GenSession: Une Interface Utilisateur Zoomable et flexible pour la generation de melodies

This project proposes a novel user interface to make automatic composition algorithms more usable.;We have developed a prototype called GenSession, featuring a zoomable user interface in which short clips of musical passages can be created and positioned on a 2-dimensional workspace. Clips can be created by hand, or with automatic generation algorithms, and can be subsequently edited or sequenced together. Links between clips show the history of how they were created. The zoomable user interface is enhanced with an automatic re-framing mode, and the generation algorithms used support dynamic parameters that can be sketched as curves over time. GenSession allows melodies and sequences of chords to be generated quickly without expert knowledge, using a stochastic algorithm that we have developed. The user interface enables controlling and visualizing parameters, as well as visualizing and editing results from algorithms.;To evaluate our interface, we conducted individual meetings with 7 users having some professional relationship with music. 2 of these users are experienced musicians, 3 of them are less experienced intermediary musicians, and 2 of them have very limited knowledge of music theory. After demonstrating the main features of the prototype for approximately 15 minutes, each participant was invited to freely interact with the prototype. All users found the prototype "easy to use", but also found that it took some time to learn the various features of the user interface. As one user summed up, "Good interface, easy to use, but requires a training time like every music production tool to understand all the functions." 4 of the 7 users stated they would like to have a similar application for themselves to compose or just to experiment.