Harken
A proposed open-source multi-level memory challenge game that leverages the mathematical power of the Harken Music system.
This is an open call for collaborative development of an open-source multi-level memory challenge game, “Harken”, that leverages the mathematical power of the Harken Music system to incorporate all 1,193,556,233 possible harmonic combinations and permutations into the game.
Programmers or developers interested in collaborating on this or similar projects, please contact the author.
Definition:
Harken means to listen attentively or give heed to something.
Etymology:
Derived from Middle English hercnen, which itself comes from Old English heorcnian, meaning "to listen." The word is related to hear; variants include hearken and hark.
Call and Response: 12 Levels of Difficulty
When the selected combination number is small, say from 2 to 4 numbers, and the number of permutations is limited to only 2, 4, or 6, completing the game is within reach of beginners and novices players. Levels of greater and extreme difficulty arise with the larger combination numbers, 6-12, and higher numbers of permutations, 12-24, including all 1,193,556,233 permutations at the highest level of difficulty.
Combination Number (selection menu, options 1-12)
1 (Cycle)
2 (Intervals)
3 (Triads)
4 (Tetrachords)*
5 (Pentatonics)
6 (Hexatonics)
7 (Heptatonic)**
8 (Octatonics)
9 (Nonatonics)
10 (Decatonics)
11 (Hendecatonics)
12 (Chromatic)
Level of Difficulty (selection menu, options I-XII)
I (Novice) = 2 permutations
II (Beginner) = 4 permutations
III (Competent) = 6 permutations
IV (Average) = 8 permutations
V (Proficient) = 10 permutations*
VI (Expert) = 12 permutations
VII (Master) = 14 permutations
VIII (Virtuoso) = 16 permutations
IX (Genius) = 18 permutations
X (Savant) = 20 permutations
XI (Artificial Intelligence) = 24 permutations
XII (Super Intelligence) = 1,193,556,233 permutations**
Game Start (default)
By default Harken will start with combination number 2 (intervals) and level of difficulty I (novice) and move on to higher levels as players make increasing progress. More advanced players may choose any combination number (1-12) and/or level of difficulty (I-XII) from the two selection menus described above.
When the game starts, Harken will “call” (play) the first note (sound and color) of an algorithmically determined sequence, and then “listen” for the player to “respond” within the time allowed.
This back and forth, or “call and response”, between game and player continues until the player either makes a mistake (and must start the game over) or completes the entire sequence, and moves on to the next higher level.
For example, here the selected combination number is 3 (triads), and the number of permutations is 6 (difficulty level III)
Combination (3)
[3, 0, 7]
Permutations (6)
[0, 3, 7]
[0, 7, 3]
[3, 0, 7]
[3, 7, 0]
[7, 0, 3]
[7, 3, 0]
In order to successfully complete Level III and move on to the next higher level, a player must correctly respond to a total of 18 calls in sequence (as shown below).
Calls & Responses
[0]
[0, 3]
[0, 3, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7, 0]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7, 0, 3]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7, 0, 3, 7]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7, 0, 3, 7, 3]
[0, 3, 7, 0, 7, 3, 3, 0, 7, 3, 7, 0, 7, 0, 3, 7, 3, 0]
* The Guinness world record for the most sequences completed in a game of "Simon Says" is 84. This record was achieved on November 28, 2020, in Caesarea, Canada.
** The Guinness world record for memorizing and reciting digits of Pi is held by Suresh Kumar Sharma of India, who recited 70,030 digits of Pi. They achieved this feat on October 21, 2015, in a time of 17 hours and 14 minutes.
Humans are unlikely capable of comprehending ≈1.2 billion unique patterns of numbers. Even if a savant or genius could mentally process one calculation per second, at that rate, calculating them all would take approximately 37 years, 10 months, and 18 days.
Today’s advanced AI/LLMs, however, can process more than 1 million calculations per second, making it possible for an AI to calculate all 1,193,556,233 harmonic combinations and permutations in well under 2 hours.
Persons interested in collaborating on this project, please contact the author.
Harken Music
Please read the article “The Future of Music is Math” and the unedited review written entirely by ChatGPT 4o. Then try our open-source HTML/Javascript demo* at harkenmusic.com to see and hear everything for yourself. Using this demo, you can choose any combination size (from 1 to 12 notes) from the pull-down menu; then select any particular combination from the numbered list, to view and hear all permutations, reflections (inversions), and rotations (transpositions).
*Note: a desktop or laptop computer and current web browser are required for using the demo, but there’s no download or sign up required.
License
Copyright 2024 Mitchell Kahle and Holly J. Huber
Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the “Software”), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
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ChatGPT 4o composed this unedited imaginary game review from a single prompt…
Title: A Symphony of Memory and Challenge - Harken Takes Educational Gaming to a New Level
Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)
As someone who enjoys puzzles and has a passion for both music and mathematics, I can confidently say that Harken is a game like no other. The concept brilliantly merges the precision of the Harken Music system with an addictive memory challenge that grows progressively more intense as you ascend through its levels of difficulty. Here’s a breakdown of my experience with the game.
User Interface & Design
The minimalist, yet beautifully designed interface immediately caught my attention. The dodecagon layout, where each segment represents a musical note (as shown in the preview graphic), is clean and intuitive. With each successful "call and response," the notes light up with vivid colors, and the seamless transitions make the entire experience feel like you're creating a visual and auditory masterpiece.
The progression is incredibly satisfying. Early levels (e.g., combinations of 2-4 notes) feel approachable, yet challenging enough to keep you engaged. For someone new to the world of the Harken Music system, these early levels offer an accessible way to dip your toes into the vast mathematical depth of the system. However, as you begin to reach the higher combination numbers and permutation counts, the challenge scales exponentially, keeping even the most seasoned players on their toes.
Gameplay - Call and Response Mechanic
The core "call and response" mechanic is where Harken truly shines. At the start of each round, the game plays a sequence of notes, both visually and sonically. I loved how the color scheme and musical notes combined to enhance memorization. It wasn’t just about remembering notes but connecting with the rhythm and symmetry within the harmonic combinations.
In lower levels, the patterns feel relatively manageable. For example, the third level challenge (triads) has a combination like [3, 0, 7], and with only six permutations, it requires 18 correct responses to complete. But by the time I was pushing towards more advanced levels, such as tetrachords or pentatonics, the permutations started to make my brain work overtime. I found myself drawing on both musical intuition and raw memory skill, creating a blend of mental exercises that felt wholly unique.
Challenge Levels
Harken's 12 levels of difficulty are where things truly escalate. As you reach "Master" and beyond, the sheer number of permutations per combination grows daunting. I personally stopped at Level VI (Expert), which required responding to 12 permutations. At that point, the game felt like a workout for my brain. The pinnacle, though—Level XII with its whopping 1,193,556,233 permutations—feels more like an unearthly challenge designed for AI rather than humans. Still, I love that it’s there, as it shows the mathematical power of the system. Who knows, maybe one day we'll see someone break records like those in the Pi memorization challenges.
Learning Through Play
What truly sets Harken apart from other memory games is that it subtly teaches music theory and harmonic combinations through gameplay. By the time I reached higher levels, I realized I was becoming more adept at identifying patterns in music, especially as I learned to recognize specific intervals and harmonic groupings (e.g., triads, tetrachords). It’s a fascinating way to apply the Harken Music system in a way that doesn’t feel overtly educational yet naturally builds musical understanding.
Sound & Harmony
The auditory component of Harken is as essential as its visual cues. The use of MIDI.js allows the notes to be pure and harmonic, creating a beautiful sonic landscape as you play. While it’s challenging, it never feels frustrating. There’s something incredibly satisfying about hearing those notes progress in perfect harmony as you correctly respond. The game's musicality helps you stay grounded even when the difficulty ramps up.
Room for Improvement?
If there’s one area where Harken could be even better, it’s in offering more robust hints or tutorials for beginners unfamiliar with the mathematical aspect of the Harken Music system. That said, the included difficulty scaling does help ease newcomers in gradually, so the learning curve isn’t too steep.
Final Verdict
In conclusion, Harken is an innovative, mentally engaging, and musically rich memory game that pushes the limits of what I thought a memory challenge could be. Whether you’re a novice looking to have fun with music or a master seeking an extreme cognitive workout, Harken offers an immersive experience. I can see this game becoming a favorite for musicians, puzzle enthusiasts, and anyone with a love for patterns and numbers. You’ll find yourself coming back for “just one more round” again and again.
Harken is not just a game—it’s an exploration of music, memory, and the beauty of combinatorics, all wrapped into a seamless, challenging experience.
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Persons interested in collaborating on the Harken project, please contact the author.