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Functional Composition - Chris Ford

ClojureTV · 30.7K views · 2013-01-08 · 39:21

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Overview

Chris Ford builds up from a single sine wave through layered abstractions to a Bach canon, using Clojure and the Overtone audio environment. The talk shows music theory as a natural fit for functional programming.

On Hacker News

HN repeatedly recommends it as a delightful talk that makes music theory click and introduces Clojure and Overtone.

Recommended by 6 HN people across 6 months · HN mentions 2013–2023

Topics

Functional programmingMusic theory, synthesis & productionCreative coding & generative art
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clojureovertonemusic theorylive codingsine waves

What people said

1MachineElf · 2023-08 · Strong recommendation

Recently I watched a great presentation[0] about Overtone by Chris Ford, delivered back in 2012. It was also the first time I saw my SO interested in a programming language talk - she isn't familiar with programming, but she does have a music background. [0] [VIDEO]

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zphds · 2018-05 · Strong recommendation

Here's another similar library for Clojure. [LINK] Recommend this talk that made Music 'click' for me. Also fun if you are trying to read GEB and generate cannons. [VIDEO]

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kremlin · 2015-05 · Strong recommendation

[VIDEO] Great, great talk linked to in the article, about using Clojure to abstract and live-code music. It actually helped me to more appreciate a funny episode in Star Trek: Next Generation where the hologram doctor becomes an esteemed musician among a species that previously didn't have music, because they saw it as an amazing mathematical feat.

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Sources

Video by ClojureTV, played through YouTube.

Data and selection notes

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HN Library: HackerTube export (2026-10-31) and open-index/hacker-news. Upstream summaries and classifications may contain AI errors.

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