Tonica fugata

tonica fugata is a composition software for Microsoft Windows and macOS distributed by the German company Capella Software. It offers basic knowledge of musical composition and creates compositions (multiple part harmonies, variations, canons, fugues) based on entered melodies or musical subjects. tonica fugata is designed for self-studies.
Initially the software was developed under the name of "tonica" as learning and application program for chord theory, music theory and composition. With version 4.0 a composition automatic for harmonies HARMONET was integrated. Ever since it has been expanded by more musical styles. From version 9.0 on the software was able to compose fugues and thus its name was changed to tonica fugata. Since version 13.0 tonica fugata is available for macOS as well. At the same time score display and score editing was adapted to the notation software capella, and the composition algorithm was enlarged to support any number of voices.
Besides tonica fugata there is another restricted version with the name of "tonica pop" which does not include fugue composition.
Features
tonica fugata focuses on tasks which are part of music theory classes in schools and universities:
* Harmonic analysis and voice leading analysis of harmonies in Roman numeral analysis and functional theory
* Voice duplication: Addition of an accompanying voice to a given melody
* Creation of a multi-part harmony to a given melody or a bass line (figured bass)
* Ornamentation of a subject or the voices of a harmony with figurations and figural variations
* Creation of accompanying patterns in several dance and pop music styles
* Creation of canons in strict counterpoint and as rounds
* Composition of fugues on a given subject
The program fulfills the above tasks independently according to the user's specifications, for example following a subject which was entered. It makes use of style imitation: The user can influence the result by selecting a harmonization or variation style. This is either a personal style (e.g. Johann Sebastian Bach) or a genre style (e.g. Jazz). Currently these style are predefined in tonica fugata:
* Johann Sebastian Bach
* Max Reger
* Samuel Scheidt
* Jazz
* Pop
Besides these predefined styles the user can have the program create own harmonization styles by giving corresponding music examples.
As variation styles the program offers several styles according to the partita of Johann Pachelbel and the preludes of J. S. Bach.
Operation
tonica fugata applies methods of algorithmic composition. As technology, artificial neural networks are employed whose structure and weights are adapted to specific learning examples (e.g. chorales by J. S. Bach).
Instead of working with rigidly defined rules and thus limiting the search space, tonica fugata abandons fixed rules with the exception of few basic rules such as forbidden parallel fifths. The program fulfills the tasks by carrying out a discrete time series analysis for the sequence of notes, harmonies and motifs in the learning examples and thus training the neural networks. Prognoses for new melodies and subjects derive from the knowledge being saved in the neural networks during the learning process. This knowledge can be specifically controlled by chance which leads to differing solutions following one given subject.
This way tonica fugata follows the approach of a composer who will generally orient towards rules but to a much larger extent will follow his musical intuition and in doing so draw on his own experience and the works of musical tradition.
Fugue composition
The fugue is one of the most complex and technically demanding forms of music which many important composers have dealt with. The challenge is to create a self-contained composition consisting of little basic material (subject and counterpoint). In doing so the subject appears several times in altered form (for example as inversion, augmentation or in strettos).
tonica fugata takes a form scheme as basis for a fugue which determines the basic outline of the fugue. Basing on this form scheme and on the given subject the program creates the subject material which the fugue will consist of. tonica fugata offers several form schemes, some of them basing on the fugues of The Well-Tempered Clavier by J. S. Bach.
Use
tonica fugata takes the approach of explorative learning. The user is not led stepwise to the completed musical result but is expected to gather experiences and learn how to compose himself. Therefore a certain confidence in judging the aesthetics of musical results created by tonica fugata is expected from beginners and amateurs. For experienced users and professional composers whose compositions can be stylistically associated with tonal music or Jazz tonica fugata is a useful kit they can gather material from for their own compositions.
Interfaces
tonica fugata employs a proprietary file format but also imports and exports data in MIDI format, CapXML format and MusicXML format. A direct interface to the notation software capella by the same publisher allows further processing of the compositions. Note entry is effected via computer keyboard, mouse or MIDI keyboard.

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