It's the Era of Automation! We automate everything from manufacturing, to financial transactions, to blog updates. So why not automate creativity as well? Okay, that sounds horrible, but there is something fascinating about pre-configured, automatic processes that produce beautiful and seemingly random results.
Otomata, a musical webtoy from self-described computational sound artist Batuhan Bozkurt, is one such project. Somewhat similar to iNudge from a few years ago, Otomata lets you use a few moving, colliding "cells" to create musical compositions that approach infinity in length.
Click a cell on the square grid to activate it; click it again to change the direction it will move. Click [spacebar], or click the play/pause button to start or stop the composition. You can always add more to your piece, or clear the grid and start anew. When cells hit a wall, they produce a defined pitch, depending on what part of the grid they are in. When they collide with each other, they rotate clockwise and proceed in a new direction. If you can get two cells to overlap and move in the same direction, you can also creating rotating oscillators, which interact with the composition in interesting ways.
Depending on how you start your composition, you can either create regular repeating patterns, or patterns that subtly shift in interesting ways. It can be difficult to predict how a given setup will act, but that is part of the joy of Otomata. According to the developer, these patterns could spin out for billions of years without repetition, and like Fractal images, it is amazing that something of such aesthetic complexity can be generated from a few simple parameters. It also helps that the music is invariably interesting, as the developer selected his pitches such that even the crudest musical talent can produce something cool.
One more thing: You can also click the "Copy piece link" button to copy a URL of your music into your clipboard, so you can paste it anywhere you want to share it. Play Otomata, then paste your creation in the comments section below and show your genius to your fellow JIG readers.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=06122n3x4z5x6n72868e7u6a5g3g2a1u0e !
Quite a nice game. But I wonder if not all songs must sound very alike..
Here is my composition ;-):
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=7v0o4x40044v738d55
Wow. This is impressive. Just messing around with the thing for two minutes, I got this, which I think totally needs a violin track and a bassline. I'm not even sure if it's properly periodic, but it's 4/4 (not sure if anything besides 4/4 is possible, but we'll try, won't we?).
Nevertheless, this thing is awesome. A cellular automaton making music, who'd have thought of that? I'm going to go and play around with it some more. 5 out of 5 from me.
Symmetry seems pretty effective.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=5i7x331g0z7u754q128k481y
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=7q7o8y6y0i1q2i1o1810707805256383
That one has a lot of rythm.
This. Is. Incredible!
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=717u3x6s0l435h2a876w6k2g5l
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=6n6s2a2m1h7c345t0s6q8m28494w8l0j
Very fun!
I know this is somewhat simple, but after playing with it for about ten minutes I came back to this one.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0w1y2p3f4k5c6m738706122n3x5d6o7t8q
so much fun :)
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=5v7u3b7b5474
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=05882x335j5v5l7c780z510r4h6k4f3c8y756g293l153j5x1q6l3p4c294b136d5m3s2v6n63102i7o
I could do this all day
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=406k4o2z8o002f6h
My first try was this nice little background rhythm:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=1h7m4t418v6w38
This is a really fun game! A great mix/match between visual and audio art. I think the next logical step for this is separate 'tracks' and styles of instrument. This one I made just screams for it:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3z5k4d4v060w8w895x5h3g3c72121u7u
Or also saving your own pieces by cookie.
I love this thing! Different tracks or instruments would be a great addition, though there is beauty in simplicity.
Here's mine.
Very fun webtoy.
I wound up making a pretty decent song on this thing:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=5d5o6t5t4t5v50645444
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=7d5g8n4q6k4r321t3y288m1h6q0o6p Nice webtoy! i like it :)
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=4x736j4109407d743u This one was based off using a glider and a couple other Conway's Game of Life things that has become a really nice little, constantly changing, riff.
cool toy :)
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=8r8i8s8h0c0m03076j4j2j3l5l
i like games like this where you can do whatever you ant and end up with something beautiful. hope no one has done what im posting already
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0q1t2o3d5d6o7t8q0814203v5v6074884d4v5k3z
That one is very simplistic and yet never loops. I have been listening to it for an hour and a half now. I repeat IT NEVER LOOPS!
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0q0d0q016b41
Accidentally stumbled into a groove after placing random squares. This is pretty cool.
Great fun!
I love this kind of toy, and after only a minute or two experimenting got this little gem:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=124s0s5a
Nice one!
Lovers In A Field
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0t0d8t8d8v840v043k5k
This worked really really well...
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0w8i0p8h0k8b0m85070i8w8p8k8m870h0b05
I want the creator of the game to take all my money.
My Money.
ALL OF IT.
I don't really know what I made, but here:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=1q7d131y7n23525x4s3i3q
Suddenly, I want a musical version of Etrian Odyssey where the FOES make noise ;_;
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=60612a2s6s6o212n6n6a2m6m2o2p6p20
This piece repeats every 5 beats.
Any other way of creating irregular beats?
Try my latest creation:
1. A little melancholic music repeating forever with fast changes, that you're not thinking about boredom! BELOW:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=4o4q1w1w001
2 not so good as previous one, but still nice one (very sad theme, be dry while listening):
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=2s5q2s5q806g806g306n3a6o
I think both of them can be implemented in mainstream titles, lmao!!!
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=6a4o1f044o5g4d5f2v
This is fun~
This was just random, but I liked it so here:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=4x4j8y5d683v5n6y
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=484u3k6z
Just four are awesome enough.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=1q7q7n1n4d8y83232y5k4v1a18787a050i6i653z4t7k441z3q5q8f8c58380b0h2d6d5p5m6v2v313s
I love symmetry.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3l4h5j4c1s247m6t7o63102i2v3s6d5m5r0g378x
This one sounds very good.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3y7g551x7y74151t its not 4/4
Managed to come up with this. It has an ambient feel to it.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0g5i3o3y524g4x1u
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=7r82170u7a2y1n656t3s2v1s245m6d7m
Just made this one.. kinda peaceful.
Although, i guess all of them are..
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3h6y6f6z1c6c21633b3g2i0s2h012b7b25690q69324s0q
i've got a pretty nice beat goin' on here
oops forgot the link
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=1k5u612g37
This is awesome, and I can't wait to try some of the other links here.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=680a555b016r1x3x2q8n3y3f8p277g5g
These are all mine so far.
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=1v1v7o7f60705d3l
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=04341v2u6u5g4v8k
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=0i5y6y0i7y8y
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=4t3c6y4v5b2i
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=08201v4l5a6q
http://www.earslap.com/projectslab/otomata?q=0q1o2j3n48506l7a8q
Wow... Has anyone tried playing this thing in 2 tabs at the same time? Awesome results!
I call it "Desperation"
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=5d5k4l4h2x2n
I just keep coming back to this over and over again. Love it.
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=0e1u2a3g5g6a7u8e4u3x2n12061k5x6n7286427z
The person who made the game says they're going to be adding MIDI support.
I wonder if I might figure out a way to tinker with the MIDI so the vertical walls play a different instrument than the horizontal ones... maybe one is a drum or bass track?
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=5v3v3d5d7z1k26666e2e
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3x3g5g5x6z2k404o7m7p1s11
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=897969594939291906020n0x0j0d0o0t0w1w2w3w4w5w6w7w8e8u8a8g8l8v8084
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=86726n06122n3k5z0e1u2a6a7u8e
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=75131c1f1y7i7h7b50303o5o3k5z
Symmetry is Key.
Seeing this again in 'top rated' section got me back here :)
I call this one 'Mundane day of a King (with some intrigue)' ; based off a chess king's movement:
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=3z4j5k3d4d5d3b5c4v
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=1t2t3t4t4o4d4j4x4n423222121n1x1j1d1o2j3j6t7t7o7d7j7x7n726282
i call it music 81
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=7f3x527h7h3x7f522b8x3w3m373i2m8m4t7i3p1i5p5y0t4o1m
Daa-da-da DAA--da-da, DAA-da-da daa-da-da!
(yeah, that's about the extent of my computer-music ability):)
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=10_25_150_082100260332420560662742800
Oh, Oh! I made an actual tune!
This one's like Tetris!
It's really annoying after awhile! :D
http://earslap.com/projectslab/otomata/?q=10_0_150_000100200300400600500700800810820830850840860870880780680580480380180080280050060070040030020010330340350550450540530430110120130150160170140270470570670770760750730740720710410310210510610370360260250240230220320420520620650460560640630660440
Sounds surprisingly good.
I should also point out that you've got an outdated version on here; there's a much improved second version.
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