How 18th Century Dice Created Music

In the 18th century, people composed music by rolling dice. This system used chance to arrange pre-written musical phrases into a unique song, turning composition into a parlor game.

These musical dice games were a hit across Europe during the Enlightenment era. By following a set of tables and rolling dice, anyone could assemble complex waltzes or minuets without needing formal training. It was an early form of algorithmic music that proved creativity could be gamified. Even legendary composers like Mozart are rumored to have dabbled in these inventive musical puzzles.