random-midi
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Generate random melody under specific rules.
Random Melody Generator
Generate random melody under specific rules.
Getting started
Prerequisites
This project is written in Python 3.6. I haven't tested in other versions.
MIDIUtil library is used in my project. You can install it simply by using pip:
pip install MIDIUtil
How to use?
Simply run main.py. A standard MIDI file will be generated in output folder. The filename is midi_{timestamp}.mid.
You can play it using a media player (e.g. Windows Media Player) or import it into a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).
Customize
By default, the melody is in major pentatonic scale, chord progression is C-Am-F-G (1-6-4-5), and percussion pattern is fixed. Also, the interval of notes within a phrase is constrained.
The rules can be modified in rules.json.
You can also adjust the length of song and tempo in song_settings.json.
rules.json
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
notes |
Defines the notes used for composition. |
interval_upper |
Defines the upper bound of interval of notes. The values in this list will be randomly chosen. |
interval_lower |
Defines the lower bound of interval of notes. The values in this list will be randomly chosen. |
rhythm |
Defines rhythm pattern for melody. The numbers are in beats (quarter notes). |
seq_chord |
Defines the chord sequence. Notes in each sub-array will be played simultaneously to form a chord. |
seq_perc |
Defines the percussion sequence. The first element in the sub-array denotes the drum sound, and the second element denotes time value in beats. |
velocity |
Defines the velocity of strong, intermediate and weak beats. |
song_settings.json
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
length |
Defines the length of song. |
tempo |
Defines the tempo of song, measured in Beats per Minute (BPM). |
Credits
- The whole project is written in Python (python.org).
- The project uses MIDIUtil library by MarkCWirt.
- I would appreciate ScoreDraft by fynv. My project is partially inspired by ScoreDraft. Since ScoreDraft uses scripts to compose music, I found its potential to automatically generate music. My algorithm of randomly generating melody was initially tested on ScoreDraft.
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