Serendipity35

Stephen Wolfram is probably best known as the the creator of Mathematica. His time now seems focused on his study of cellular automata, complexity theory, and computer algebra. In 2002, he published A New Kind of Science (a big book that you can buy or read online at his site for free - though it helps it hold it all in your hands) which has led to some interesting shifts in thinking about science, technology and the arts.

Much of the math is lost on me, though I find the ideas and applications fascinating. WolframTones is an experiment in applying Wolfram's discoveries to the creation of music.Taking his ideas about how remarkably simple programs in our computational universe can lead to "beautiful" complexity, including those found in systems in nature.

WolframTones takes simple "programs", adds music theory and Mathematica algorithms and produces music.

You can play around with a lot of this online for free. Each musical program you create is a small virtual world of original music (though your tendency at first may be to to try to recreate familiar musical styles). It's a constructivist playland where you can just dabble with the music until you begin to discover how to change the program and your music. (You can save your composition, the "art" it creates, even use it as a ringtone.)

Go to the Wolfram Tones home page and just pluck a few notes or strum a chord on the page. It's easy to get pulled into it.