Fractal Music: Melodies Behind Each Pixel
When you think of your favorite song or favorite type of music, it’s generally related to the specific type of genre they fall in. Whether you’re a country, classical, or pop music fan, we can all relate to this subject. Fractal music is on a level all on its own. In describing fractal music, it is simply based upon the mathematical concept of a fractal. It is music that is derived from fractal algorithms. Fractal music and conventional music are quite different due to the fact that fractal music sounds a bit more like noise and computer bleeps, instead of music we are used to hearing. Still, fractal music continues to be created.
All about Fractals
- Definition of a Fractal – Fractals are geometric shapes that are self-similar and has fractional dimension. These mathematical objects have several characteristics such as a fine structure, too irregular to be described in locally and globally geometrical language, and where its fractal dimension is greater than its topical dimension. Fractals are also associated with objects we see in our environment such as the bark of a tree or a snowflake.
- Self-similarity – This is the simplest type of fractal. With self-similarity, a particular shape is made up of smaller copies of itself. These copies are similar to the whole, meaning they have the same shape, but are different sizes.
- Fractal dimension – A fractal dimension is a statistical quantity known as the variable D, which gives an indication of how completely a fractal fills up a particular space, zooming down to the finest scales. A perfect example of fractal dimension is the Sierpinksi Triangle.
- Koch Snowflake – Named after Niels Fabian Helge von Koch. This is another example of a fractal, which involves successive iteration.
About Fractal Images
- Fractal Images – A fractal image can take on a variety of different patterns. There are times when an image may look as beautiful as a mountain or as strange as a cluster of cells as seen through a microscope. A fractal image is produced by mapping the output of certain equations into colored screen pixels.
- Fractal Image Compression – This particular event takes place when an image is broken down into coarse and fine segments.
No matter how a fractal image is formed, the end result is always very unique. No fractal image is the same. There are a variety of artists who have a gallery of fractal images they are proud to share with the world.
- Gravity Set Fractals – This is a website created by Fred Mitchell. His images are very unique and fun for the whole family to browse through.
- Fractal Landscapes – Created by Adam Brown, he shares his interest in fractals pairing them with landscapes from around the world.
- Fractal Art by O – This website was established by Paul N. Lee who shows the many images he’s been creating since 1996.
Fractal Music
Fractals are visual representations of mathematical functions, which upon magnification show an increased amount of detail. A gentleman named Benoit Mandelbrot, who is known as the father of fractal geometry, coined the word fractal. But how do fractals and music go together?
- Mapping - This is also the key behind fractal music. With mapping, a direct relationship between the numerical output of an equation and certain parameters that employ that output are created.
- Fractal Music Software - There are several software programs out there where you can be your own composer of fractal music.
Here are several websites you can access in order to hear some examples of fractal music.
- Fractal Music 3.0 – This is an example of fractal music paired with fractal images created by MIT students.
- Fractovia – Here you can listen to original compilations by Juan Louis Martinez.
- Dmitry Kormann – You can take another listen to fractal music and learn the basics of fractals as well.
- Larry Solomon – Larry Solomon gives you examples of fractal music as well as going in depth as to what fractals are all about.
The Music Makers
Among the many musicians of the world, there are actually famous fractal music composers. The most popular include Phil Thompson, David Clark Little, and Forrest Fang.
Phil Thompson
- Phil Thompson Biography – This musician’s compositions first started in 1984 and as they say, the rest is history.
- Organised Chaos – Phil Thompson released two albums called, Organised Chaos which is based upon the Chaos Theory, also known as the Mathematics of Nature.
David Clark Little
- Chaos Theory – David Clark Little is another composer who bases his music upon the Chaos Theory.
Forrest Fang