documentation

athenaCL Tutorial Manual

The Tutorial Manual provides complete, up-to-date documentation for athenaCL, and includes tutorials, reference materials, graphical examples, frequently asked questions, and installation instructions.

HTML

athenaCL Tutorial Manual index

Command reference

ParameterObject reference and graphical examples

frequently asked questions

PDF

download athenaclManual.pdf (8.1 MB)

Related Research

Related articles provide in-depth studies of advanced topics in Comptuer-Aided Algorithmic Composition with athenaCL and related tools.

Ariza, C. 2008. "Python at the Control Rate: athenaCL Generators as Csound Signals." Csound Journal 9. Internet: http://www.csounds.com/ journal/ issue9/ pcragcs.html

Ariza, C. 2008. "Composing Musical Structures within a Web-Browser: A Guide to Envl.net." Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ envl/ docs

Ariza, C. 2007. "Serial RSS Sound Installation as Open Work: The babelcast." In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference. San Francisco: International Computer Music Association. 1: 275-278. Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ docs/ srsiowb.pdf abstract

Ariza, C. 2007. "Automata Bending: Applications of Dynamic Mutation and Dynamic Rules in Modular One-Dimensional Cellular Automata." Computer Music Journal 31(1): 29-49. Internet: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/ doi/ abs/ 10.1162/ comj.2007.31.1.29

Ariza, C. 2006. "Beyond the Transition Matrix: A Language-Independent, String-Based Input Notation for Incomplete, Multiple-Order, Static Markov Transition Values." Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ docs/ btmimosmtv.pdf abstract

Ariza, C. 2005. "The Xenakis Sieve as Object: A New Model and a Complete Implementation." Computer Music Journal 29(2): 40-60. Internet: http://www.mitpressjournals.org/ doi/ abs/ 10.1162/ 0148926054094396 abstract

Ariza, C. 2005. "Navigating the Landscape of Computer-Aided Algorithmic Composition Systems: A Definition, Seven Descriptors, and a Lexicon of Systems and Research." In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference. San Francisco: International Computer Music Association. 765-772. Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ docs/ nlcaacs.pdf abstract

Ariza, C. 2005. An Open Design for Computer-Aided Algorithmic Music Composition: athenaCL. Ph.D. Dissertation, New York University. Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ caac.html abstract {amazon}

Ariza, C. 2004. "An Object Oriented Model of the Xenakis Sieve for Algorithmic Pitch, Rhythm, and Parameter Generation." In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference. San Francisco: International Computer Music Association. 63-70. abstract

Ariza, C. 2003. "Ornament as Data Structure: An Algorithmic Model based on Micro-Rhythms of Csángó Laments and Funeral Music." In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference. San Francisco: International Computer Music Association. 187-193. Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ docs/ odsammrclfm.pdf abstract

Ariza, C. 2002. "Prokaryotic Groove: Rhythmic Cycles as Real-Value Encoded Genetic Algorithms." In Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference. San Francisco: International Computer Music Association. 561-567. Internet: http://www.flexatone.net/ docs/ pgrcrvega.pdf

Software Resources

athenaCL may require additional software to run. Download Python, Csound, and related software from the link below:

athenaCL links

Simple athenaCL Examples

Download six short mp3 or ogg audio examples of basic athenaCL algorithmic textures. The complete AthenaObject file for each demo is included with the distribution:

athenaCL demonstrations

Compositions Employing athenaCL

Download mp3 or ogg audio examples of athenaCL used in many contexts. A selection of compositions employing athenaCL (in part) and written by Christopher Ariza are available for download below:

phanopoeiac
babelcast
onomatopoeticized
swarmmeme
agoralalia

User Discussion List

This discussion list is for users of athenaCL. To receive infrequent notices of updates and documentation, as well as occasional discussions on athenaCL tools, feature requests, and bugs, sign-up by clicking below:

athenacl-development list info

Development & Code

As an open source (GPL) project, athenaCL development is conducted at SourceForge, allowing, among other things, anonymous CVS access to the current source code.

athenaCL at SourceForge
browse source