Seventy-Six Honey Bees in the Big Parade
Imagine the notes on a score coming alive and flying around the page like a swarm of bees. That's exactly how Tim Blackwell's improvising computer does it.

Blackwell, a computer-science researcher and jazz musician, has puzzled over improvisation, the interactive, spontaneous give-and-take that propels (especially jazz) musicians into new areas. Blackwell has found computers quick to learn standard rules and progressions, but far too predictable and mechanical in improvisation. So he let loose a swarm of bees.

Of a flock of birds, if you prefer. Blackwell's improvising agents follow the same rules as those that govern the flocking of birds or the schooling of fish. The chaotic (in the mathematical sense) results of swarm behavior are complex, subtle, unpredictable but with recognizeable shape.

His programs also have an interesting visual accompaniment - a 3-D image of swarming particles moving with the music (actually, moving AS the music).

How does it sound? Some might think their heads are full of bees, others might think "mess," still others might think Messaien.

Read the Discover magazine article

Link to Tim Blackwell's web site [contains audio samples]