Generative streaming to the internet w Reper

[k!lowatt]

Hi all - I've been doing this for a few years - I rolled my own algorithmic MIDI generator. I run Reaper on a virtual machine and route the MIDI from my plugin to the VSTis I have loaded, then bounce the audio straight to the internet with SHOUTcast plugin. Basically, the the software is my instrument - I don't touch anything once its deployed to the VM, I just let it run 24/7. Link is in my sig.

Is anyone out there doing anything similar? It'd be nice to talk to anyone working in a similar space but there don't seem too be many out there. I'm also interested in problems people may have run into leaving Reaper running (on a VM) for an exceptionally long time (e.g. multiple days)...

[maxdembo]

Been looking forward to seeing/hearing what this sounds like. Couldnt get it to stream on my phone.

On a pc now, listening on headphones.

[k!lowatt]

Oh damn the speaker wouldn't toggle? What phone?

[maxdembo]

the speaker image toggled, but i got no sound. galaxy s5, android 6.0.1

[maxdembo]

Its a great stream btw, really enjoying it a lot.

[k!lowatt]

Hey thanks a lot man. I'm really appreciative of the feedback especially the mobile issues you mentioned. Gonna look into the Android problems next week.

[zeekat]

It sounds in places like a decent indie band. I don't know if I should be impressed or terrified.

[maxdembo]

It sounds in places like a decent indie band. I don't know if I should be impressed or terrified.

Both!

...and neither.

[Judders]

Sound impressive!

So far I'd say it could do with an extra layer of short blippy arp, to give it a bit more movement, and it could do with more silence as all the instruments have been rather persistent for the 20 minutes I've been listening. The drums could use a bit of work, and some polyrhythms would shake things up a bit.

Anyway, don't take that as criticism, because I think it's sounding good, I just find this kind of stuff quite exciting but I can't code :)

Some kind of vocaloid instrument with a random lyric generator could be a fun addition!

[maxdembo]

Sound impressive!

So far I'd say it could do with an extra layer of short blippy arp, to give it a bit more movement, and it could do with more silence as all the instruments have been rather persistent for the 20 minutes I've been listening. The drums could use a bit of work, and some polyrhythms would shake things up a bit.

Anyway, don't take that as criticism, because I think it's sounding good, I just find this kind of stuff quite exciting but I can't code :)

Some kind of vocaloid instrument with a random lyric generator could be a fun addition!

Yeah, I'd love to hear it with a more diverse sound pallette, but then I realise I should be listening to The Octopus Project instead :)

[k!lowatt]

Sound impressive!

So far I'd say it could do with an extra layer of short blippy arp, to give it a bit more movement, and it could do with more silence as all the instruments have been rather persistent for the 20 minutes I've been listening. The drums could use a bit of work, and some polyrhythms would shake things up a bit.

Anyway, don't take that as criticism, because I think it's sounding good, I just find this kind of stuff quite exciting but I can't code :)

Some kind of vocaloid instrument with a random lyric generator could be a fun addition!

I am taking it as *constructive* criticism which is great - thanks! Also, you couldn't be more right. I haven't written anything to provide variation in which instruments are playing at a given time. No breakdowns or single instrument intros/outro etc, it's been bothering me since I launched. I know it needs to be done but there are a laundry list of tasks for something like this as you can probably guess. It's coming though.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that the drum kit doesnt change. I just got done fixing that one locally...

[Judders]

I am taking it as *constructive* criticism which is great - thanks! Also, you couldn't be more right. I haven't written anything to provide variation in which instruments are playing at a given time. No breakdowns or single instrument intros/outro etc, it's been bothering me since I launched. I know it needs to be done but there are a laundry list of tasks for something like this as you can probably guess. It's coming though.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that the drum kit doesnt change. I just got done fixing that one locally...

Cool, I've bookmarked your site and will definitely be popping back to see how you're getting on. I think it's a great idea for a project.

It inspired me to install Quasi Fractal Composer again and play around with that! :D

[maxdembo]

I am taking it as *constructive* criticism which is great - thanks! Also, you couldn't be more right. I haven't written anything to provide variation in which instruments are playing at a given time. No breakdowns or single instrument intros/outro etc, it's been bothering me since I launched. I know it needs to be done but there are a laundry list of tasks for something like this as you can probably guess. It's coming though.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that the drum kit doesnt change. I just got done fixing that one locally...

The drums is one thing I meant by an expanded pallette. Some 'live' drums would be marvelous. But I dont know what the limits of this kind of thing are.

Would you be able to set up something like BFD on random fills and beats etc? Maybe some sort of virtual guitarist set up too?

[k!lowatt]

The drums is one thing I meant by an expanded pallette. Some 'live' drums would be marvelous. But I dont know what the limits of this kind of thing are.

Would you be able to set up something like BFD on random fills and beats etc? Maybe some sort of virtual guitarist set up too?

Honestly...I feel like you could probably do anything. I could roll my own fill algorithms from scratch which I've thought about, but it would be really time consuming. I use Addictive Drums - I know they have MIDI packs with fills I could leverage as well. Still a decent chunk of work, but more on integrating 3rd party software into my solution and less on actual dev.

I'm not using AD to its potential in production - there's only one drum kit. The key was figuring out a way to automate changing it...AD doesn't allow you to change out presets in any automated fashion I could figure out. So locally, I just load a bunch of instances in Reaper and then from one composition to the next, I vary which channel my plugin is sending the MIDI out on accordingly. Works great; I'm testing that change now, it's probably gonna be a few weeks...