Genome into iElectribe and more: A ton of midi fun

Matt_Fletcher_2000

I'm having a ton of fun using Genome as "HQ" to drive iElectribe (and next I plan to hook up some other Genome patterns to other synths). iElectribe's fully spec-ed midi in makes it a really great drum synth module.

I thought i'd share...

The clock in Genome now seems really solid and it has no problems starting and syncing Gadget - so at the moment it fires off Gadget for my synths and then I use some patterns and the great 'mix pad' in Genome to jam midi into iElectribe on the fly for the 'live' manipulated drum track...

I've figured out that as well as just switching beat pattern clips firing at iElectribe (Ableton style) and using the remix panel, you can make other clips that just contain midi-cc data. So you can (quantized to the beat) switch iElectribe effects on and off, flick between different kits in iElectribe and generally mash iElectribe around quite a bit - all from the performance page in Genome using midi cc clips rather than note clips..

.. All while also, from the same Genome screen, switching on and off clips pointed at other iOS synths.

Pretty cool... and I know that the same thing would work pointing it at one of the drum modules in Gadget (rather than iElectribe) and actually recording all the mashed up drum and FX midi into Gadget for later tweaking.

Just thought i'd share this happy revelation and see if anyone else in the whole world can figure out what i'm on about .

CalCutta

If I'm understanding correctly, when you're talking about CC-only clips, you're running those while a pattern written in iElectribe is already playing? I didn't think Genome lets you play multiple clips on the same channel at once?

[Deleted User]

3)...Please send (us) the full iElectribe midi implementation chart so (we) can get busy doing the same.

How many CCs can you do on 1 Track of Genome? Curious what you're doing:)

Matt_Fletcher_2000

@CalCutta said:
If I'm understanding correctly, when you're talking about CC-only clips, you're running those while a pattern written in iElectribe is already playing? I didn't think Genome lets you play multiple clips on the same channel at once?

Hi...

No, not quite... I'm not running a sequence in iElectribe (i've switched all hits on all instruments in the iElectribe sequencer off entirely, although the sequence still plays because Genome unavoidably kicks it off when it sends out its clock - but its 'blank' and iElectribe itself doesn't trigger any notes). I'm running all the notes in from Genome on track 1 of Genome (midi channel 10) where I can also use the remix pad to spice things up. And i'm playing "midi cc" clips on track 2 of Genome (also midi channel 10).

That way I can fire different midi cc configurations independently of my beat patterns. Playing these midi cc clips "legato" is also really cool - so I can flick onto the "Grain Stutter" for a split second then hit the "talk mod" effect then the "reverb" all in quick succession and it just flicks between them (quantised).

The really cool thing is that in a Genome clip you can draw more than one midi cc. So you can set up a clip on track 2 that uses midi cc12 to set the FX in iElectribe to "short delay" and use cc13 and cc14 to set the timing and depth of that delay - then you can set up another clip on track 2 that switches the iElectribe FX to reverb using cc12 and uses cc13 and cc14 to set the space and mix of the reverb exactly how you want it (or indeed you could have cc13 and 14 modulate in different ways as your midi cc clip runs through).

Then as you jam live, you can mix and match these little FX clip set-ups and fire them off on track 2 - while independently having beat patterns of actual notes run from track 1. Giving loads of combinations - especially when also used in conjunction with the remix pad on track 1.

Then on top of all that, I'm using track 3 to send Midi cc 8 to switch between different "patterns" inside the iElectribe app (you can see clips i've labeled 'PC' as in 'program change' on track 3 in the pic attached).. Again, all these patterns in iElectribe are completely blank in terms drum hits - but they are set up to change the synth and drum sounds of each iElectribe instrument - so you're effectively swapping kits using a kind of program change.

Finally the nice thing is the changes you make on the fly are always quantised because either you are launching Genome clips at the start of the bar - or if you're playing them legato - you place the midi cc nodes to be on 16th subdivisions so they only take effect quantised to perfect 16ths.

I've attached 2 pics that might help. Notice the midi cc nodes (in yellow) at the bottom of the second pic... every 16th of a bar they are telling iElectribe to set it's effect wheel to 'grain stutter'.

The end result is some potential for some pretty mad beats as far as I can tell.

My next step is to get Genome firing some other stuff in other apps too and maybe getting a controller hooked up to more of the parameters available in iElectribe (everything is midi-cc able!).

gsm909

Genome is still on 50% sale at £4.99 for anyone who is still missing it
Genome MIDI Sequencer by White Noise Audio Software
https://appsto.re/gb/MxB2A.i

Matt_Fletcher_2000

@soundklinik said:

3)...Please send (us) the full iElectribe midi implementation chart so (we) can get busy doing the same.

How many CCs can you do on 1 Track of Genome? Curious what you're doing:)

Unlimited I think... You just add a new cc...

Here's the iElectribe Midi chart and manual:

http://www.korguser.net/ielectribe/en/midi.html

Matt_Fletcher_2000

Here's a quick example I recorded yesterday semi-live...

The 'music' is just 2 backing loops in Gadget (a Chiang Mai Bass and the kind of wooo sound made in Miami).

The beats are all me messing with just a 1 bar loop pattern using the Remix panel in Genome - sending into iElectribe.

I did this before I got any of the midi cc stuff going to change the FX on iElectribe too - so this is just me jamming drum hits live using Genome.

CalCutta

@Matt_Fletcher_2000 said:

Ahhh I had totally forgot you could run multiple instances of the same channel by changing them manually in Genome (I never do this with my workflow). Now it makes sense, very good idea!

johnfromberkeley

Man, different drummer and now genome today.

iOS music nerd's paradise

[Deleted User]

@Matt_Fletcher_2000

Now all that's left needed,
is a controller to select genome's patterns:)

Matt_Fletcher_2000

Yep. You can already now assign genomes patterns to a hardware controller if you like. The clips have midi learn.

Sadly the remix pad (that's the real gem in my opinion) doesn't have midi learn. Although saying that, bleepbox's remix pad (same dev) allows you to set loop start and stop points with keys on an external keyboard - so possibly that's also the case with Genome. I haven't tried.

Will

Nice work MF2K.

Matt_Fletcher_2000

I'm quite happy 'playing glass' to be honest though (hey - that's what I might call my album ).

What would be amazing is the split screen thing in iOS9 so you could have a custom midi designer page up right next to genome for tweaking more stuff - or firing off samples or something. Or some other crazy app up next to it like TC11.

[Deleted User]

You're quite on to something here, like you know, rediscovering electribal workflows on ios. (:

Matt_Fletcher_2000

IElectribe rocks

thus

Clip launching is such a fun way to make music for a pitiful player such as myself. Makes me almost feel like a real musician. :-) Thanks for sharing this, @Matt_Fletcher_2000!

Littlewoodg

Thanks @Matt_Fletcher_2000

Holy meta-DAW, Batman. Too cool! Thanks: you rock

Richtowns

Wow! This is pure midi inspiration overdose. Fanks Matt. I love Genome but Ive never been interested in iElectribe (to clunky) even though I bought it (and have the esx and emx!!) but now I see it has the ability to be a poor mans cyclop/gadget, maybe even better.

Matt_Fletcher_2000

Cheers guys... I'd say iElectribe was different to Gadget and Cyclop - but equally as exciting in some ways. It sounds beautiful to me anyway.

Here's another quick jam I just did driven entirely by Genome. It's just some notes sent to Animoog from two clips I alternate between and then me jamming around with iElectribe drums from a basic 1 bar loop pattern in Genome - switching up lots of effects and using the remix pad etc... I think it's come out more interesting that the one above.

bsantoro

@Matt_Fletcher_2000, can Genome import MIDI drum patterns from external files?

Littlewoodg

@bsantoro said:
@Matt_Fletcher_2000, can Genome import MIDI drum patterns from external files?

Genome can indeed import midi files...

Your Genome R&D is much appreciated MF2K!
Inspiring tracks too
I bought Genome when it went live in '11 and was sad to see then that all that it could do was too much for my device...your thread got me to try it again: cool workflows and Mad Monk Of MIDI tricks to try! Smooth on the Air 2 running Z3ta +, iKaossilator, Cubasis. Brilliant app, like bleep!BOX...