Alda

Alda is a text-based programming language for music composition. It allows you to write and play back music using nothing but a text editor.

piano: o3
g8 a b > c d e f+ g | a b > c d e f+ g4
g8 f+ e d c < b a g | f+ e d c < b a g4
<< g1/>g/>g/b/>d/g

The language’s design equally favors aesthetics, flexibility and ease of use.

Features

• Easy to understand, markup-like syntax.

• Designed for musicians who don’t know how to program, and programmers who don’t know how to music.

• A score is a text file that can be played using the alda command-line tool.

• Interactive REPL lets you enter Alda code and hear the results in real time.

• Supports writing music programmatically (for algorithmic composition, live coding, etc.)

• Create MIDI music using any of the instruments in the General MIDI Sound Set.