PyPadberg

A Python recreation of Harriet Padberg's 1964 Thesis, "Computer Composed Canon and Free Fugue," one of the first instances of algorithmic music created using a computer.

Run python main.py to start the program.

How it works

• main.py creates an interface instance and runs it.
• interface.py defines the interface, which contains an instance of the Padberg object, defined in padberg.py
• The interface allows the user to input text and passes it to the Padberg object, which processes it according to our implementation of Padberg's original algorithm.
• The algorithm defines the pitch contour of the resulting cannon by mapping letters to a microtonal scale (defined in padberg.py), and defines the rhythm (rhythm.py) using the relatively prime factors of the least common multiple of 5 numbers:
  • the number of vowels
  • the number of consonants
  • the total length of the text
  • number of pitches in the 'center'
  • number of pitches in the 'outer'
    • (vaguely defined in the original paper)
• Once the text is processed, the interface directs the user to a screen displaying logging on text processing.
• Finally, the user is directed to a final control panel with which they can play back the generated music using a chosen sound and number of voices. Additionally, the user can enter a name for and save a midi file of the music.