Symbolic Music and Algorithmic Composing

Abstract

Abstract Stefan Höltgen delves into the archives with a study of representative BASIC computer game program codes produced by a growing band of computer programming hobbyists from the 1970s to the 1990s. In contrast to other studies of game sound and music that typically provide aesthetic or functional categories, Höltgen’s approach allows him to devise a distinct typography based on the sound-code connection. It is only by focusing on this connection, Höltgen argues, that the influence of the game platform’s hardware and software specifications on the sounds’ aesthetics can be fully appreciated. Re-reading the mostly only printed game (sound) codes from books and magazines shows the rich history of this type of “software storage,” and why it is important to properly preserve “paperware” for game history research.