esiVrano
By lysdexic on January 22, 2020 7:17 am
This patch began with building a system that generates two random sequences of midi notes at N length (in this case 12 each) then using a toggle to alternate them at a different time event. This is building on the repetition of note sequences from last week, I wanted to develop and build on that with A/B two part phrasing within one main sequence. Again I didn't want to work with central rhythmic element like drums as they are a bit of a crutch for me, when I write in DAWs I can't really begin a tune without focusing on the drums so using generative like this is a bit of a release from that.
After I'd built the sequencer I wanted to get into using the new MC~ objects in Max8 - the new multichannel stuff. Not so much for multichannel output, but passing around several audio signals within one patch cable (up to hundreds). I made a quick synth in [mc.poly~] which is the main lead you hear in the track. Each voice within the synth can be set to use one of these simple waveforms: sine, square, triangle, saw and a band limited random signal generator (which oscillates at the frequency specified) Once per measure a voice is selected and the oscillator of that voice is randomised which changes the timbral quality of the chords that emerge from the sequence as the notes overlap. They mostly tended to stay around squares and triangles which is evident in the way the lead sounds, but occasionally a saw, sine or rand voice will emerge in the background of the lead which is nice and adds texture without rupturing it completely. I think next week I might tweak and reuse this synth - I'd like to have a call and response thing happening with two of them.
The secondary voice in the patch comes from a multichannel resonant lowpass filter tuned to six different frequencies which shuffle every measure, I'm running a stereo field recording through it to activate it. These frequencies are quantised to the same scale as the lead. The key discovery with this part of the patch is that if you send a negative value for the resonance of the filter it begins distorting in this beautiful way. The main stereo noise ruptures in this track are from using it like this. Over the course of several measures I'm multiplying random resonance values by a very slow sine wave, when the sine moves into the negative range it blows up the filter, when it goes positive again it resumes being a resonant lowpass making chimes in key with the lead. When it distorts it feels like something being mulched up with the texture constantly shifting - feels almost vocal - kind of a Ben Frost vibe - his noise layers have this almost vocal quality, like something monsterous trying to speak.
Theres another voice which is a triangle wave with the duty cycle multiplied by itself with a lowpass and a reverb + delayline on it which is in the background. I got some great results with this when it was dry, but it didn't fit with the rest of the track as it developed so I buried it in lowpassed effects and turned it right down. I'd like to focus on using this voice in another submission.
This week was really three patch ideas pushed into one output. I'm enjoying the push to put down the tools and submit. This is the first week I've run my file through LANDR. I'm pretty happy with the result compared to the premaster. Let me know what you think of the master too if you like.
Audio works licensed by author under:
CC Attribution Noncommercial No Derivative Works (BY-NC-ND)
