Alda: A music programming language

Alda: A music programming language
daveyarwood.github.io

I've had some really good results with sample-based algorithmic composition, so I'm really looking forward to this:

"In the near future, Alda’s scope will be expanded to include sounds synthesized from basic waveforms, samples loaded from sound files, and perhaps other forms of synthesis."

When I look at a traditional score I see and hear the music in my mind pretty much instantly. There is zero cognitive load, at least at the conscious level. With any kind of text-based notation you have to read text.

Another point, perhaps minor, I think I can say that most of the world does not learn notes as "CDE" but rather "do" "re" "mi". That's certainly how I learned it because I did not study music in the US. Perhaps you've accounted for this?

For me paper and pencil is still the best approach and the most natural experience.

Notation is a powerful tool, in fact it is a tool for thought. I learned this in CS when I studied APL and used the language professionally for nearly ten years. Music very naturally lends itself to a sophisticated notation. I am not sure taking that away can ever produce a better outcome.

Someone more qualified on the subject can probably explain why it is our brains have evolved to be "tuned" for notation. My hypothesis is we evolved powerful image recognition capabilities coupled with high speed classification and semantic processing. We can instantly recognize shapes (predators, something flying towards you, etc.) decide what it is, access a library giving us options and decide how to react. All of that in a very small fraction of a second. Notation benefits from us having developed such capabilities in our brains.

It isn't my intent to criticize this effort. Without attempting new ideas there can never be any progress. Kudos for trying.

I'll end with a question: What would you say is the use case for Alda?