Swarm Granulation

Abstract

Swarm granulation, as a union of swarming behaviour and sonic granulation, holds much potential for the generation of novel sounds. Theoretical and practical aspects of this technique are outlined here, and an explanation of how musical interactions with swarms can be enabled using an analogue of the biological process of stigmergy. Two manifestations of swarm granulation are explained in some detail. Social criticality, an inter-particle communication that is driven by a critical system such as a sandpile, and its use in determining the rendering of sound grains, is introduced.