Generative apps/apps with randomization

chimp_spanner

Hey guys! So following on from my last app thread (which was majorly helpful btw - Geoshred and FingerFiddle are perhaps two of my favourite apps ever!) I'm on the hunt again!

Specifically I'm looking for apps that have a life of their own, that either generate sound (or MIDI data) randomly or based on a set of rules, or synths that feature patch randomization! Thinking specifically drum synths, soundscape generators, that kind of thing. But open to anything else!

I'll start off with a couple of recommendations myself;

Pulse Code Modular - patch randomizer
Sunrizer - patch randomizer

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

sleepless

Xynthesizr (for MIDI)

pierre

Synth:
stria
pulsaret
magellan
Elastic drums

Midi:
chordbot
chordpolypad
steppolyarp
noatikl
Thesys
bassline
fugue machine (somehow)

Egoist has good randomisation features too

sleepless

Seekbeats! I forgot Seekbeats! And Tweakybeat.

Johnba

Yellofier,
one of the best apps to randomize tracks out of audio sounds

j_liljedahl

Gestrument allows a lot of randomization, and is mainly a "MIDI controller instrument" but also has some built-in sounds.

Of course SECTOR is also highly based on randomization (markov chains / probability matrix), but is not an instrument but rather a sample slice sequencer.

fauxen

@j_liljedahl said:
Gestrument allows a lot of randomization, and is mainly a "MIDI controller instrument" but also has some built-in sounds.

Of course SECTOR is also highly based on randomization (markov chains / probability matrix), but is not an instrument but rather a sample slice sequencer.

Ha! Was going to jump in to say these, but it's better straight from the horses mouth.

chimp_spanner

Awesome suggestions! I have Egoist and I always forget that it's a great tool for randomizing quick/dirty basslines, top loops and audio slices. So great shout. Also I have Sector and indeed, it's amazing. I use it in so many things these days.

Will try out the others on that long list today!

Kaikoo2

I have every wonders of this thread.

Why you don't try Quincy. I have so good listening from patch of TB303 made today from a thread. Then hand tweak M15 EG and Filter/rez.

Try it without arp. That is my every wonders.

Semi randomizer, use midiSTEPS or midiSequencer, Xyntheser. Fully use Quincy.

I am not talking about sample audio randomizer, that is Sector's job.

AndyPlankton

If you think outside the box, any MIDI input device either on screen or physical device can generate random MIDI, you just have to press things randomly, I find that alcohol will greatly increase the randomness of said solution.

If you want free running randomness then what about this idea ?

If you had a Launchpad, and built a 'fence' around the outside of it, put a mouse inside the fence and hey presto ! If you want more Midi 'oscilators' then just add more mice

lukesleepwalker

Gestrument with Link support would be amazing.

pierre

@lukesleepwalker said:
Gestrument with Link support would be amazing.

I mailed them about it, and it will be likely part of the 2.0 release (fall 2016)

eustressor

For beats, how about Patterning ? Toss in lots of probability shifts, and automate various circles to rotate in different steps/time signatures.

funjunkie27

A bit of an unusual example of Different Drummer running at high bpm and automation across 2 or 3 tracks (can't recall specifics)...

ghostly606

@AndyPlankton said:
If you had a Launchpad, and built a 'fence' around the outside of it, put a mouse inside the fence and hey presto ! If you want more Midi 'oscilators' then just add more mice

I am not sure a mouse would be heavy enough. So would need to wear boots. Or use small dogs? But also, surely not triggering should be random so the mouse/dog would have to get in and out of the fenced in area, incorporate a few gates leading to a larger cage containing more mice/dogs? The gate would need to be linked to a sensor otherwise you'd need to train the mouse/dog to open gates and THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

ghostly606

(+1 on Xynthesizr, it is awesome on so many levels)

lukesleepwalker

@pierre said:

@lukesleepwalker said:
Gestrument with Link support would be amazing.

I mailed them about it, and it will be likely part of the 2.0 release (fall 2016)

Right on! Looking forward to 2.0...

Kaikoo2

The question for me is not on randomization.

The question for me is always on how to regulate randomization. Music apps randomization methods is in young baby age.

RUST( i )K

Different type of random functioned apps I use (not "generative")though:

Yellofier
Seekbeats
Addictive Synth

skiphunt

@j_liljedahl said:
Gestrument allows a lot of randomization, and is mainly a "MIDI controller instrument" but also has some built-in sounds.

This comment finally triggered an a-ha moment for me. I've been mostly lost trying to figure out midi connection stuff, but am slowly getting a better understanding of it all.

I'd always thought of gestrument as its own instrument with its own set of built-in sounds, not as a midi controller per se.

Yes, I knew it has midi settings, but the level of control seemed too daunting and could never get anything connected.

The problem was I was always generally trying to connect external synths instead of enabling a new intrument and connecting to that.

After reading this post I gave it another go. This time enabling new instruments and connecting several string-like patchs from the DRC synth (since I find its midi controls clear, straight forward, and intuitive).

Then set the rhythm randomness at 100%, pitch fluctuation at about 75%, and infinite play. That created some random, incredibly beautiful progressions. I'm begining to see this already stellar app in a whole new light.

Also, +1 for Xynthesizr. I can spend hours playing & experimenting in this one. More hit and miss in that it can get way too randomly chaotic very easily, but can also get awesome happy accidents with it as well.

Kaikoo2

well, for normal usage, StepPolyArp is sufficient. most popular app

RUST( i )K

@skiphunt said:

@j_liljedahl said:
Gestrument allows a lot of randomization, and is mainly a "MIDI controller instrument" but also has some built-in sounds.

This comment finally triggered an a-ha moment for me. I've been mostly lost trying to figure out midi connection stuff, but am slowly getting a better understanding of it all.

I'd always thought of gestrument as its own instrument with its own set of built-in sounds, not as a midi controller per se.

Yes, I knew it has midi settings, but the level of control seemed too daunting and could never get anything connected.

The problem was I was always generally trying to connect external synths instead of enabling a new intrument and connecting to that.

After reading this post I gave it another go. This time enabling new instruments and connecting several string-like patchs from the DRC synth (since I find its midi controls clear, straight forward, and intuitive).

Then set the rhythm randomness at 100%, pitch fluctuation at about 75%, and infinite play. That created some random, incredibly beautiful progressions. I'm begining to see this already stellar app in a whole new light.

Also, +1 for Xynthesizr. I can spend hours playing & experimenting in this one. More hit and miss in that it can get way too randomly chaotic very easily, but can also get awesome happy accidents with it as well.

Intrigued as well

Gonna do update IAP

chimp_spanner

Thank you for the suggestions so far guys! Results so far;

Yellofier is deceptively cool! Although I wish it would automatically divide loops into 8 equal parts. Maybe it's supposed to and I'm doing it wrong? I noticed there was something called Yellofier Electric on the app store - is this like a more fully featured version?

Patterning is amazing - I've actually been using it in stuff lately. I love that you can do true polymeters with it. Very few drum apps allow for this.

Stria is absolutely fantastic - Pulsaret looks like it could be good too. I have to admit I struggle a bit with non-skeumorphic interfaces so it's gonna take me a little while to get comfortable with it. But I love the randomize function. Made a sound with it that sparked off an entire piece of ambient music.

Elastic Drums I have had for a while but never realised it had a random option. Again super cool for creating top loops to be glitched in Sector later on.

Cheers again!

skiphunt

@chimp_spanner said:
Thank you for the suggestions so far guys! Results so far;

Yellofier is deceptively cool! Although I wish it would automatically divide loops into 8 equal parts. Maybe it's supposed to and I'm doing it wrong? I noticed there was something called Yellofier Electric on the app store - is this like a more fully featured version?

Patterning is amazing - I've actually been using it in stuff lately. I love that you can do true polymeters with it. Very few drum apps allow for this.

Stria is absolutely fantastic - Pulsaret looks like it could be good too. I have to admit I struggle a bit with non-skeumorphic interfaces so it's gonna take me a little while to get comfortable with it. But I love the randomize function. Made a sound with it that sparked off an entire piece of ambient music.

Elastic Drums I have had for a while but never realised it had a random option. Again super cool for creating top loops to be glitched in Sector later on.

Cheers again!

Stria, Pulsaret, and Elastic Drums all have random options? Cool! I must've completely overlooked that . thx

nick

nodebeat for a different approach to randomizing

pierre

@skiphunt said:

@chimp_spanner said:
Thank you for the suggestions so far guys! Results so far;

Yellofier is deceptively cool! Although I wish it would automatically divide loops into 8 equal parts. Maybe it's supposed to and I'm doing it wrong? I noticed there was something called Yellofier Electric on the app store - is this like a more fully featured version?

Patterning is amazing - I've actually been using it in stuff lately. I love that you can do true polymeters with it. Very few drum apps allow for this.

Stria is absolutely fantastic - Pulsaret looks like it could be good too. I have to admit I struggle a bit with non-skeumorphic interfaces so it's gonna take me a little while to get comfortable with it. But I love the randomize function. Made a sound with it that sparked off an entire piece of ambient music.

Elastic Drums I have had for a while but never realised it had a random option. Again super cool for creating top loops to be glitched in Sector later on.

Cheers again!

Stria, Pulsaret, and Elastic Drums all have random options? Cool! I must've completely overlooked that . thx

All apesoft/amazing machine apps! (not sure about ivc3 though)

skiphunt

@pierre said:

@skiphunt said:

@chimp_spanner said:
Thank you for the suggestions so far guys! Results so far;

Yellofier is deceptively cool! Although I wish it would automatically divide loops into 8 equal parts. Maybe it's supposed to and I'm doing it wrong? I noticed there was something called Yellofier Electric on the app store - is this like a more fully featured version?

Patterning is amazing - I've actually been using it in stuff lately. I love that you can do true polymeters with it. Very few drum apps allow for this.

Stria is absolutely fantastic - Pulsaret looks like it could be good too. I have to admit I struggle a bit with non-skeumorphic interfaces so it's gonna take me a little while to get comfortable with it. But I love the randomize function. Made a sound with it that sparked off an entire piece of ambient music.

Elastic Drums I have had for a while but never realised it had a random option. Again super cool for creating top loops to be glitched in Sector later on.

Cheers again!

Stria, Pulsaret, and Elastic Drums all have random options? Cool! I must've completely overlooked that . thx

All apesoft/amazing machine apps! (not sure about ivc3 though)

Thanks! I believe you were one of the first to recommend many of the apesoft/amazing machine apps to me with my first inquiries regarding random/mangling apps. Off to go open all of them now to give them a quick spin.

johnfromberkeley

@funjunkie27 said:
A bit of an unusual example of Different Drummer running at high bpm and automation across 2 or 3 tracks (can't recall specifics)...

You spent a lot of time listening to telcom noise in your old job, didn't you? ;-)

chimp_spanner

Ahhhhhhh I'm having so much fun with this! So, Stria, Magellan, Model 15, Springsound, Shoom. Recorded and arranged in Reason 8. I would've liked to drive SpringSound with some random/generative MIDI data but, it was more fun to play it As I say in the SC description, I imagined a hot day out in the park at the boundary of a futuristic city, ships coming and going overhead, just a nice juxtaposition of something simple/natural with something kinda spacey and ominous!

Oh also, off the back of the physical modelling thread I started and some of the great responses I got there, here's another quick track inspired by FingerFiddle. Safe to say, my iPad is an essential part of my studio now.

Thanks so much for all the great suggestions guys! I'd really like to put some videos together of how I've got it all running. It's on the to-do list haha.

[Deleted User]

@AndyPlankton said:
If you think outside the box, any MIDI input device either on screen or physical device can generate random MIDI, you just have to press things randomly, I find that alcohol will greatly increase the randomness of said solution.
Lol Quincy and xynthesizr are the best for me .You can also try Arpeggist or any virsynth apps with Arp.

Odesi chords, a new app,never mentioned here cause no ab.
Navichord, youcompose are great too.+1 for Different Drummer,very powerfull but UI is not easy.

Kaikoo2

@grego68 said:

@AndyPlankton said:
If you think outside the box, any MIDI input device either on screen or physical device can generate random MIDI, you just have to press things randomly, I find that alcohol will greatly increase the randomness of said solution.
Lol Quincy and xynthesizr are the best for me .You can also try Arpeggist or any virsynth apps with Arp.

Odesi chords, a new app,never mentioned here cause no ab.
Navichord, youcompose are great too.+1 for Different Drummer,very powerfull but UI is not easy.

If you talk youcompose, I can add iSongWriter.