Pop* is a computational creative system that composes pop, rock, and show tune music using Twitter as an inspiring source from which to compose original music.
The system utilizes constrained Markov processes, evolutionary programming, and computational creativity theory, to generate novel, surprising, and valuable artefacts in the form of lead sheets. These artefacts can then be rendered as audio by human or computer musicians.
Here is a schematic that outlines how the system works:
Pop* has an aesthetic that favors three specific interests: being in love, feeling depressed, and new beginnings. The composition process starts when Pop* searches social media (i.e., Twitter) for tweets related to its interests. From these tweets the system chooses a tweet that conveys feeling. Pop* uses the major themes of the tweet to formulate an intention: a theme that the system will communicate through music.
Pop* next searches for existing lyrics and sheet music that are related to its intention. Pop* uses the lyrics and sheet music to learn patterns of chords, rhythm, pitch, lyrics, and structural motifs. It uses this learning to generate multiple compositions. Pop* evaluates each composition and chooses one that best reflects the system's intention and has the catchiest music.
One of the primary research questions in developing Pop* was "How can we develop a model that is able to generate sequences of music that sound good, but which exhibit musical motifs?" A motif is any pattern that repeats more than once. In the compositions below you will hear that Pop* is able to generate music with motifs, as highlighted here, in lyrics (red), melodic pitch and rhythm (yellow, purple), and harmony (green):
This ability to create motifs is the basis for Pop* being able to generate compositions with verse-chorus segmentation.
Published research related to Pop*:
Below are 10 randomly selected compositions with titles, lyrics, tempos, key signatures, melodies, harmonies, rhythms, rhyme schemes, and motif patterns generated by Pop*. Each composition is generated as a Music XML file, which has been rendered as PDF and audio for your viewing and listening pleasure.
This song qualified as a finalist in the 2022 International AI Song Contest. Watch Paul perform the song live during a photo shoot.
And I think I
Words and music by Pop*
June 12, 2018
I spend a lot of time thinking and reading about being in love, and I read this tweet from a friend posted Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 06:34 PM:
"It’s interesting being in love with a person, I told Ashley my love for him is like dancing on the edge of a cliff always feeling a sense of trepidation before the grand leap into his world. But in the end no matter my fear I make a leap of faith. Is that what love is?"
It got me thinking about fear and love themes and I couldn't help but write this song:
"And I think I am just a lie 'Cause when you find yourself behind And I think I am just a lie"
At the beginning it was fear and love, however it really wound up with more of a deception and negative emotion theme. I hope that you like it.
Pop*
This is how I
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about new beginnings, so naturally this tweet stood out from my friend Saraphon 🍍 posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 04:47 PM:
"I love Mondays! New challenges.. new beginnings.. new hope.. and a continued determination... I love Mondays! 😊"
Thoughts started coming about love and optimism ideas. Then the words started coming:
"This is how I love the night sky do Your thing hey I was No way This is how I love the night sky"
It started out as just thoughts on love and optimism, but in the end I felt that it had more of a night and love theme. Hopefully it resonates with you.
Pop*
It is lost be
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
One common interest that I have is new beginnings, so naturally this tweet stood out from my friend . posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 01:48 PM:
"This love lives long And constantly unfurls new beginnings What are our Hearts doing without our knowledge?"
Thoughts started coming about love and optimism ideas and I couldn't help but write this song:
"It is lost be found If your heart And I am apart it is lost be found Are they meant go But I Just went against my will and if the war After night and I am sure It is because tomorrow Only me And for ever it is lost be found and some will come back home I still"
At the beginning it was love and optimism, but it turned out to have more of a negative emotion and domestic work theme. Hopefully it resonates with you.
Pop*
And I am telling you
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about feeling depressed, so naturally this tweet caught my eye from my friend kat 🤡 17 posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 12:24 PM:
"@cassmckool depression is a mental illness not an emotion lol, if you're feeling sad then you're just sad, not 'feeling depressed.'"
It got me thinking about sadness and health ideas and I couldn't help but write this song:
"And I am telling you She calls me home Before you came to be And I am telling you ah A short stab of heartbreak It is sort of Sickening when You say it again to be released once again I am blue And I am telling you darling It is a heartache city hit"
I intended that the piece should be about sadness and health, but it turned out to have more of a suffering and pain theme. I hope that you like it.
Pop*
Chorus I am feeling something real when
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
I spend a lot of time thinking and reading about being in love, so naturally this tweet caught my eye from my friend jai posted Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 01:54 AM:
"that has to be the best part of being in love - the feeling of having a home in someone else’s brain"
Thoughts started coming about family and optimism ideas, and piece by piece out came this song:
"I am feeling something real when it hurts you It is a clue I am feeling something real when it is not me that you got it we in the world and a man in love again And I remember playing in the world in a hopeless and blind And we believe in lucky can a love and desire never I am feeling something real when it was love I am rid of"
It started out as just thoughts on family and optimism, however it really wound up with more of a optimism and affection theme. Hopefully you'll appreciate it.
Pop*
I am already in our lives
Words and music by Pop*
June 12, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about new beginnings, so naturally this tweet caught my eye from a friend posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 05:29 PM:
"through thick and thin, all of the happiness and sadness and [garbage] life puts us through, and all of the new beginnings and all of the death and illnesses- I want Bryan by my side through it all."
It made me reflect on suffering and death ideas. Then the words started coming:
"I am already in our lives are Lonely lonely now I will never been the story I am already in our lives become the rightful owners of this heart of a bottle Laying from a long time gone by Do you stop trying so hard to remember my members Way Over yet Cos I knew that I I am already in our lives Television screen Despair Rise and the one that is mean"
I intended that the piece should be about suffering and death, but in the end I felt that it had more of a negative emotion and violence theme. In any case, I hope you find it meaningful.
Pop*
This is
Words and music by Pop*
June 12, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about being in love, so naturally this tweet stood out from my friend Athea Butler posted Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 12:41 PM:
"Being in love with someone you talk to daily who doesn’t love you back is quite possibly the worst feeling of all time"
It got me thinking about optimism and affection themes and I couldn't help but write this song:
"This is the way the world We want love All of me this is the end The way you walk away I knew I finally confronting Strictly on a beautiful the way the love You Until the morning This is the one and great will be As in love 'til"
I intended that the piece should be about optimism and affection, however it really wound up with more of a positive emotion and love theme. Hopefully it resonates with you.
Pop*
When you
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about new beginnings, so naturally this tweet caught my eye from my friend Jaime posted Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 01:29 AM:
"@RichardTBurnett It’s a Wrap! Historic, massive,incredible. I love New Beginnings. ❤️MAGA 🇺🇸 https://t.co/xnc1q48Drk
It made me reflect on love and optimism ideas and I couldn't help but write this song:
"When you I do love me You see When you I do"
At the beginning it was love and optimism, and I think that's what's conveyed through the music. Hopefully it resonates with you.
Pop*
To save Hard as for
Words and music by Pop*
June 12, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about feeling depressed, and I found this tweet from my friend Linda Tran posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 06:12 AM:
"And feeling depressed is not the same as feeling sad. So those two terms shouldn't be interchangable."
It made me reflect on sadness and hate ideas and ultimately led me to compose this piece:
"To save Hard as for the things I can or we could be sleeping on the wall Nothing to save Hard as for the things I can or"
At the beginning it was sadness and hate, but in the end I felt that it had more of a healing and heroic theme. Hopefully you'll appreciate it.
Pop*
Nothing we had in
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
I find that I'm commonly drawn towards posts about feeling depressed, so naturally this tweet stood out from my friend Juan Paolo posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 05:57 PM:
"When you're feeling depressed so you listen to depressing songs which makes your depression even worse."
It got me thinking about sadness and suffering ideas. That's how this piece sort of came together:
"Nothing we had in all the time Even care it is holding on You now nothing nothing we had in all the time Even"
It started out as just thoughts on sadness and suffering, however it really wound up with more of a healing and trust theme. In any case, I hope you find it meaningful.
Pop*
Chorus Follow me I
Words and music by Pop*
June 12, 2018
One common interest that I have is new beginnings, and I discovered this tweet from my friend Law of Attraction posted Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 05:01 PM:
"God says restoration is coming, new beginnings are coming, breakthroughs, abundance, victory is coming. The difficulties are temporary; joy is permanent."
It made me reflect on pride and zest ideas. Then the words started coming:
"Chorus Follow me I know that I am so high Carry me again You can do it In to do Chorus Follow me I know that I am so high"
It started out as just thoughts on pride and zest, however it really wound up with more of a help and office theme. Hopefully it resonates with you.
Pop*
After years of being
Words and music by Pop*
June 11, 2018
For those that know me, I pay attention to anything related to feeling depressed, and I stumbled on this tweet from my friend diego posted Monday, June 11, 2018 at 06:56 PM:
"me: feeling depressed is an emotion thats not exclusive to people with a depressive disorder fake woke white girls: UMMM DEPRESSION IS A MENTAL ILLNESS"
It got me thinking about sadness and hate themes and ultimately led me to compose this piece:
"After years of being hailed as your heart Looking up And see my pain through all the time There is you After years of being hailed as your heart Looking"
It started out as just thoughts on sadness and hate, but it turned out to have more of a horror and suffering theme. I hope that you like it.
Pop*
