Medal FAQs - Real Composer
Below is the archive of an FAQ about MEDALmusic Composer software.
Q: What is MEDALmusic system technology?
RLB: "MEDALmusic technology makes it possible to develop computer software capable of composing, note after note, melodies that are harmonized and orchestrated but above all COHERENT (in the popular sense of the term), i.e. memorizable by the listener.
Unlike previous music generation programs (e.g. "Direct Music Producer" (Microsoft), "Band in a Box"... Etc.), MEDALmusic composes without "templates", i.e. "From scratch "as the Americans say or...to keep it simple...MEDALmusic composes using the method of harmony and counterpoint but with the famous "missing link". It is around this missing link, the centerpiece of the "MEDALmusic" international patents,
On this subject, I invite you to read the <Automatic music> section of the Universalis encyclopedia. "
Q: Could this be the DEATH of the composer?
RLB: "ON THE CONTRARY! MEDAL is a real "Muse" for a composer, its "inspiration" being mathematically limited but humanly unlimited (more than two billion possible arrangements with a current microprocessor... As I like to say repeat: it is enough simply to know "the way" to discover "the world" where it leads.The first bars of a melody generated by MEDALmusic can be considered as "the path" of a musical world and the composer will know how to make us discover this world!...
... Then, the fields of application of MEDALmusic are those where the music is non-existent (or almost, or "pirated"), because too expensive in copyright: musical illustration of WEB pages, music from amateur or family films , telephony, automobile, techno sequences and other music for elevators, etc...
... And finally: A new real profession has been born which will allow musicians with basic computer knowledge to create programs using MEDALmusic technology. To sum up, they will have to grasp their own style which is directly related to their sensibility, their musical knowledge and their culture. The program produced will offer a multitude of compositions... A bit as if this musician had composed for thousands of years and written millions of personal works... MEDALmusic system courses are currently in preparation. From an economic point of view, the overall result can only be positive. Indeed, the more the supply increases, the more the prices fall... And we know that the more the prices fall, the more we buy! But to conclude and answer your question directly, we are not yet at the moment when the sensitivity of man will be overtaken by that of the machine. On the other hand, when it comes to pure creativity, it is not unhealthy to say that everything that translates into numbers is... and will be...The Wall ", -> Creation... of a UNIVERSE (...) But let's come back to earth, as far as we are concerned, it is simply a matter of creating coherent music!"
Q: Is this copyright free music?
RLB: 000 and dust as well as its added values corresponding to Morphings (I will then speak to you about "musical morphing" if you wish). To conclude, each of the works is 'callable' at any time."
Q: But who is the composer... You or the machine?
RLB: To avoid this major risk, I deposit the musical works in my name, in the form of "musical data banks" at the APP (Paris-Geneva). Each work in a bank is designated by an alpha-numeric identifier (its title).
Q: Why not submit them to SACEM?
RLB: "Because SACEM does not have the means (human, technical and legal) enabling it to record billions of titles in computer form or even in 'paper' form. This is what I was told during a meeting at their premises in 1999.
It is true that it is difficult to imagine several semi-trailers, parked for several years in front of the SACEM, and swollen with partitions in need of deposit.
Shortly after, Mr. Duthil, founder of the APP (agency for the Protection of computer programs), advised me of the IDD computer "copyright" form. "
Q: Tell us about the apps?
Q: Tell us about the apps?
RLB: This "monument" will have to survive 11415 years to interpret all of its works and make us feel that nothing is eternal on our little earth...(unless it starts playing again from the beginning!. ..). The favorite place is the forecourt of La Défense... This project is in progress: Search for capital, authorizations, etc. That is to say "Anything that breaks the poetry" of the project but otherwise, "project" would remain "project"... And for eternity this time!
Q: Other more commercial applications?
RLB: We have developed specific programs for telephony generating "ring-tones" (cellphone ringtones), music on hold... This product is currently of interest to American and Japanese operators. As far as ringtones are concerned, the idea is simple: a central bank of polyphonic and musical ringtones allowing each user to choose and then download a musical ringtone (mono or polyphonic) of which he will be the only user in the world... . Other apps? (...
Q: Morphing... Did you say Morphing?
RLB: One invention always hides another.
Thanks to an automated analysis system, the MMS technology (MEDALmusic system) makes it possible to identify and manage the value or values of each of the parameters of a generated musical score.
This knowledge makes it possible in real time to modify the value or values of one or more parameters simultaneously and thus to metamorphose, smoothly, the style of music in progress. This way of acting avoids writing thousands of lines of programming for each desired style (which I was still doing in 1998).
I am in the process of finalizing the programming of a software called for the moment "Music and Editing-Video". It concerns the musical illustration of family films. MEDALmusic technology allows the program to offer the user film music, in a chosen style (here called "ambience"). The duration of the music automatically matches that of the relevant image sequence with a consistent start and end. The user can, if he wishes, keep the same theme (here containing three sub-themes) for the entire film.
To simplify, the Musical-Morphing is the instantaneous reconstruction of the work generated during listening.
Q: It's... seems... very complicated!?
Obviously!... You have to know how to read... to know the Morphing function of each key on your keyboard and above all, not to miss the right key... That's all!...
On this subject, the "Musical-Morphing" allows non-musicians to "play" in real time on the music being listened to thanks to a "magic" touch. He types the "X" key (function called "OneTouchPlay") and thus plays the instrument he has chosen. The notes emitted by the "taper" are always JUST with the harmony in progress. These notes are always "in place" in the measure thanks to an automatic "quantization" in real time. Function used by midi-men,
The "Musical Morphing" is easy to practice: One key triggers the "syncope" function (a firefighting piece becomes much more "modern", another key plays the same piece on jazzy, bluesy harmonies or composed soberly of perfect chords. Yet another makes the binary piece switch to a ternary rhythm or vice versa. Those who don't know what "ternary" means, try, listen... Try and listen again... Then, they know. feel the difference... I did the test with several people and it works!Hence the importance of this kind of tool for the initiation of music from primary school... (another application of MEDALmusic: "The non-intellectual understanding of music: Just feeling!").
In conclusion, the practice of "Musical Morphing" is not complicated. Just hit the right key to get a major or minor harmonic mode, a sharp, legato or normal vocal, a rich or light bass, etc. In the state of development, there are about a hundred Morphing commands in the "Music and Video-Editing" application program.
JCA