Boolean Networks for the Generation of Rhythmic Structure

This paper describes an interactive multi-track MIDI sequencer for generating polyrhythmic patterns. Patterns are determined by the state of a set of autonomous Boolean networks, each node of which corresponds to a single musical event. This event will be triggered if the Boolean node is active and the sequencer step corresponds to its location in the pattern. Users may alter the networks which generate the patterns and change the note information they trigger whilst a sequence plays. Thus the sequencer may be used in live performance or in a studio. Additionally the sequencer may be left to generate its own patterns based on the behaviour of the Boolean networks.