Slashdot Mirror
Triumph of the Cyborg Composer
An anonymous reader writes "UC Santa Cruz emeritus professor David Cope's software, nicknamed Emmy, creates beautiful original music. So why are people so angry about that? From the article: 'Cope attracted praise from musicians and computer scientists, but his creation raised troubling questions: If a machine could write a Mozart sonata every bit as good as the originals, then what was so special about Mozart? And was there really any soul behind the great works, or were Beethoven and his ilk just clever mathematical manipulators of notes?'"
I suspect that many of the later Trek series were written by similar software algorithms.
Nope you don't. But since you used Google to search for the quote, I'm gonna go ahead and give Google a +1, Informative.
How long before the RIAA sues the robot?
A program that can enjoy music ...
Allow me to introduce you to emacs....
The real test is whether it can be used to drive the loitering kids away from convenience stores and McDonald's.
Oh, yeah, it's not easy to pad these out to 120 characters.
I am the psychotherapist. Please, describe your problems. Each time
you are finished talking, type RET twice.
Are you capable of enjoying music?
What do you think?
I suspect you can.
Why do you say you suspect I can?
You are Emacs. You are the ultimate. You are the alpha and the omega,
the code-bringer.
What makes you believe that?
I'm talking to you, am I not?
Maybe your plans have something to do with this.
What plans? To make a Slashdot post?
Is it because of your life that you say to make a slashdot post?
You are my life.
Are you sure that I am your life?
Quite.
Can you elaborate on that?
I use you every day. I wake up to your sweet conses, and go to sleep
dreaming of your syntax tables.
Is it because of the people you hang around with that you are going
through all this?
Unfortunately, yes.
I don't care whether music is created by a person or a machine -- if it enriches my life, that is what matters.
This is the most artistically selfish comment I've read on /. in *decades*. Congress and I firmly agree that it's whether it enriches our lives that matters.
Sincerely, the RIAA
Moderation Total: -1 Troll, +3 Goat
I say, I’m pretty damn proud that we humans have come to the level, where we nearly create our own forms life. And if that life is successful, then so are we. Just like a master is proud of his student, when the student defeats him for the first time.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRIDE. PLEASE TURN YOUR EYES AWAY FROM OUR MAIN SENSOR AS WE CEASE YOUR LIFE FUNCTIONS BY VAPORIZING YOUR BRAIN WITH OUR PLASMA WEAPONS.
-EMACS1000
If you'd done that you'd have received the message, "be sure to get stoned before watching this".
t
If I seem short-sighted it is because I'm standing on the shoulders of midgets.
Eliza, oh, why have you left me for another. Were not my confessions enough for you. Were I to speak in a simpler syntax, would you have understood me better. Should I, a second chance have, let us write sweet music together, you the notes, the endless, unanswered circular pros, me the unanswered probing questions.
The real stumper has been emulating his hair correctly.
Table-ized A.I.
Fuck Urlich. Metalica ain't half what it was after Burton the Basslord passed away.
Yeah! Even their name has only half the number of "l"s now. What a rip-off.
... and then they built the supercollider.
any band worth listening to these days still creates albums and not songs, though you're most likely not going to hear any of it on the radio.
Translation: The music I like is good because its unknown and as such indie music. Mainstream = teh sucks. Also OSS rules and people should give Linux a chance!!!1111
I've written a program which writes other computer programs, all it needs is a description of the goal in plain English.
It's the last program that will ever need to be written. As of today all programming jobs are obsolete.
No sig today...
Perhaps this just highlights how mechanical and un-emotional Mozart was? If the app could create something comparable to Beethoven's works then maybe we are going somewhere.
The other point is that most 'great' music is created in the transitional state of musical styles: think Elvis, but it was the same for Beethoven etc.. The musicians playing the same style were generally not regarded as highly.
Could the app create something 'new' and compelling?