Welcome to the Second Generation Modeling of Sonnet 18

Textones: The First Generation     Textones: The Second Generation    House of Bossa

First generation             = single tonal level of interpretation. One tone per word, with some tones overlapping according to function.

Second generation         = double tonal level of interpretation: acknowledgement of phrases in addition to individual word values.

Future Goals                = intonational level - an attempt to minimize discord while mimicking average speech patterns in tonal assignments.

                                    - possible other levels - voice recognition and pitch recognition ( i.e. automatic musical interpretation of speech by a software program)

In common with the First Generation Textones System, this Second Generation is a work in progress, and this is intentional; Textones has wandered into AI territory. To a very large extent, Artificial Intelligence has focused on language use as a way of developing intelligence in computational realms. The popular approach has been to develop vast data banks of words, phrases, and questions to which AI can respond. However, Textones considers this direction to be counterintuitive because it does not mimic human thought process or mental functioning from the broad perspective of language, it merely creates a game of "match the code." i.e. the computer simply identifies word sequences, perhaps through voice recognition systems, and uses its internal search engine to bring forth corresponding batches of recognizable codes. This reduces language to a black and white, two dimensional form of communication, ignoring the fuller scope of language. Primarily, this is because this approach ignores the music of language: intonation, velocity, and pitch.

These are things Textones seeks to take into account as it develops. Therefore, a "foolproof" Textones system is not being devised, but one that can adapt and adjust as research develops and results are garnered. This generation of Textones is an attempt to provide a template upon which changes and modifications can be carried out, and these modifications will made be made for two reasons: a) to allow for debate over correct parsing of a literary work, and b) more importantly, this template hopes to encompass the intonation of language, being adaptable in its musicality in an effort to interpret creative humanity's highly evolved art of language. This demands that the template has enough flexibility to modify and adjust for excessive discord when it occurs. (As previously noted, some discord is important, but considerable discord reduces the ability of the mind to recognize any particular meaning. For this recognition, some sense of melody is necessary). At the culmination of the First Generation Textones System, UCSB Professor Alan Liu commented that, "The gap between 'music' and 'meaning' seems closer now than ever before." This statement has a prophetic ring, as language and music, especially the inner music which manifests from the individual as they seek to communicate an idea through speech, are inextricably intertwined. I suggest that, before AI can integrate language use into robotics in anyway that imitates humanity, it must take the music of speech into account.

To read entire essay, click here--Textones Essay: The Second Generation

Textones: The Second Generation

Tone Assignment Charts

Sonnet 18

The Windhover

Audio Files

Sonnet 18--piano

Sonnet 18 with voice over

The Windhover--piano

The Windhover with voice over

The Windhover--organ

Screen Capture: Building a midi file in Protools