Quantum Music

Quantum Music

Trit: 0 (ERGODIC - bridging classical and quantum) Field: Quantum Computer Music Reference: Miranda (2022) "Quantum Computer Music" Springer

Overview

Quantum Music encompasses:

1. Composition: Using quantum algorithms/circuits
2. Notation: ZX-calculus augmented scores
3. Instruments: Quantum Guitar, Q1Synth, Actias
4. Performance: Live quantum state manipulation

History

Compositional Approaches

1. Quantum Random (QRandom)

from qiskit import QuantumCircuit, execute, Aer

def quantum_melody(n_notes, n_pitches=12):
    """Generate melody via quantum measurement."""
    qc = QuantumCircuit(4, 4)
    qc.h(range(4))  # Superposition
    qc.measure(range(4), range(4))
    
    backend = Aer.get_backend('qasm_simulator')
    result = execute(qc, backend, shots=n_notes).result()
    
    melody = []
    for bitstring, count in result.get_counts().items():
        pitch = int(bitstring, 2) % n_pitches
        melody.extend([pitch] * count)
    
    return melody

2. Quantum Walk Composition

def quantum_walk_melody(graph, steps):
    """Melody from quantum walk on graph."""
    from discopy.quantum import qubit, H, CNOT
    
    # Initialize walker in superposition
    walker = uniform_superposition(len(graph.nodes))
    
    for _ in range(steps):
        # Coin flip
        walker = apply_coin(walker)
        # Shift
        walker = apply_shift(walker, graph)
    
    # Measure to get note sequence
    return measure_melody(walker)

3. Grover Search for Harmony

def find_chord(target_quality='major'):
    """Use Grover to find chord voicing."""
    # Oracle marks good voicings
    oracle = chord_quality_oracle(target_quality)
    
    # Grover iterations
    circuit = grover_circuit(oracle, n_qubits=12)
    
    # Measure result
    return measure_chord(circuit)

ZX-Calculus Notation

"Bell" by Abdyssagin & Coecke uses ZX as score:

  Quantum Guitar          Grand Piano
       │                      │
    ┌──┴──┐                ┌──┴──┐
    │  X  │                │  Z  │
    └──┬──┘                └──┬──┘
       │                      │
       └──────────────────────┘
              Bell pair
              
  Measurement collapses entanglement
  → Correlated musical phrases

Instruments

Genre Applications

Industrial/Metal

• Black Tish: Full album with Quantum Guitar
• NIN-style experimentation
• Wacken performances

Classical/Contemporary

• Cathedral Organ + Quantum Guitar
• "Quantum Universe" Symphony
• Chamber music with ZX notation

Electronic

• EDM descendants of industrial
• Quantum random for generative

DisCoPy for Composition

from discopy import Ty, Box, Diagram
from discopy.quantum import qubit, Ket, Bra, H, CX

# Musical types
note = Ty('note')
chord = Ty('chord')

# Quantum composition as diagram
def compose_phrase():
    # Prepare Bell state
    bell = Ket(0, 0) >> (H @ Id(1)) >> CX
    
    # Map to musical space
    to_music = Box('sonify', qubit @ qubit, note @ note)
    
    return bell >> to_music

Live Performance Protocol

quantum_music_performance:
  setup:
    - Actias on dedicated laptop
    - MIDI routing configured
    - Bloch sphere projection
  
  soundcheck:
    - Test foot controllers
    - Verify measurement response
    - Classical/quantum blend levels
  
  performance:
    - Smooth classical→quantum transitions
    - Real-time qubit manipulation
    - Measured moments for phrase endings

GF(3) Conservation in Music

Σ = 0: Complete musical arc conserves

References

1. Miranda, E.R. (2022). Quantum Computer Music. Springer
2. Coecke, B. (2025). A Quantum Guitar. arXiv:2509.04526
3. Abdyssagin & Coecke (2025). Bell composition
4. Miranda et al. (2023). Q1Synth. Applied Sciences

Skill Name: quantum-music Type: Composition / Performance Trit: 0 (ERGODIC)

Non-Backtracking Geodesic Qualification

Condition: μ(n) ≠ 0 (Möbius squarefree)

This skill is qualified for non-backtracking geodesic traversal.

SDF Interleaving

This skill connects to Software Design for Flexibility (Hanson & Sussman, 2021):

Primary Chapter: 1. Flexibility through Abstraction

Concepts: combinators, compose, parallel-combine, spread-combine, arity

GF(3) Balanced Triad

quantum-music (○) + SDF.Ch1 (+) + [balancer] (−) = 0

Skill Trit: 0 (ERGODIC - coordination)

Connection Pattern

Combinators compose operations. This skill provides composable abstractions.