Stochastic

Stochastic, from the Greek "stochos" or "goal", means of, relating to, or characterized by conjecture; conjectural; random.

Music

In music stochastic elements are randomly generated elements created by strict mathematical processes.

Related Topics:
Music - Mathematical

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Stochastic processes can be used in music either to compose a fixed piece, or produced in performance. Stochastic music was pioneered by Iannis Xenakis, who used probability, game theory, group theory, set theory, and Boolean algebra, and frequently used computers to produce his scores. Earlier, John Cage and others had composed aleatoric or indeterminate music, which is created by chance processes but does not have the strict mathematical basis (Cage's Music of Changes, for example, uses a system of charts based on the I-Ching).

Related Topics:
Iannis Xenakis - Probability - Game theory - Group theory - Set theory - Boolean algebra - Computer - John Cage - Aleatoric - Indeterminate music - I-Ching

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