How can I find "interesting" compositions?
Start by clicking a Create New Composition button a few times.
Then use Show Variations, and look for compositions whose images seem interesting. Gradually change other
controls.
Study compositions you like, particularly looking at what instruments they use in what roles.
How can I change the "activity level" of a composition?
If a composition sounds too "noisy," try decreasing the
Height in its Generator. If it doesn't
have enough going on, try increasing the
Height, or unchecking Cyclic Boundaries. With smaller
Rule Type settings, you'll
be more likely to get regular patterns, which may be interesting, but may seem too rigid.
How can I make a composition not "die out"?
Try
varying the Seed. Or the
Height. With
Cyclic Boundaries
checked, the composition is more likely to keep going, but may become repetitive.
If all else fails, vary the Rule.
How can I make a composition not repeat?
Try varying the Seed.
If Cyclic
Boundaries is checked,
try varying the Height slightly. The
composition may be less
likely to repeat
if the Height is, for example, a prime number.
If all else fails, vary the Rule.
How should I choose Rule numbers?
It's a consequence of computational irreducibility
that one can't in general tell in advance how Rules
will behave. There are a few details one can predict,
like that odd-numbered Rules will give stripes. Some
of the richest compositions seem to come from Stephen Wolfram's Class 4 rules.
How do I get rid of background colors in the images?
Use Toggle Display at the top right of the controls.
How do I get rid of drumming?
Select None in the Percussion menu
under Instrumentation.
What makes a composition work best as a ringtone?
Simple. Lively. Fast Tempo.
High Musical Pitch. Common Instruments.
List of All Composition Controls >>
Main FAQs
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