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Augmatic GRE - Algorithmic Drum Patterns by Artur Antoni Nowak

124

Comments

  • @Gavinski said:
    Premiere starting in a few mins, detailed 35 min walkthrough focusing on the linear section, Euclidean vs Grids, and the velocity bending. Come say hi in the premiere text chat if you're free now!

    Excellent and informative.

    On the UI topic (I know this may have been obvious to others, but); I didn’t realize the Pattern/Linear/Velocity/Hamburger were tabs and replaced all the controls - they look like labels above the controls. In retrospect, of course they do, but the UI did not covey that. A border around the control section, or matted background matching the label would make that more obvious.

  • @sigma79 said:
    But why did you choose 6 tracks.

    To play on Nord Drum 3P :smiley:

  • @wagdog said:
    A border around the control section, or matted background matching the label would make that more obvious.

    Less is more :p

    Seeing how other people use it gives me a lot of ideas for how to improve the GUI, and also, to Gavinski’s point in the video, how to show what is playing and what is not.

    I was focused more on making sure that GRE is properly generating and processing the drum patterns. LINEAR DRUMMING, for example, is quite an unconventional idea (is there any other software that does this?), so getting that right was the no. 1 goal.

    I also want to enhance the performance features. Gavinski mentions a couple of times that some things could work differently to better support live performance. Personally, I’ll use automation in the DAW with dummy clips — without MIDI notes, but with parameter automation that I want to trigger at specific points in time, like clock change to /1.5 and back to straight 1. Still, making the interface easier to play with in a live situation is definitely something I want to explore.

  • edited March 3

    @Augmatic said:

    @sigma79 said:
    But why did you choose 6 tracks.

    To play on Nord Drum 3P :smiley:

    Thanks.

    Sounds good.

    I can still buy it because although iv made a 15 track Euclidean.

    Perhaps I were just perhaps gaining midi streams ( to perhaps edit in Drambo )

    Then another etc.

    Obviously I can have 6 drums.

    It seems the blends of your app engine might give good midi streams.

    It should be easy enough to repoint app routings at different drum tracks ?

    ( Il just buy it )

  • @sigma79 said:
    It should be easy enough to repoint app routings at different drum tracks ?

    Many DAWs don't care about MIDI channels, this is why you can't select the output channel in the plugin. I would filter out MIDI notes and pass only the note/instrument I want to have on a single track track. Drambo has modules which can do it, one app in this suite can do it https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midi-tools/id1446209019, Mosaic can do it, this one is free https://apps.apple.com/us/app/streambyter/id1398712641 - many tools can filter MIDI notes.

  • edited March 3

    @Augmatic

    I was thinking, not sure if this was mentioned yet, but it might be useful to have the blend knob on both the Pattern page and the Linear page. Then the user can blend the two engines from either page. It would stay a universal setting, but no matter which page you were working on, it could be easily adjusted. Just a thought. Cheers.

  • @Poppadocrock said:
    I was thinking, not sure if this was mentioned yet, but it might be useful to have the blend knob on both the Pattern page and the Linear page. Then the user can blend the two engines from either page. It would stay a universal setting, but no matter which page you were working on, it could be easily adjusted. Just a thought. Cheers.

    Yes, something like that will be added :-)

  • @Augmatic said:

    @Poppadocrock said:
    I was thinking, not sure if this was mentioned yet, but it might be useful to have the blend knob on both the Pattern page and the Linear page. Then the user can blend the two engines from either page. It would stay a universal setting, but no matter which page you were working on, it could be easily adjusted. Just a thought. Cheers.

    Yes, something like that will be added :-)

    Cool. Cheers.

  • edited March 3

    @Augmatic said:

    @sigma79 said:
    It should be easy enough to repoint app routings at different drum tracks ?

    Many DAWs don't care about MIDI channels, this is why you can't select the output channel in the plugin. I would filter out MIDI notes and pass only the note/instrument I want to have on a single track track. Drambo has modules which can do it, one app in this suite can do it https://apps.apple.com/us/app/midi-tools/id1446209019, Mosaic can do it, this one is free https://apps.apple.com/us/app/streambyter/id1398712641 - many tools can filter MIDI notes.

    Thanks.

    If it outputs midi notes. I should be able to route to Drambo tracks by getting Drambo tracks to listen to the note needed for the track.

  • edited March 5

    v1.1 came out today:

    IMPROVEMENTS
    - Presets and MIDI Mappings: No longer store redundant names inside XML files — filenames are the single source of truth.
    - Presets and MIDI Mappings: Menu dropdowns now scroll the entire list including subfolders, so all items are reachable even when there are many subfolder categories.
    - Pattern Tab: 10x higher-resolution of SWING, SHIFT, and HUMANIZE parameters with reduced knob sensitivity for precise control.
    - Pattern Tab: Added kinetic scrolling to STEPS, PULSES, START ON, and NOTE lists for smoother, more precise, and faster navigation.
    - Pattern Tab - BLEND header now shows arrows pointing toward the Grids and Euclidean knobs, indicating which set of controls becomes more influential as you move the BLEND position.
    - Velocity Tab: LEVEL knob now goes down to 0, allowing the channel to be fully muted (equivalent of MIDI message 0x9n "Note On velocity=0"). Previously the minimum value was 1.
    - Velocity Tab: Moved velocity LEVEL and RANDOM processing after LINEAR DRUMMING in the signal chain to match GUI tab order; no change in behaviour.
    - Settings Tab: A single MIDI Note selector (e.g., "36-C1", "42-F#1") replacing NOTE and OCTAVE columns — shows both MIDI number and note name for quicker selection and easier MIDI monitoring.
    - Settings Tab: Added 30+ MIDI Mappings for apps and hardware instruments.
    - Settings Tab: MIDI Mappings menu now shows an asterisk " indicator when any MIDI note assignment is changed.
    - Settings Tab: Tapping a different folder while a submenu is open now switches to it in one tap instead of two.
    - LED header text doesn't change when switching between tabs and only changes when you tap it.
    - Standalone Mode: The app now opens in landscape on iPhone for a better workflow.

    BUG FIXES
    - Presets and Settings Tab: Fixed user Preset and MIDI Mapping saving on macOS; also replaced native file dialog with in-app Save As dialog on all platforms.
    - Settings Tab: Selecting a MIDI OUT device in the Settings tab now correctly picks the chosen device.

    https://augmaticaudio.github.io/gre/

    https://apps.apple.com/us/app/augmatic-gre/id6759214507

    Big THANK YOU! to people from this forum who provided constructive feedback. I tried to include as much as possible, and to give KUDOS to those individuals: https://augmaticaudio.github.io/gre/changelog.html @drconfusion @Poppadocrock @Gavinski @wim

  • @Augmatic said:
    BUG FIXES
    - Presets and Settings Tab: Fixed user Preset and MIDI Mapping saving on macOS; also replaced native file dialog with in-app Save As dialog on all platforms.
    - Settings Tab: Selecting a MIDI OUT device in the Settings tab now correctly picks the chosen device.

    I'm happy to report that the Mac standalone midi out selector now works as expected, and all the drum mappings are showing. 👍🏼

  • For me the sliding selectors (for midi notes, clock division, etc) are overly sensitive and I find myself hitting them for 10s straight to settle on the right amount. Might be my clumsy fingers there but it seemed better before the 1.1 update.

  • I'm trying to use Augmatic Gre on top of midi clips that provide a steady pattern for kick and snare only, to add hihats and other accented hits on top of my chosen backbeat.

    Will it be a problem with the Grids engine if I reassign the channels to suit this configuration ? Currently I use, in that order : Closed Hat, Open Hat, Snare Drum (for ghost notes), Rimshot, Crash Cymbal and Perc or FX. The last two lanes are always muted and activated only when I want to add more sounds to the pattern.

    My goal would be :

    • Closed Hat : pretty straight but with slight variations, getting busier when needed
    • Open Hat : pretty scarce accents, can get busier also but not that much
    • Snare Drum : low velocity for ghost notes only, from almost none to a lot
    • Rimshot : always very scarce and if possible always in syncopation
    • Crash Cymbal : same as open Hat mostly, but not on the same beats
    • FX / Perc : always mid to very busy

    For each channel I'd like to set up a single slider that will set its overall business, it can be connected to several parameters underneath but I don't know what would be the best combination between probability, density and chaos.

    I have to say for the moment I get mixed results from my attempts, it's difficult to get the right amount of accents and a good compromise between a consistent pattern and constant variations.

    If you have any pointers on how to set parameters to get closer to the mark I'd really appreciate it.

    PS : I can confirm that the Digistix mapping works well

  • @Toin00z said:
    Will it be a problem with the Grids engine if I reassign the channels to suit this configuration ?

    I'm not sure I fully understand what you have in mind, but it's always hard to explain a musical idea in words :-)

    First, I would set BLEND to the left on all channels, reduce DENSITY of accent channels to zero (mute them), set BD and HH to 50%, SN maybe to 30%. If you already have another MIDI track with the base BD/SN pattern, I would only use HH at 50% or slightly higher knob position.

    Then, I would slowly move around the XY MAP to find a pattern that works well with the backing BD/SN track. This would be the sweatspot on the XY MAP.

    • Closed Hat : pretty straight but with slight variations, getting busier when needed

    You can use DENSITY on HH to add variations, maybe automate it, so it gets busier HH variations at the end of every let's say 2 bars, or 4 bars.

    • Open Hat : pretty scarce accents, can get busier also but not that much

    HH' (accent) with CLOCK set to /2 or even /4 will give you open hat accents. I would set HH' to be higher in LINEAR DRUMMING matrix than HH, so the open hat won't play together with closed hat.

    • Snare Drum : low velocity for ghost notes only, from almost none to a lot

    I would use SHIFT to the left to add ghost notes before the downbeat, and of course set VELOCITY - LEVEL to lower value, provided your drum sampler or synthesizer responds to velocity.

    • Rimshot : always very scarce and if possible always in syncopation

    SN' would be good for that (BTW, on Settings tab, if you double-tap on the instrument name - SN' - you can rename it to RS for an example). I would either set BLEND to XY MAP (Grids) or use EUCLIDEAN, with an odd number of pulses, e.g. STEPS=16, PULSES=4 or 5, START ON=1; also with CLOCK set to /2 or /4. Then, maybe change START ON to other values, to change place in the bar when the RS would hit.

    • Crash Cymbal : same as open Hat mostly, but not on the same beats

    If you don't actually use the main BD and SN instruments, you can use one of those (and rename for convenience to CR) with similar approach as SN' above, plus, set this CR channel to even higher priority in LINEAR than HH' and HH.

    • FX / Perc : always mid to very busy

    Any combination of above approaches, I would go to EUCLIDEAN with some odd number of PULSES, or even STEPS, to get something more variable.

    For each channel I'd like to set up a single slider that will set its overall business, it can be connected to several parameters underneath but I don't know what would be the best combination between probability, density and chaos.

    You just have to experiment and see what works for you. The settings that I like might not be your cup of tea :-)

    I have to say for the moment I get mixed results from my attempts, it's difficult to get the right amount of accents and a good compromise between a consistent pattern and constant variations.

    Many reviewers say that Augmatic GRE uses randomness a lot, but it's not :-) CHAOS is quite predictable, it plays notes which have higher internal "level" value in the XY MAP. Of course you don't see the level values, they are part of the algorithim, but the same CHAOS value will give you almost the same resuts - provied you don't move the dot on the XY pad. EUCLIDEAN is 100% predictable. BLEND adds randomness between the two engines. RAND PRE and POST as well, but you don't have to use that at all. I guess the "a lot of randomness" impression comes from tweaking many knobs simultaneously, then yes, it seems random.

    I recommend to start with simple pattern, only 3 main instruments, make small adjustments and listen (and record MIDI, not not miss a cool pattern that might come out).

    The next version will have a visualization of the signal flow, nothing fancy, but I hope this will help to SEE what is going on and to understand what happens when you change a parameter. LINEAR DRUMMING matrix actually looks quite cool with this visualization.

    I hope that helps a bit :-)

  • edited March 7

    Yes that was quite helpful, thanks ! With your insights I've been able to get a much more solid foundation for my patterns.

    Two small things I noticed with the auv3 : the parameters exposed keep their original channel names even if you renamed them (but I suppose it would be hard to change this, other than naming them channel 1, 2, ...), and also the mapping file that you choose doesn't get saved with the preset. The host (Loopy Pro) seems to remember the last parameters, but the displayed channel names and midi notes are the default ones, and the mapping file menu shows no active selection. There doesn't seem to be any way to select the correct mapping through the auv3 parameters either, so this means you need to open up the plugin and manually select the file every time you open your project.

  • @Toin00z said:
    Two small things I noticed with the auv3 : the parameters exposed keep their original channel names even if you renamed them

    Only some DAWs support dynamic change of parameters exposed to autmation, the bad part is that in those that don't support it, automation will break if the parameter gets renamed.

    also the mapping file that you choose doesn't get saved with the preset.

    That's by design. If Augmatic would remember MIDI Mapping in presets, it would defeat the purpose of separate MIDI Mapping mechanism. The idea is that once you select the MIDI Mapping for your drum sampler or synth, change of presets won't break. Imagine if factory presets would contain mapping for OneShot, but you use Tekno.

    the mapping file menu shows no active selection.

    MIDI notes selected or loaded in the Settings menu are saved in DAW, it doesn't really matter if the MIDI Mapping name is displayed in the menu, the note names per channel themselves are saved. The menu is only used to load the note names, one time, after loading it's stored in the DAW. Anyway, this is already fixed, the MIDI Mapping menu willd display the name of the Mapping which has been loaded. Waiting for the next release.

  • @Augmatic - GRE is often leaving "stuck notes", where Note-ON messages never have a corresponding note-OFF (or Note-ON at zero velocity) messages. Tested in Loopy Pro and AUM. It's easy to reproduce by sending the output to ShowMIDI or other monitor. Just start the transport and run for a few bars, then stop the transport. Most times there will be at least one note left hanging.

    With drum app targets that's not usually noticeable, but it plays havoc with sequencers if, for instance, you're recording GRE's midi output.

  • @wim said:

    Is this happening when you change presets? I found it there, I'll look where else it might be happening. The plugin has specific feature to create note off messages, because it's very easy to create hanging notes due two engines generating them and the "competition" between them (BLEND) and other channels (LINEAR DRUMMING) to pass the note thru, maybe there is a specific circumstance when it's happening?

  • @Augmatic said:

    @wim said:

    Is this happening when you change presets? I found it there, I'll look where else it might be happening. The plugin has specific feature to create note off messages, because it's very easy to create hanging notes due two engines generating them and the "competition" between them (BLEND) and other channels (LINEAR DRUMMING) to pass the note thru, maybe there is a specific circumstance when it's happening?

    No, it's not when changing presets. It just happens at least 75% of the time when I start and stop the AUM or Loopy Pro transport. Even with the default preset. I couldn't find any feature such as linear drumming or velocity shaper that contributed. Both are off.

    I'm a surprised you can't reproduce this. I can't think of anything that would be unique about my case, and it happens in both hosts I tried. 🤷🏼‍♂️

    Maybe someone else can check in case I'm missing something.

    Just a thought ...
    Most of my Mozaic scripts need some sort of stuck note prevention. There are so many ways that they can occur that it's safest for me to just build in a simple check than assuming I can eliminate every possibility. Mozaic provides an array that can store a value for each channel/note combination. I store a boolean that is TRUE if a note-ON has been sent and FALSE when a note-OFF is sent. The array is initialized to FALSE for all notes on load.

    Before I send a Note-ON, I check this array. If the value is TRUE, I send a note-OFF before sending the note-ON.

    In your case it would also be a good idea to check such an array when the transport stops, and send a note-OFF for any notes still in TRUE state.

  • @wim said:
    I'm a surprised you can't reproduce this.

    I can probably do it, given time :-)

  • @Augmatic said:

    @wim said:
    I'm a surprised you can't reproduce this.

    I can probably do it, given time :-)

    Takes me about 12 seconds ... 😉
    Maybe there's something odd I'm doing differently, though I can't imagine what.

  • @wim said:
    Takes me about 12 seconds ... 😉

    I didn't mean time to reproduce, I meant time to fix :-)

    I think I found it. As you suggested, there is a flush of "note on" messages which didn't get "off" message yet (0x80 Note Off status byte with velocity 0). I think the issue is that the flush not triggered when a note on is still in SHIFT butter (even if the knob value is default), so I need to flush any pending notes in the buffer. I'll create a new build and test in next couple of days.

  • @Augmatic said:

    @wim said:
    Takes me about 12 seconds ... 😉

    I didn't mean time to reproduce, I meant time to fix :-)

    I think I found it. As you suggested, there is a flush of "note on" messages which didn't get "off" message yet (0x80 Note Off status byte with velocity 0). I think the issue is that the flush not triggered when a note on is still in SHIFT butter (even if the knob value is default), so I need to flush any pending notes in the buffer. I'll create a new build and test in next couple of days.

    awesome. 👍🏼
    No rush from my perspective. It has only caused any problems when recording GRE's midi output, not with any drum apps I've come across.

  • @wim said:
    No rush from my perspective. It has only caused any problems when recording GRE's midi output, not with any drum apps I've come across.

    it will be fixed in v1.2, soon.

  • edited March 12

    @Augmatic said: “ The next version will have a visualization of the signal flow, nothing fancy, but I hope this will help to SEE what is going on and to understand what happens when you change a parameter. LINEAR DRUMMING matrix actually looks quite cool with this visualization.”

    Visualization - That sounds really interesting! 🔥

  • edited March 30

    Augmatic GRE v1.2 came out today!

    This time, it's a VST3 too, for Windows or Mac.

    ➜ VST3 plugin for Windows PC and Mac - Buy here with a discount: augmaticaudio.com
    ➜ AUv3 plugin and App for iPad, iPhone and Mac - Buy here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/augmatic-gre/id6759214507

    Here is a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XRnMRN4nI4

    Many refinements were made thanks to the constructuve criticism from you and the early reviewers. Kudos to everyone for the feedback — it genuinely helped shape this release!


    WHAT'S NEW IN v1.2 FOR IPAD/IPHONE/MAC:

    • Built-in interactive tutorial
    • Beat Monitor — visual feedback showing when beats fire or get blocked
    • 6 Master Sliders for quick control of all channels at once with soft and hard modes
    • New preset and MIDI mapping browser with folders and favorites
    • Paint mode in Linear Drumming matrix
    • Whole-note (1N) velocity bender cycle
    • Scrollable lists now commit on release for smoother live performance
    • MIDI channel selectable in plugin mode (no longer locked to channel 10)
    • Resizable AUv3 window on macOS
    • Fixed hanging MIDI notes on transport stop and preset switching
    • Fixed preset names not persisting in DAW projects

    WHAT IS AUGMATIC GRE:

    🟣 Augmatic GRE is an algorithmic MIDI drum‑pattern generator inspired by the iconic Mutable Instruments Grids Eurorack module and expanded with a Euclidean engine.

    🔴 It lets you effortlessly blend total randomness and perfectly locked loops.

    🔵 Combined with a unique Linear Drumming feature and Velocity Bender, Augmatic GRE can play patterns that sound natural, as if they were performed by a real drummer.

    🟡 Drum fills, breaks, variations, flams, evolving grooves - what normally takes tedious manual sequencing - can be done live, with a single sweep of a slider.


    MAIN FEATURES:

    ✅ 6 Algorithmic Channels - Bass drum, snare, hi-hat, plus accents which create complementary rhythms, not duplicates. Each channel can generate its own rhythmic voice for rich, layered drum patterns.

    ✅ Topographic Engine - Morphable, evolving beats based on the Mutable Instruments Grids Eurorack module. Navigate an X/Y map of interconnected drum patterns extracted from actual drum loops with smooth interpolation between patterns.

    ✅ Euclidean Engine - generate evenly distributed, world‑inspired rhythm patterns. Configure steps, hits, and start position independently on each channel for precise control.

    ✅ Blend Control - Crossfade between Topographic and Euclidean patterns to introduce variation while preserving the core character of your groove.

    ✅ Linear Drumming - Control which drums play together or play alone. Each sound has room to breathe. Creates clean, articulate patterns. Used in Hip-Hop, IDM, Funk, Fusion.

    ✅ Velocity Bender - Shape velocity dynamics for a more expressive, dynamic pulse. Create ghost notes, and rhythmic emphasis that bring patterns to life.

    ✅ Groove Tools - Swing, humanization, clock division, and timing shift. Fine-tune the feel of your patterns from tight and mechanical to loose and human.

  • So awesome! This just might become the piano motifs for drums!

  • @Augmatic said:
    Augmatic GRE v1.2 came out today!

    This time, it's a VST3 too, for Windows or Mac.

    ➜ VST3 plugin for Windows PC and Mac - Buy here with a discount: augmaticaudio.com
    ➜ AUv3 plugin and App for iPad, iPhone and Mac - Buy here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/augmatic-gre/id6759214507

    Here is a demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XRnMRN4nI4

    Many refinements were made thanks to the constructuve criticism from you and the early reviewers. Kudos to everyone for the feedback — it genuinely helped shape this release!


    WHAT'S NEW IN v1.2 FOR IPAD/IPHONE/MAC:

    • Built-in interactive tutorial
    • Beat Monitor — visual feedback showing when beats fire or get blocked
    • 6 Master Sliders for quick control of all channels at once with soft and hard modes
    • New preset and MIDI mapping browser with folders and favorites
    • Paint mode in Linear Drumming matrix
    • Whole-note (1N) velocity bender cycle
    • Scrollable lists now commit on release for smoother live performance
    • MIDI channel selectable in plugin mode (no longer locked to channel 10)
    • Resizable AUv3 window on macOS
    • Fixed hanging MIDI notes on transport stop and preset switching
    • Fixed preset names not persisting in DAW projects

    WHAT IS AUGMATIC GRE:

    🟣 Augmatic GRE is an algorithmic MIDI drum‑pattern generator inspired by the iconic Mutable Instruments Grids Eurorack module and expanded with a Euclidean engine.

    🔴 It lets you effortlessly blend total randomness and perfectly locked loops.

    🔵 Combined with a unique Linear Drumming feature and Velocity Bender, Augmatic GRE can play patterns that sound natural, as if they were performed by a real drummer.

    🟡 Drum fills, breaks, variations, flams, evolving grooves - what normally takes tedious manual sequencing - can be done live, with a single sweep of a slider.


    MAIN FEATURES:

    ✅ 6 Algorithmic Channels - Bass drum, snare, hi-hat, plus accents which create complementary rhythms, not duplicates. Each channel can generate its own rhythmic voice for rich, layered drum patterns.

    ✅ Topographic Engine - Morphable, evolving beats based on the Mutable Instruments Grids Eurorack module. Navigate an X/Y map of interconnected drum patterns extracted from actual drum loops with smooth interpolation between patterns.

    ✅ Euclidean Engine - generate evenly distributed, world‑inspired rhythm patterns. Configure steps, hits, and start position independently on each channel for precise control.

    ✅ Blend Control - Crossfade between Topographic and Euclidean patterns to introduce variation while preserving the core character of your groove.

    ✅ Linear Drumming - Control which drums play together or play alone. Each sound has room to breathe. Creates clean, articulate patterns. Used in Hip-Hop, IDM, Funk, Fusion.

    ✅ Velocity Bender - Shape velocity dynamics for a more expressive, dynamic pulse. Create ghost notes, and rhythmic emphasis that bring patterns to life.

    ✅ Groove Tools - Swing, humanization, clock division, and timing shift. Fine-tune the feel of your patterns from tight and mechanical to loose and human.

    Yep, seems like a great update Artur, thnx!

  • The tutorial is top notch!

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