FrameWorks - a structural composition tool

FrameWorks is a new software tool that has been developed as a proof of concept for novel ideas relating to userinterface approaches for music composition systems. FrameWorks has been developed on the basis of HCI (Human Computer Interaction) research investigating the processes of music composition and aims to support more top-down approaches to the task which are poorly supported by extant systems. This paper briefly covers the background to the project, describes the main features of the FrameWorks concept, presents the current user-interface and discusses future developments of the system. Some simple musical examples are given to illustrate the system's potential.