Agent skill

quantum-music

Quantum computer music composition and performance using quantum circuits, ZX-calculus notation, and quantum instruments

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Install this agent skill to your Project

npx add-skill https://github.com/majiayu000/claude-skill-registry/tree/main/skills/data/quantum-music

SKILL.md

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

Year Milestone
2022 First quantum-composed music (Ludovico Quanthoven)
2022 Miranda's "Quantum Computer Music" book
2023 Q1Synth (Miranda, Thomas, Itaboraí)
2024 Quantum Guitar debuts (Edinburgh)
2024 Black Tish at Wacken with quantum
2025 "Bell" composition (ZX notation)

Compositional Approaches

1. Quantum Random (QRandom)

python
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

python
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

python
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

Instrument Creator Mechanism
Q1Synth Miranda et al. Software qubit synth
Actias Moth Web-based, MIDI control
Quantum Guitar Coecke Physical + Actias
Quantum Piano Abdyssagin Mental model + notation

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

python
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

yaml
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

Section Trit Character
Intro (classical) -1 Grounded
Development (quantum) 0 Superposed
Resolution (measured) +1 Collapsed

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.

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