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Probabilistic in-key note shifting
So here's something I've been scratching my head about.
Consider a plain 8th note ostinato. It's running in a key, so if you apply a transpose control to whatever's generating it, it will move to an appropriate position in that key, not just up or down some number of half steps.
Let's say that on the 7th note in the sequence, I want to sometimes transpose that note. Moreover, the transpose direction, or even amount, isn't fixed. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all. Sometimes it goes up two. Sometimes down one. Etc.
As far as I can tell, there's no sequencer available in iOS that just does this. So we're talking about a patch. Uncharacteristically for me, I started trying it in Drambo. But I just couldn't get the right combination of modules worked out. Components that I thought might help build the structure didn't input/output matched signal types, or a parameter didn't work the way I expected, and so on.
I'm currently working on an approach using MiRack (because yay modular), but I wonder if anyone has any bright ideas, using Drambo or some other app/combination.
Comments
I’ll post my solution in a few. Gotta run errands first.
I do the same in miRack using a combination of a sequencer to send a gate at the note I want to shift, then Geodesics Fate to control the chance of it happening (Audible Instruments Bernoulli gate would also work), adding or subtracting pitch to the note should be straightforward if you know miRack (if not let me know) and Lazy Susan to quantize the result.
Nodnod. That's pretty much the direction I've been going in MiRack. And it's good to know I'm not the only one who's thought this up.
I can think of a few ways to do this in Drambo. For example, plot your sequence out in the step sequencer. Use a MIDI to CV module and feed the pitch through a CV quantizer module. Add a p-lock to the 7th note that randomizes the pitch going into the quantizer*. A Note Generator module gives you MIDI output again if you need it.
*there are multiple ways to do this. For example, you could use an S&H LFO on a pitch module, and control the amount with the p-lock. And the p-lock itself can have assigned probability in the step component view. That's just one idea, I can think of a few others worth trying.
I think THIS is a really good solution (edit, edit, edit, lol).
Here’s the project file if you want to check it out. I also added an offset module that you can p-lock to fine tune the direction. And the S&H ramp gives it a musical touch.
Thank you very much. I'll be checking it out shortly.
Yaknow, I really don't understand why there isn't a reverse Bernoulli Gate.
A reverse Bernoulli gate... So 2 inputs and one of them probabilistically gets send to one output?
You could more or less build one. Use an n-1 switch with 2 inputs and connect a unipolar lfo set to random and rate 0Hz to the index. Put an adder to the left of the lfo connect your 2 gates to the adder (and your switch). Connect the output of the adder to the gate input on the lfo.
The probability would be 50 percent, but I could think of ways to change that. But what would you want this for(:?
In miRack lingo it’s basically a Bernoulli Gate followed by an unlatched Bogaudio switch
No problem, let me know if it covers your use case. It's the simplest solution I could come up with, but there are more complex avenues that could provide greater variety over the results, too, if you're curious.
As for a reverse Bernoulli gate: do you mean a module that has two gate inputs, and randomly selects one of them for output?
A couple of late followups.
Nod. I've fiddled with a few variants along that line. It's just that, every time I do it, it occurs to me that it's such an obvious utility to implement as a single unit. Of course, such a thing probably does exist in other environments, but I am working specifically in MiRack here.
The use case is pretty much what I described. Think perhaps of a simple repeating bass line, but on the last 3 notes there's some chance of shifted notes, and when they do shift they don't necessarily shift the same amount/direction. While remaining in key, of course.
Yes, exactly.
And I finally gave your patch a try. It's an interesting approach, that definitely inspires some ideas. Not quite what I was thinking, though. Thank you for it.
I don't explore the more exotic modules in MiRack enough. Your suggestion of Fate resulted in an alternate approach, once I understood what Fate does. I use two sequencer rows, one to control free will, and the other to control choices depth. And I wound using ModScaleQuant instead of Lazy Susan. It's almost there. Calibration is a little fussy. But still cool on its own. I'll definitely be cycling back to the reverse Bernoulli.
Fate is fantastic! I use it in every patch. The whole Geodesics lineup is great but that one is by far the one I use most.
Does Waymaker do this naturally? I feel like I remember that.