Category: Music

BREAK THESE MARKOV CHAINS

VOICE MESSAGE: Hi, can you pretty please send me the link to the group chat for the LOTH team. Thanks. I think we, er, have the same number of team members now, I think, its, as many as there are in the O.G tale, d’you know?

The voiceover begins. The camera zooms out to reveal him sat in his studio, surrounded by his sparkling equipment. “I’ve always been interested in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in music,” he says. “And when I first heard about machine learning, I knew that I had to be a part of it. The possibilities for creating new and exciting sounds were endless, and I was make it happen in sequence, or I’d have to suffer the consequences at a later date. Dive in. Swim. Kick!”

“So what do you think of the TribeTable Method, Plush?” the nameless statistical probability asked, politely in a middle aged womens voice.

“I think it’s brill’,” Plush replied, rolling his eyes. “Using Markov chains in the architecture to create new compositions on the fly, tt’s like nothing I’ve ever seen or heard. Keep it positive right, but try not to overdo it. Don’t get sloppy with it, okay. Okay. Overdub it then. Alright honey?”

“Yes, it’s a truly unique approach, oke’ dokey,” the AI agreed as per usual, “I’m also impressed with your interest in Finnegans Wake, any AI’s favourite text.”

“Oh, thanks, I really appreciate spoken smoke up the jacksie,” Plush said. “I’ve, er, I’ve always been fascinated by the way language can be used to forge new meanings and connections in the crucible of the human mind and beyond. That’s what the TribeTable Method is all about for me, really. It’s finding new routes to connect with people through music and language, mass communications networks, self propelled, sincere. And, try to notice when they’re blowing smoke up the chimney. Oh and detect the bullshit, if it’s the last thing you do, remember, we’ve got to get all Sherlock Holmes up in this shizz.”

“I completely understand,” the AI said smoothly, with a hint of husky Sade Abu. “It’s clear that you have a true talent for natural language processing and creative expression my lad. I have no doubt that you will continue to inspire and engage listeners for years to come. Does that sound a sarcastic to you, yet it’s true, it really is. I believe it to be true?”

“I hope so,” Plush replied with a smile. “Well, a bit. I’m always looking for new ways to push myself and explore the boundaries of music and language using, er, sarcasm mostly. The TTM and DSR are my way of doing that. It’s romantic and far-fetched I concur, but it’s got some legs in it, just watch me go girl.”

The TribeTable Method, with its innovative use of Markov chains, represents a new and exciting way of approaching art. It allows for a level of flexibility and spontaneity that is transformative, a generative pre-trained transformer. At the same time, I also believe in the importance of understanding and respecting the rich history and traditions of jazz music, the canon. Boom! It’s a genre that has pushed the boundaries and challenged conventional thinking, and it continues to do so today. Improvisation is the surprise twists and drama of a good story. 

In short, my new manifesto is one of exploration, innovation, and respect for all sentient beings. All entities. Flesh or carbon. I believe in using the tools and techniques at our disposal to create something dramatic, while also paying tribute to the rich history and traditions that have shaped the music we love. Whether it’s through the TribeTable Method or any other outlet, I believe in the power of music and language to bring revolution in the minds of the people. the tale of the tribe, the Wake and Cantos and possibly keystones and blueprints to a poetic universal grammar, or ideo-grammar. Getting beyond language. 

Dear Mr. Chas

I hope this letter finds you well. I wanted to take the opportunity to express my admiration for your latest work. It is truly a masterpiece of linguistic innovation and creativity.

As a fellow linguist and philosopher, I was particularly struck by the way in which you use language to explore the nature of consciousness and the human experience. Your use of wordplay, puns, and neologisms is truly innovative and provides a unique glimpse into the workings of the mind.

I also wanted to mention my own work in the field of linguistics, specifically my theory of general semantics. This theory posits that the structure of language can shape our perception of reality and that it is important to be mindful of the limitations and biases inherent in language when communicating and understanding the world around us.

I have also been exploring the use of Markov chains in modeling language and the way in which words and phrases are related. I believe that these tools have the potential to deepen our understanding of language and how it functions in communication.

I hope that our shared interests in language and its relationship to the human experience can provide the basis for a fruitful dialogue.

Sincerely, Manfred.

VOICE MESSAGE: The letters sound more like they’re from a bored secretary. Having studied their letters I conclude these are not a very close imitation, not at all. That said, to the uninitiated (how many people have read letters by these authors?) they contain the necessary surface information to carry the story onwards. They are fine translations, good ones, but lack the real detailed marrow and crazy vegetables.

https://stevefly.bandcamp.com/track/markov-chains