Dr. Michael Rhoades
IDIA Lab – Ball State University
February 2026
Purpose of This Document
This document records the conceptual discussion between Dr. Michael Rhoades and Claude (Anthropic) regarding Phase IV of the Quantum Computational Creativity research project. It is intended as a reference for when active development begins, preserving the creative and technical intentions formulated at this early planning stage. It also serves as supporting context for the IBM Quantum Credits Program grant application.
Previous Phases Summary — Where We Are Now
Completed Work
“Reflections from Hilbert Space,” comprises seven completed electroacoustic compositions totaling 76 minutes, including “The Infinite and the Infinitesimal” created using Quantum Inspire’s Tuna-9 hardware processor. A research paper has been submitted to Computer Music Journal’s special issue on Quantum Computer Music.
Core Methodology Validated
The fundamental approach of Phase 1 — using quantum circuit evolution directly as waveform generation, with entanglement topology determining compositional relationships — has been validated on real quantum hardware. Key findings include:
- Entanglement correlation structures survive real hardware execution
- Quantum interference patterns in Hilbert space translate meaningfully to acoustic interference patterns in Ambisonic listening space
- Hardware noise and decoherence are not errors but authentic creative signatures
- Moderate asymmetric entanglement produces the richest compositional output
- Eight distinct circuit schemas (Star, Chain, Ring, Pairs, Tree, GHZ, Gradient, Islands) each produce unique sonic character
Current Data Collection Status
Full quantum state tomography (X, Y, Z measurement bases, 2048 shots, 600 parameter steps) is being executed on Tuna-9 for all eight schemas. Data collected as of this document: Schemas 1 through 8 complete or in progress. Each schema produces a 600-row Bloch coordinate CSV used for both audio synthesis and Blender VR visualization.
Blender VR Visualization
A parallel visual art project renders the quantum tomographic data as animated 3D filaments in a chrome VR environment. The scene uses 8 quantum filaments representing qubits in a Star schema topology, animated across 2400 frames at 30fps for an 80-second stereoscopic VR animation. Rendering is performed on a high-performance cluster with multiple RTX 4090 GPUs.
Phase IV Vision — Conceptual Framework
Core Departure from Phase 1
Phase IV is not an extension of the previous phases — it is a fundamental reimagining of the methodology. The goal is to produce material that is sonically and compositionally distinct from anything previouslu produced. This requires changes at multiple levels: circuit architecture, gate vocabulary, parameter sampling strategy, and compositional interpretation.
Scale — Toward Maximal Qubit Utilization
Phase IV targets 16 circuit schemas, each using 9 qubits, for a total of 144 qubits — approaching the maximum of IBM’s 156-qubit Heron-series processors. This represents a nearly 18x increase in total qubit utilization compared to Phase 1’s single 8-qubit architecture. This scale is directly aligned with IBM’s stated interest in projects that maximize qubit utilization and push hardware limits.
The Unified Composition Concept
Unlike previous phases where each schema produced an independent composition, Phase IV envisions the 16 waveforms as raw material for a single, larger compositional ecosystem. The waveforms are not movements — they are layers. Their value lies in combinatorial flexibility:
- Layered simultaneously in varying combinations and densities
- Cut into sections and recombined in non-linear arrangements
- Interpreted differently across multiple distinct compositions from the same source material
- The same quantum data yielding many different musical outcomes depending on editorial choices
This approach positions the quantum hardware execution as the generative foundation and the composer as the interpreter — a true creative symbiosis between quantum physics and human artistic judgment.
Non-Uniform Parameter Spacing — A Key Innovation
Phase IV used evenly spaced theta values across the parameter range (0 to 2π). Phase 2 will use deliberately structured non-uniform spacing to give each waveform internal rhythmic and textural life — phrases, breaths, accelerations, decelerations, and clumping. This is not random (which would be as uninteresting as even spacing) but compositionally intentional.
Possible spacing strategies under consideration:
- Logarithmic spacing — gradual acceleration through the parameter space
- Fibonacci-derived intervals — naturally proportioned irregular spacing
- Harmonically related proportions — spacing derived from musical interval ratios
- Acceleration and deceleration curves — the feeling of quantum states rushing toward or receding from configurations
- Clumped phrasing — dense clusters separated by longer gaps, creating phrase-like structures
Different schemas may use different spacing strategies, so that when layers are combined their phrasings drift in and out of alignment — creating emergent polyrhythmic structures that were never explicitly composed.
Circuit Architecture — Beyond Previous Phases
Previous phases relied primarily on RZZ, Ry, Rz, and CNOT gates. Phase 2 will expand the gate vocabulary to include native IBM gate families not available or practical on Tuna-9, creating fundamentally different interference geometries in Hilbert space. Different gate types create different quantum interference structures which translate directly to different sonic character.
The 16 schemas will likely include:
- Variations on Phases II and III topologies (Star, Chain, Ring, etc.) with expanded gate sets
- Entirely new topologies exploiting 9-qubit connectivity
- Schemas specifically designed to produce complementary or contrasting sonic material
The specific 16 schemas will be developed collaboratively once IBM hardware access is confirmed and the gate set is known precisely.
IBM Quantum Credits Program — Grant Application
Application Strategy
The application is being submitted proactively due to IBM’s stated multi-week review backlog. The one-year credit validity means there is no urgency to begin immediately — applying now ensures access is available when Phase 2 development is ready to begin, estimated several months from submission.
Grant strategy follows standard academic practice: request more than the minimum needed to ensure sufficient compute budget, with willingness to reduce scope if IBM awards a smaller allocation.
Compute Requirements — Preliminary Estimate
Based on Tuna-9 execution benchmarks (approximately 14 minutes per batch of 270 circuits at 2048 shots, 8 qubits), and accounting for IBM’s significantly faster hardware, a preliminary estimate for full Phase IV execution was 20 to 25 hours. This estimate does not include testing circuits, debugging runs, or iterative development — which could add substantially to the total. However, comparison testing revealed that IBM’s hardware is 4.9x faster than the Quantum Inspire hardware. Therefore the estimated Phase IV execution requirements will likely fall within the 10 – 15 hours afforded this grant if awarded. The application will request compute time at the upper end of this estimate, with the understanding that IBM awards at their discretion.
View the hardware comparison testing results.
Key Application Arguments
- Established methodology: Phases I, II, and III validated on real quantum hardware with published research outcomes
- Novel application domain: quantum computing as direct creative instrument — no classical equivalent
- State-of-the-art utilization: 144 of 156 available qubits — maximal hardware engagement
- Methodological innovation: non-uniform parameter sampling as compositional tool
- Concrete deliverables: compositions, VR visualizations, and peer-reviewed publications
- Documented prior work: quantumcomputationalcreativity.com and Computer Music Journal submission
Supporting Documentation
The following resources are available as supporting links in the application:
- IDIA Lab profile: https://idialab.org/michael-rhoades/
- Overall research phases documentation: https://quantumcomputationalcreativity.com
- Computer Music Journal submission (pending publication)
Open Questions for Phase IV Development
The following questions remain to be resolved when active development begins:
- Final selection of 16 circuit topologies and their specific gate architectures
- Specific non-uniform spacing algorithms for each schema
- Target qubit count confirmation based on IBM hardware availability
- Whether 16 schemas can be executed as parallel jobs on a single large circuit or must be sequential
- Transduction methodology — how Bloch coordinates map to audio parameters in ways that produce fundamentally different material than previous phases
- VR visualization approach for Phase 2 — same chrome environment with different objects, or entirely new environment
- Whether Phase 2 visual and audio work will be synchronized to create unified audiovisual compositions
Notes on AI Collaboration
This project has been developed through an ongoing collaborative process between Dr. Rhoades and Claude (Anthropic). Claude has served as technical intermediary, code generator, and conceptual discussion partner throughout all phases of the research. All creative decisions, circuit designs, compositional choices, and research directions have remained under Dr. Rhoades’ sole authorship and control.
For grant application purposes, Dr. Rhoades is listed as sole PI. The AI collaboration is acknowledged as a methodological tool in the research documentation at perceptionfactory.com.
Document prepared February 2026