Can A Computer Compose The Music Of The Future?

Published November 21, 2014 at 1:55 PM EST

Photograph of Greg Wilder (Sean Hurley/NHPR)

Yesterday onHere & Now, Derek Thompson of The Atlantic talked about how record executives make decisions about who to sign and what to play, based on data about what music people like online.

Thompson’s conclusion is that the process is making music much more bland because people like to hear music that sounds familiar.

So, what will the music of the future sound like? New Hampshire composer Greg Wilder doesn’t know yet, but he’s hoping to build the machine that writes it.

From the Here & Now’s Contributors Network, Sean Hurley of New Hampshire Public Radio reports on Wilder’s Beethoven machine.

Read more on this story via NHPR

Guest

Sean Hurley, reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio. He tweets @Sherwinsleeves.

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