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It's a modern Web Audio implementation of this Mac software from 1986 (last updated in 2004).

Music Mouse - An Intelligent Instrument - https://web.archive.org/web/20220629172536fw_/http://retiary... (Archived because the original site is quite slow: http://retiary.org/ls/programs.html)

It was written by Laurie Spiegel, a composer and early pioneer in electronic music.

> Music Mouse is an algorithmic musical composition software developed by Laurie Spiegel. The "intelligent instrument" name refers to the program's built-in knowledge of chord and scale convention and stylistic constraints. Automating these processes allows the user to focus on other aspects of the music in real time.

> In addition to improvisations using this software, Spiegel composed several works for "Music Mouse", including Cavis muris in 1986, Three Sonic Spaces in 1989, and Sound Zones in 1990. She continued to update the program through Macintosh OS 9 and, as of 2021, it remained available for purchase or demo download from her website.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_Spiegel

She was featured in the documentary, Sisters with Transistors. https://sisterswithtransistors.com/



> To enable MIDI output, please use a Web MIDI capable web browser. (Chrome or Opera)

It took 10 years, but Firefox finally has Web MIDI!

Bugzilla: Implement the WebMIDI API - https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=836897


Laurie Spiegel is a Bell Labs alum. Bell Labs is the nexus for so many remarkable people.

A bit off-topic, but does anyone know of a book that touches on how Bell Labs managed to recruit and foster so many great minds?


“UNIX: A History and a Memoir” by Kernighan is a really fun read. Just publushed a few years ago as well.

https://www.amazon.com/UNIX-History-Memoir-Brian-Kernighan/d...


It's somewhat covered in John Gartner's "The Idea Factory: A History of Bell Labs"


Key takeaways from that book are mostly about money: 1) science is expensive 2) having a gigantic hose of money helps 3) scientists should not be the same people acquiring and managing money and programs

Very disappointing that our current academic science system operates with almost an identically opposite model to Bell labs.


Love that website. Was this sold in stores?




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