permanently unreplenishable

pulling out of polymeadows as the dusk is folding in

they lost to the noise

"Magic Porcupine" because it mostly uses microtonal scales called "magic" and "porcupine". Tuned in 22edo (22 equal steps per octave). Rhythmically in 15/16 time, mostly in the form 4-4-3-4 repeating.

Scales (and their modes/rotations) used are:

Diatonic 5L2s: In 22edo, 4414441. Sounds close to "normal" 12edo.

Porcupine 1L6s: In 22edo, 3334333. Starting to sound a little odd.

Magic 1L7s: In 22edo, 1511511151. Definitely sounding microtonal. One step of 22edo is 54.5¢, so close to a "quarter tone" of 12edo. Having a few of these in a row can make for some interesting dissonances and spice.

Freiporc: In 22edo, 312312121213. A subset of the 13 note porcupine MOS scale in 22edo. It was in a list on the xenharmonic wiki. I tried it and thought it worked well, but don't know anything more about it.

These four scales are used in that order, then repeat with different notes. Then there's about 8 bars of a scale listed on the wiki's 22edo page called:

2.3.7.11 4-SN octatonic: Described as 32353231 in 22edo. I suppose this is a 22edo approximation of the JI scale of that same name. The JI scale is: 7/6, 14/11, 3/2, 18/11, 7/4, 21/11, 2/1. In the form 1L 4M 2m 1s, with four step sizes: L=33/28, M=12/11, m=77/72, s=22/21.

The outro section is all in Magic scales.

G.30 Magic Porkypine

New piece, back to more energetic and intricate. In 28edo tuning (28 equal steps per octave), and in 28/16 meter. Mostly in counterpoint with melodic lines interwoven or "tangled up" right on top of each other. Plus pads and drums.

Semi-generative in that the "chaotic groove sequencer" program I made in Max generated a lot of the "raw notes", building blocks which I then edited, arranged, and tweaked in many ways. The generative Max program takes a lot of work to set up, organize parameters and parameter presets, and "play". And then a lot more work to edit and change things in an effort to make it sound more "alive". Pretty much every generated note has been tweaked for velocity and duration, and often pitch and rhythm too. Lots of notes were added or deleted as well. The instrumentation, FX, etc, are all done "by hand". The generative stuff is the foundation of the "melodic" voices, which I tried to edit and arrange such that melodies emerge from multiple voices interwoven together. I like the idea of melodies constantly shifting between voices. The drums and pads were added "by hand".

The program generates notes by several methods. Perhaps the most interesting is the "logistic map" equation from chaos math: next-x = r * cur-x (1.0 - cur-x). Depending on the value of the r parameter the output can range from single values repeating to chaos, with islands of interest along the "edge of chaos". I try to find places in the logistic map where there's an ever-changing yet "self-similar" fractal-like feeling. The equation output values between 0-1, which I have Max map to a changing list of pitches in MIDI.

Another interesting method used in Max is having a voice "arpeggiate" though its pitch set—the pitch sets are made from the current scale, transposition, and pitch range, all set by hand and saved in presets per voice. When the number of pitches in the pitch set and/or the arpeggiating sequence pattern is different from the number of notes per 28-step rhythmic loop, the pitches can end up shifting around the rhythm as it loops. When multiple voices do that in different ways the result can be quite complicated and feel somewhat unpredictable.

Being in 28edo tuning, of course I had to use 28/16 meter. An interesting meter as it can just be 7/4 or a whole bunch of more complicated metric patterns, like 7/8 twice per loop, or 7/16 four times per loop, or a bunch of other patterns.

Scales used, with various modulations, in order use use: Tetrawood 4L4s (4 equally large steps and four equally small steps) mode 43434343 (steps of 28edo), Diasem 5L2m2s RH mode 414434143 (diasem is chiral so has "right-handed" and "left-handed" forms), Diasem LH mode 441434143, Diasem RH mode 414434143, "Minor" (5254345), Dietic Minor 4L3m3s mode 4134413413, Omnidiatonic 2L3m2s RH mode 4642642 (another chiral scale form), Diasem mode 143414434, "Minor".

Or more simply put: The track uses scales of 28edo known as Tetrawood, Diasem, "Minor", Dietic Minor, and Omnidiatonic. The scale called "minor" is, as far as I know, basically 28edo's best approximation of "normal" diatonic. Except it uses four different step sizes. Still it seems to sound pretty much like normal 12edo diatonic, at least on this track. Funny how my ear can't really tell there are extra step sizes compared to 12edo diatonic.

Also on my youtube channel: www.youtube.com/@duckapus424

Images made in midjourney. Just me trying to get midjourney to do strange and unexpected things. 

G.31 Crazy 28 (28edo)

Slower ambient-type track. Made a 12-note scale in just intonation based mostly on the idea of octave-reduced prime harmonic overtones. Scale intervals as JI frequency ratios, pitch in cents (100¢ being a "normal" half-step/semitone), and type of interval:

1:1.      0¢ unison
17:16   105¢ minor 2nd
9:8      204¢ major 2nd
6:5      316¢ minor 3rd
5:4      386¢ major 3rd
4:3      498¢ perfect 4th
11:8     551¢ superfourth; low tritone
3:2      702¢ perfect 5th
13:8     841¢ neutral 6th
29:16   1030¢ neutral 7th
7:4       969¢ minor 7th
23:16   628¢ tritone
2:1       1200¢ octave

A couple of these aren't in ascending pitch order because I found it easier to play on a standard 12 note keyboard this way. Although 1:1 is A above Middle C, several mode patterns were applied but built from assuming a key of C. So there are some chords and pitch structures that get a bit odd, but I did some heavy editing and made sure it ended with a "pure" JI A major chord.

G.32 sitting (just intonation)

2025.10.28-18.56.16_X13-entropy-1R

Paracusia is an ongoing multi-piece collaboration for saxophone(s) and live electronics created by Camila Agosto in collaboration with Justin Massey. The performer represents a character that is trapped within a reverberation room. Over the course of the works, the performer navigates the audience through their experience as they slowly lose their ability to interact with their outside world. Each piece represents a different step along their journey, exposing the unique sonic landscape of the different instruments within the saxophone family and their connection with the integrated electronics.

Paracusia begins after the character has been inside the room for a brief period of time. They will begin to hear voices (imitating the actions of the performer) swarming around them, building into a climatic moment of tension which seems to dissipate briefly into the start of the second piece.

Paracusia (I)

Conrad Tao's September 2025 performance of "One Hundred Thousand Billion Pieces for Piano & Computer" on Nova Linea Musica’s “Echoes and Algorithms” concert in Chicago. Recorded by Aphorism Studios.

One Hundred Thousand Billion Pieces for Piano & Computer (2025)

studio improv session /  2025.11.18

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computer & instrumental musician


Electronic Music BA - Perugia Conservatory
Erasmus BA Computermusik - IEM Graz

Camila Agosto is a composer, interdisciplinary artist, and educator whose electroacoustic music examines how
we perceive sound and vibration, exploring their physiological, mental, and emotional impacts. In her work, Camila collaborates with
musicians, visual artists, choreographers, and instrument builders, seeking to uncover intersections across artistic fields. Her work
includes both fully notated and improvisational compositions emphasizing timbral and textural exploration. She aims to reveal the
sonic potentialities of acoustic instruments while highlighting the human element in live performance. Her projects encompass
acoustic and electroacoustic concert works, interdisciplinary collaborations with visual media and dance, installations, and fixed media
creations.

Camila was honored to be the youngest fellow to be accepted to the American Academy in Berlin and is a recipient of the Fall 2023 Berlin Prize and Deutsche Bank Fellowship in Music Composition from the Academy. Her music has been commissioned and performed by leading artists and featured by venues throughout the United States and abroad. Camila is currently an ABD doctoral candidate at Columbia University in Music Composition.

I enjoy coding and creating IDM / electronic music. 
I work mostly with Ableton Live and Max 9.
I have lots of dogs.

Composer of acoustic & electronic music.  Sometimes I combine the two.  Also music faculty & co-director of The Emergence Lab at Duke University.

New tracks tagged #maxmsp