The term generative art has been coined with the advent of the computer, and since the very beginning of computer science, artists and scientists used technology as a tool to produce art. Interestingly, generative art predates computers, because generative systems can be derived by hand.
In this section, we'll provide an overview of generative music by showing you interesting examples from art history going back to the 18th century. This will help you understand the different types of generative music by looking at specific examples and prepare the groundwork for later chapters.