6 HN users recommended this talk6 months2013–2023score 8
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
HN repeatedly recommends it as a delightful talk that makes music theory click and introduces Clojure and Overtone.
Chris Ford builds up from a single sine wave through layered abstractions to a Bach canon, using Clojure and the Overtone audio environment. The talk shows music theory as a natural fit for functional programming.
“Recommend this talk that made Music 'click' for me.” (HN, 2018)
I didn't read the haskell paper yet, but one talk about music and programming that I enjoyed a lot is 'functional composition' by chris ford, using clojure. [this video] It simply groups and layers simple waves until he can describe a full theme. In case you didn't saw it and have 30 minutes of free time.
Builds a full theme from layered simple waves in Clojure
[this video] Great, great talk linked to in the article, about using Clojure to abstract and live-code music. It actually helped me to more appreciate a funny episode in Star Trek: Next Generation where the hologram doctor becomes an esteemed musician among a species that previously didn't have music, because they saw it as an amazing mathematical feat.
Here's another similar library for Clojure. [link] Recommend this talk that made Music 'click' for me. Also fun if you are trying to read GEB and generate cannons. [this video]
Made music theory click via functional composition
Recently I watched a great presentation[0] about Overtone by Chris Ford, delivered back in 2012. It was also the first time I saw my SO interested in a programming language talk - she isn't familiar with programming, but she does have a music background. [0] [this video]
Overtone presentation engaging even to a non-programmer with music background
Learn Clojure via Overtone! [this video] I personally have to either wake up early, wake up and exercise, or start working outside my apartment (e.g. eat lunch out and take my computer) in order to not fall into slacking off all day. Assuming I don't fall into one of my slacking off patterns (e.g HN/Reddit/Twitter tech "news" all day), I've never had trouble staying engaged. I think of it as working every day but sometimes I get paid for working on other people's projects and others I get to enjoy working on my own. My personal priority list of things to do puts sleep and waking up without an alarm as the top priority.
Introduction to Clojure through the Overtone music library
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