Björn Helgason wrote:  
> Can you work on music files with J and create music to play on a PC?

I'm not at that point yet, but I see no reason why not.  For some 
related info, see Martin Neitzel's article "Sending MIDI Messages to a 
Sound-card with J" in "Vector", v. 16, no. 3 
(http://juggle.gaertner.de/bnp/midi.html).  The principles described 
there would be very similar, if not identical.

I think it would be a very interesting project (doubt that I have time, 
though) to create a MIDI sequencer and editor in J, perhaps using some 
(or many) of the ideas in the JAZZ++ open source MIDI sequencer.  This 
would be a truly wonderful application, since lists and tables are at 
the heart of music.  Assuming some REALLY powerful graphics were 
available under J, you could also create music notation software in J 
(perhaps integrated with the sequencer or as a separate application), 
again because of the list/table nature of music.  As I noted in 
previous messages, these would be "humanities" applications, probably 
of little interest to most of the mathematicians here, even though they 
would present some very interesting J programming challenges.

The APL code I mentioned consists of MANY small submodules that can 
work together to create melodies, harmonies, and rhythms (according to 
the Schillinger System of Musical Composition).  If that 1980's textual 
output from the APL modules can be modified to output MIDI codes 
instead (or create translations to MIDI), then music could be created 
that could play directly on a PC or on attached synthesizers (rather 
than having to be manually transcribed).  This is all part of my LONG 
list of retirement projects. ;)

Harvey

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