Collaborative Music Making with Live Algorithms

Abstract

This paper discusses developments of ENSEMBLE, an interactive improvisation environment based on the Iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma. The main emphasis of this paper is on the interactive version of ENSEMBLE, and its development for the work ‘fr@gm3nT’ [fragment], a collaboration between the author and saxophonist Derek Pascoe. Some of the lessons learned from non real-time, generative versions of ENSEMBLE are also discussed, along with the implications of the approach for algorithmic composition and live interactive computer music performance.