The Tensed Computer Improviser

This software makes music and sound with you. It’s an audio-corpus-based computer improviser designed in max.

The Tensed Computer Improviser is an open-source piece of music-generation software. This software is developed in MAX[1] with integrations of the Flucoma[2], ml.star[3], and GO[4] abstractions.

Requires MAX (paid version not necessary)

download via dropbox

Github (always the most up-to-date)


Improvising with the Tensed Computer Improviser, trained with a corpus of Architek Percussion’s recording of my percussion quartet, Incantation.


Technical Overview



This video is an overview on how to install and operate the Tensed Computer Improviser:


Video Series on building the Tensed Computer Improviser:


[1] https://cycling74.com/products/max

[2] Tremblay, P.A., Green, O., Roma, G., Bradbury, J., Moore, T., Hart, J., & Harker, A. (2022). The Fluid Corpus Manipulation Toolbox (v.1). Zenodo. doi: /10.5281/zenodo.6834643

[3] Smith, Benjamin D., and Guy E. Garnett (2012) "Unsupervised Play: Machine Learning Toolkit for Max." In Proceedings of the New Interfaces in Musical Expression (NIME). 2012.

[4] Taylor, G., Wakefield, G. (2022) Generating Sound and Organizing Time: Thinking with gen~. Cycling’74.