The Music Text Composition Generator
January 29, 2009 7:52 PM Subscribe
The P22 Music Text Composition Generator allows any text to be converted into a musical composition. This composition is displayed in musical notation and simultaneously generated as a midi file. The P22 Music Composition Font was proposed in 1997 to the John Cage Trust as an accompaniment to the John Cage text font based on the handwriting of the composer. The idea was basic and simple-every letter of the alphabet was assigned to a note on a scale. This would allow for any text to be converted into musical notation.
Oh...this is fun! Try "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." at 180 on a harpsichord. Hee! What a great toy, thanks!
posted by dejah420 at 8:13 PM on January 29, 2009
posted by dejah420 at 8:13 PM on January 29, 2009
Oddly enough, plugging in "Microsoft, huh? So it's pretty easy to use!" works great.
posted by bicyclefish at 8:31 PM on January 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
posted by bicyclefish at 8:31 PM on January 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
"I'm just hitting random piano keys" sounds like I'm just hitting random piano keys.
posted by Knappster at 9:01 PM on January 29, 2009
posted by Knappster at 9:01 PM on January 29, 2009
Similarly, there is a fun little program (Windows) called KeyBored that just plays MIDI as you press keys. Anonymous has posted tunes for it all over the place. The biggest collection seems to be here, and here's something to get you started (caps matter for sharp notes in this program):
ASFS j j G
ASFS G G F f S
ASFS F G f S A
AGFF
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:16 PM on January 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
ASFS j j G
ASFS G G F f S
ASFS F G f S A
AGFF
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 9:16 PM on January 29, 2009 [1 favorite]
I'm just hitting random piano keys" sounds like I'm just hitting random piano keys.
Yep, you're right. Just like anything else you type in. And I tried many things. Without any chromaticism or intervals (more than one note at a time) the whole effect of anything you type will be very random, vanilla and very boring.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:20 PM on January 29, 2009
Yep, you're right. Just like anything else you type in. And I tried many things. Without any chromaticism or intervals (more than one note at a time) the whole effect of anything you type will be very random, vanilla and very boring.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:20 PM on January 29, 2009
English is probably not the best language for this, if you want to produce something aesthetically pleasing in the traditional sense. Most musical pieces have a lot of repetition, so languages like Hawaiian and transliterated Japanese work better. English has too much entropy, probably a result of its amalgamated nature.
Try feeding it some lines from this Hawaiian translation of the Bible, for example. Genesis 2:1 has a few phrases that are downright melodic.
Or feed it some Japanese [PDF] (don't worry about the characters not being from the Latin alphabet; it still works).
posted by jedicus at 10:04 PM on January 29, 2009 [4 favorites]
Try feeding it some lines from this Hawaiian translation of the Bible, for example. Genesis 2:1 has a few phrases that are downright melodic.
Or feed it some Japanese [PDF] (don't worry about the characters not being from the Latin alphabet; it still works).
posted by jedicus at 10:04 PM on January 29, 2009 [4 favorites]
It's a somewhat cool little toy, the type you would program as a project when you are a frosh in High School.. but useless, utterly and completely. It may be the single most useless utility I've ever seen on the web. At least Microsoft Songsmith has humor potential when combined with acapella tracks.. this is just.. nothing.
posted by mediocre at 10:08 PM on January 29, 2009
posted by mediocre at 10:08 PM on January 29, 2009
Excellent, am piping script for Apocalypse Now through it as I type.
posted by fallingbadgers at 11:16 PM on January 29, 2009
posted by fallingbadgers at 11:16 PM on January 29, 2009
Dude. I just plugged in: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created Equal" and I do think we have a new national anthem. Of course, I'm drunk. ON MIDI!!!
posted by joe lisboa at 11:38 PM on January 29, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by joe lisboa at 11:38 PM on January 29, 2009 [2 favorites]
FYI, inputting the lyrics from the fresh prince of bel air does not result in the fresh prince of bel air theme song.
posted by minifigs at 12:59 AM on January 30, 2009
posted by minifigs at 12:59 AM on January 30, 2009
this is just.. nothing
I think you just summed up aleatoric/algorithmic music.
posted by sundri at 5:52 AM on January 30, 2009
I think you just summed up aleatoric/algorithmic music.
posted by sundri at 5:52 AM on January 30, 2009
Can you use it to market glow-in-the-dark towels?
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 7:13 AM on January 30, 2009
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 7:13 AM on January 30, 2009
Ironically, "I have nothing to say and I am saying it" produces Beethoven's 5th Symphony in its entirety.
posted by speicus at 8:33 AM on January 30, 2009
posted by speicus at 8:33 AM on January 30, 2009
produces Beethoven's 5th Symphony in its entirety
actually "dddddh" gets you bar 3-4. There is something sublime about that.
posted by sundri at 9:38 AM on January 30, 2009
actually "dddddh" gets you bar 3-4. There is something sublime about that.
posted by sundri at 9:38 AM on January 30, 2009
As a fan of pointless noise-making things, I heartily approve of this endeavor. Thanks, Sailormom, I'll be wasting days on this.
posted by lekvar at 12:34 PM on January 30, 2009
posted by lekvar at 12:34 PM on January 30, 2009
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posted by pmbuko at 8:01 PM on January 29, 2009