Random self generative compositions
Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 5:45 pm
Have been messing with random generating music for a while now. A lot of the pieces I sketch with on the day to day are based on running random trigger VST effects over drum loops, maybe some automation, then arpeggiator and random tone granulizer triggers over basic synth patches to give some melody. Often I find myself just setting play on these and sitting back for 20mins to see what happens. Set some of the effects to be velocity driven from a certain input, the input itself randomised so that the effect trigger is in flux.
Are there any random sequence generating VSTs, techniques or otherwise that people are using?
The issue I'm finding is that stuff evolves too much. Once I get to a certain level of random, it'd be preferable to be able to lock off into a more consistent loop to give me something to work with. But that just seems to smack of laziness almost, and goes against what this concept is about. Concept or idea, I'm not sure which to use. Concept always seems pretentious, they're largely the same so we'll stick with idea.
The idea is that you have something in place with instruments and samples and VSTs and automation in place for a set number of bars (256 as an arbitary amount, so @ 140bpm that'd be 3.4seconds per bar, so 256 x 3.4 into base 60 would be 14...no that just doesn't look right, we'll deal with numbers later) and just press play. Something to capture the output the other side, Edison as standard, put a limiter on the master just in case some ping pong delay gets into the mix somehow and we have a risk of speaker damage, then sitting back and see what comes of it.
Not entirely leaving things alone though. A bank of effects (filter/delay/reverb/etc) are assigned and those can then be adjusted manually as the track plays to give it some semblance of rhythm. Again, does this detract from the self automating crux of the idea, I guess it might to an extent but for the purposes of what I'm trying to achieve here that's nominal.
This is really just thinking out loud, or at least putting my words down so I can put some things together a bit clearer. Examples to follow, probably more updates to this opening rant as well as the things develops.
Are there any random sequence generating VSTs, techniques or otherwise that people are using?
The issue I'm finding is that stuff evolves too much. Once I get to a certain level of random, it'd be preferable to be able to lock off into a more consistent loop to give me something to work with. But that just seems to smack of laziness almost, and goes against what this concept is about. Concept or idea, I'm not sure which to use. Concept always seems pretentious, they're largely the same so we'll stick with idea.
The idea is that you have something in place with instruments and samples and VSTs and automation in place for a set number of bars (256 as an arbitary amount, so @ 140bpm that'd be 3.4seconds per bar, so 256 x 3.4 into base 60 would be 14...no that just doesn't look right, we'll deal with numbers later) and just press play. Something to capture the output the other side, Edison as standard, put a limiter on the master just in case some ping pong delay gets into the mix somehow and we have a risk of speaker damage, then sitting back and see what comes of it.
Not entirely leaving things alone though. A bank of effects (filter/delay/reverb/etc) are assigned and those can then be adjusted manually as the track plays to give it some semblance of rhythm. Again, does this detract from the self automating crux of the idea, I guess it might to an extent but for the purposes of what I'm trying to achieve here that's nominal.
This is really just thinking out loud, or at least putting my words down so I can put some things together a bit clearer. Examples to follow, probably more updates to this opening rant as well as the things develops.
