Orchestration of Music by Grammar Systems

TL;DR

This paper introduces a grammar-based computational approach for orchestrating musical compositions for full orchestras, demonstrating its application to classical and jazz music and outlining future research directions.

Contribution

It presents a novel multi-generative grammar system for automated orchestration, integrating multiple instruments without erasing rules, and applies it to classical and jazz music examples.

Findings

Successful orchestration of classical compositions

Sketches of jazz orchestration techniques

Identification of open problems in computational music orchestration

Abstract

This application-oriented study concerns computational musicology, which makes use of grammar systems. We define multi-generative rule-synchronized scattered-context grammar systems (without erasing rules) and demonstrates how to simultaneously make the arrangement of a musical composition for performance by a whole orchestra, consisting of several instruments. Primarily, an orchestration like this is illustrated by examples in terms of classical music. In addition, the orchestration of jazz compositions is sketched as well. The study concludes its discussion by suggesting five open problem areas related to this way of orchestration.