Nodal (software)

Nodal is a generative software application for composing music^[1]. The software is produced at the Centre for Electronic Media Art (CEMA), Monash University, Australia. It uses a novel method for the notation and playing of MIDI based music. This method is based around the concept of a user-defined graph. The graph consists of nodes (musical events) and edges (connections between events). The composer interactively defines the graph, which is then traversed by any number of virtual players that play the musical events as they encounter them on the graph. The time taken by a player to travel from one node to another is based on the length of the edges that connect the nodes^[2].

Supported platforms

Early versions of Nodal were designed to run only on Mac OS X. As of version 1.1 beta, Nodal is available for download to run on Mac OS X 10.4, and Microsoft Windows (Vista or XP) operating systems. As of version 1.5, released in November 2009, the software became shareware in order to support its continued development.

Working with Nodal

Nodal generates MIDI data. It contains a built-in MIDI synthesiser and is also compatible with any hardware or software MIDI synthesiser. Using Microsoft Windows the software can use the built-in MIDI synthesiser or any third party MIDI synth. Nodal is also compatible with Apple's GarageBand software or any of the many third-party MIDI synths available for the Macintosh computer.

References

1. ^ McCormack J, McIlwain P, Lane A, Dorin A (2007). "Generative Composition with Nodal". Proceedings of the International Workshop on Music and Artificial Life (part of the European Conference on Artificial Life). [1]
2. ^ McCormack J, McIlwain P, Lane A, Dorin A (2006). "Composing with Nodal Networks". Proceedings of the 2006 Australasian Computer Music Conference (ACMC): 101–107. [2]