lately i've been more interested in "orchestration" or "arrangement" exercises than songwriting per se, as well as "generative" music. that is, where you create a system with "rules" for making music, and then let it run...
@postcardhelicopters mentioned in the forums that there's a new version of VCV rack (software modular synth setup). i got the free version to take clock from my DAW, and then i created a 5-voice generative patch based off of a single melody (from a turing machine quantized to the C dorian scale) through a few different random clock modulators (2x marbles, and branches).
i was able to send these parts back out to the DAW on different MIDI channels (violin, cello, flute, clarinet, bass). i then added some drums, edited some of the play styles (e.g., pizzicato/legato), brought voices in and out, and layered on some effects...
both the melody and rhythms evolve over time. violin, flute, and bass are playing the main sequence (with notes sampled by different rhythmic patterns), while the clarinet is a 3rd down and the cello is a 5th down, which sometimes strike cool harmonies!
the end result feels a little wonky and random, but an interesting exercise nonetheless. moving on....
@fireball Mar 2022
i sampled a couple of your generative things during february. i can't really follow the description of the hardware and software -- unsurprisingly -- but it's fascinating... as is the output... it only slightly clarifies the underlying process for me, but i suppose that's like any music theory person talking theory to me.
@ofishell Feb 2022
Normally, I am not a fan of the flute outside of classical settings, but here it is a really great addition to the soundscape that you have created. This is like the soundtrack to a movie where the heroes are desperately working through a complex puzzle. Will they solve it? We don't yet know!
Also, I am always jealous of multi-instrumentalists who have drums in the list of things they can play. You do NOT want to hear me attempt.
@eargoggle Feb 2022
This is pretty fascinating...I like those moments where the drums stop and you hear this weird machine, I'm picturing some antiquated robot with lots of gears, that's what it sounds like to me!
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
I was just reading an interview with Alessandro Cortini about designing new sounds. It's always inspiring to hear the different approaches people take to make music. There were some interesting harmonies in this one!
@intoyourlight Feb 2022
Really jazzy although someone who is into jazz would probably decapitate me for that comment. But for me this is what jazz sounds like most of the time. A bit confused but at the same time the instruments follow the rules of music. Really nice vibe!
@kenmattsson Feb 2022
A really cool experiment. There are some places I really got the "this is cool" feeling, and others where I'm "what's going on here" vibe. Regardless, really cool production on this.
@debrandio Feb 2022
"Ummm. Okay, that was interesting"