16 step probabilities per bar jsfx? [SOLVED by master Time Waster, Random Note Gate]

[TonE]

Is there any jsfx which divides a bar into 16 step ranges, and can give for each step a probability, determining if the notes starting in that step range will play or not?

The jsfx, could do following if probability under threshold, set velocity of all notes starting in that step range, to 0, thus removing them from playing.

[V1b3zman]

Maybe this might be what you're looking for

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread.php?t=181051

[TonE]

Hmm, no, this I have already here, in that one I have to program everything there as I understood, but I just want to set the probabilities for the step ranges, nothing else, no programming at all there. Just the probabilities.

[Bri1]

I just want to set the probabilities for the step ranges, nothing else, no programming at all there. Just the probabilities.

ello- so try 1 of the megababy mods?
does that not do what you want?
it has a special cc set for that?

[TonE]

really, can megababy do this?

[Bri1]

^lol-yep- why not try for yourself?
look for prob in cc lane.

[TonE]

I have only Mod, Vol, Pan, Exp lanes below. At the top left, if I click on DM, it shows PR, I guess this is probability then, but where to write or draw its values? I do not want to enter any notes. I guess this is the wrong megababy version.

[Bri1]

I have only Mod, Vol, Pan, Exp lanes below..

ey- well if you click edit- then further descriptive clues are given-hotkeys/shortcuts+ability to have upto 128 steps i thinked.
roll dice?
how does it roll?

[TonE]

Ok,checked edit, first blue if set to value 127 showing indeed Prb, however it seems this is only for the notes generated/set inside Megababy, so it can not apply its probabilities to incoming notes it seems. Did you try it?

Example: If I set some Prb values to 0 they are still playing, where in theory they should not play. Anyway, Megababy seems to be Microbaby for this feature.

Best solution so far is IX's Probalocity, but it has also its disadvantages, there should be a version with two inputs, like sidechain input, from the sidechain input should come only the notes, which control the probabilities, and those notes should be eaten by the plugin, not creating any sound in the following fx.

And there is pizmidi probability something, but this does not give control on step basis.

[Bri1]

heh- well i dunno- thought it answered the original question-

but it seems no matter what i do,people always find fault,or just ignore advice anyways--so be it.
tried to help...

[TonE]

No, nothing ignored here, but I do not want to program notes inside Megababy, this should happen outside, as explained above.

[Time Waster]

This is an interesting problem and I can see that it could have some useful applications like for randomising drum patterns etc. I don't have a soloution as yet but It has given me an idea for a new ReaRack module, a 'random note gate'. The module itself would simply allow the note to pass, or not, based on a probability set by a slider. If used on it's own the probability would be the same for all notes as per the manual probability setting. However I would build in the ability to modulate the probability setting, the idea being to use a step sequencer (e.g. the ReaRack Envelope Multi-tool) to set the probability for up to 16 steps (or beyond if you chain more of them). The step sequencer would not be sending the notes, just the control values for the probability. You could use other methods to send the control values if you don't want to use a sequencer, e.g. send CCs from a midi item. The advantage of using the ReaRack sequencer is that it provides high resolution MIDI, or audio expressed as a simple 0 to 1 control signal.

Would that be useful?

[TonE]

Sounds interesting yes, and it would give me finally the opportunity to try your racks, never had any useful idea where I could use those, maybe this would trigger jumping into the whole set, if I get warm with them, meaning understand them a little.

[Time Waster]

I have added a Added 'Random Note Gate' module to the ReaRack3 zip file in the stash here: https://stash.reaper.fm/v/34071/ReaR...dularSynth.zip

This module passes or blocks MIDI note-on messages depending on the probability setting. The probability setting can be modulated. I haven't really tested this module, but it seems to work. Let me know of any bugs.

If using the ReaRack3 Envelope Multi-tool module (EG) to modulate the probability, I would suggest the following method:

1) Place the Envelope multi-tool on a separate track and send the output to the track receiving the notes, which will also house the random note gate. The EG is on a separate track because it requires a note to trigger it, and that note would get passed through and mixed in with the actual notes you want if was on the same track as note gate. I may address this issue in a later version.

2) Use the Note Sequencer preset to set up the EG as a sequencer. Set the output to the control signal of your choice. Set the trigger mode to either 'triggered single pass', or 'loop - latch triggered'. You will need to set up the stage lengths as appropriate for your note spacing.

3) Use a MIDI item to send a note to trigger the envelope generator. You may need to have the timing of the trigger note slightly earlier than the note timing to make sure that the probability value is changed before each note is played. Theoretically, if you use 'loop - latch triggered', you should only need to send one trigger note to set the sequence going as a loop. Using 'triggered single pass' with multiple trigger noted however would guarantee that the sequence starts in the correct place each pass. As mentioned, I haven't tested this.

[TonE]

Dear Time Waster, tried Random Note Gate quickly, it seems to work perfectly, I do not need any ENV as I would modulate it by precise programming insdie the tracker, hackey trackey lua plugin by sifu saike. Your Random Note Gate adds a lot of new possibilities. Small tool with a huge impact on fun factor. Thanks a lot. I will add your Random Note Gate, to the list I gave on hackey trackey thread.

Now we can have all, per step or note, wonderful:
-offset
-reverse
-retrigger
-probability

Thanks to probability a single pattern can sound as if it were many more, just by setting some inbetween notes to smaller probabilities, which would add those random variations, preventing the listener from getting bored, hopefully, tricking out human brain or ear or both.

[Time Waster]

Hi TonE, I'm glad you like it. Just a note on how it works, only note-on messages are blocked, all note-offs are passed through for simplicity. This shouldn't ever cause a problem, but let me know if it does.

I've put an updated version in the stash, just some minor updates to the graphics. The probability output is now expressed as a ratio.

[TonE]

Originally Posted by Time Waster

...only note-on messages are blocked, all note-offs are passed through for simplicity. This shouldn't ever cause a problem, but let me know if it does.

If this will cause any surprises I can write here again. For a quick test it was just working fine, no surprises with drum notes.
EDIT: As a side note, even if there would be any hanging note issues, there is anyway the magic switchable transpose by master boreg, and this would solve those issue, just adding switchable transpose behind yours should do the trick, I tested switchable transpose also extensively, this is the best real-time, must jsfx I know, if you like transposing sequences freely, extensively, and never getting any hanging notes, thanks to boreg, exactly what Vangelis wanted for his Direct, many years ago.

[TonE]

Would it be possible for Random Note Gate there is one slider, when the gate is open, this slider will go to max, otherwise back to zero.

How could this be useful? We could map this slider to other parameters for automation, my main use would be mapping to Wet, so it could be applied to any fx, adjust your dream setting, some big reverb for example, then randomly it would be opened, then off again. It would give one more dimension making repeating loops less boring.

Best would be making a new jsfx, I guess, something like Random Slider Gate, behaving as described above.

[Time Waster]

How would you want to trigger this? You could have an FX that just self triggers on some regular division of a beat or bar and apply the randomisation to that. I would prefer that rather than moving a slider, the FX would send a CC or audio control signal. The high and low values of the signal could be adjustable.

I could possibly do a mod to the ReaRack LFO to enable the random step output to be quantised to a high or low output based on a threshold setting.

[Time Waster]

Actually, this is already possible. Use the ReaRack 3 LFO set to random step followed by the ReaRack 3 Signal Processor with the output curve set to step. Adjust the LFO rate as desired and adjust the position of the signal processor output step to set high/low output ratio.

[TonE]

Originally Posted by Time Waster

Actually, this is already possible. Use the ReaRack 3 LFO set to random step followed by the ReaRack 3 Signal Processor with the output curve set to step. Adjust the LFO rate as desired and adjust the position of the signal processor output step to set high/low output ratio.

Thanks, I will try it out. To your previous question, how to trigger it, I thought using probability parameter. e.g. I would set it to 0 everywhere first, then where I want some triggering I would pull it up to 1. Slider solution would be universal I thought, as we can further link it to any other parameter, e.g. not only reverb, some additional fx at the same time, like filther or distortion. But I can test your last suggestion first, then reporting back here. Thanks a lot.

[TonE]

Did all what you wrote, but how do I map it to wet of another plugin? I need to select some value for output in signal processor right? By default Output shows OFF. Not sure how to continue from here? All seems unnecessarily complicated, especially if you want to use this feature permanently, it should be much easier and quicker to setup. Something like Random Note Gate. Drop it in, set the probability, finished.

I guess a moving slider could do the trick, as I can simply map this slider to any new target. Now I do not know first which output to select, also which input. Then even after having decided on those (input, output), how to map the output to Wet of any other fx?

[Time Waster]

Set the output of the LFO to be the same as one of the inputs of the signal processor (only one input is required for this task). I would recommend using an audio channel for this, say Audio 3, as audio is more efficient than MIDI CC. Don't forget to add some extra audio channels to the track as by default only audio channels 1 ans 2 are active.

For the output of the signal processor, I would suggest using a MIDI CC (although you could use an audio channel for this, but it will be non linear).

Then just use REAPER's parameter modulation to link the control on the reverb, or whatever, to the CC output of the signal processor.

See animated gif here: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Gl..._7X2PQLLdjDc25

[TonE]

Dear Time Waster, can random note gate be extended in such a way, it triggers each 1 of n times, per 1 bar loop?

Example: n=4 (counting from 1)
1 mute
2 mute
3 mute
4 play


see also, called there 'Trigger Conditions'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhWNNHYEwks#t=9m15s


If probability is set to one, this option could get active for example. We could control in more detail when things should play, something like probability but with more precise control. When applied on 8 different Resamplomatics those 1 bar loop patterns could get much more variety.

The idea is mainly from recent Elektron device youtube videos, probably they exist in many other devices as well.

I think Random Note Gate would be the perfect place to add this feature, if possible, thanks a lot and in advance.


I guess we need to tell which time slot should be muted as well somehow? Two more values per bar maybe:

Example (a)
15/16 would mean, divide 1 bar into 16 steps, and take step 15, mute this time slot only each 4th time according to above example.

Example (b)
3/4 would mean, divide 1 bar into 4 steps (4 quarter notes time slots), and take step 3, mute this time slot only each 4th time.


In short we are enabling/unmuting time slots on repetition base. It is like programming in arrange but without arrange, via 3 controller parameters.


UPDATE: Not required, it can be achieved as follows.

For controling audio output: Combination of midi sequencer megababy as controling midi input and midi gate by Geraint Luff, thanks Geraint. Then you can define exactly in which time slots the midi gate should open, opening up the audio channel.

For controling midi output: Same method as above but replacing midi gate with midi vocoder, and you should get midi output instead.

In short, it is already possible using Reaper internal tools, plus all the lua jsfx additions of users of course.

But of course anything which is simpler and quicker to setup would be an improvement.

[Time Waster]

Originally Posted by TonE

Example: n=4 (counting from 1)
1 mute
2 mute
3 mute
4 play

ReaRack2 has a Note Filter module, which can do this type of thing. See my signature for the link to ReaRack2. There is a manual included in the zip file.

[TonE]

Oh, cool, thanks, I have already both installed rearack 2 and 3. But not played much yet. Time to do so.

UPDATE: Note filter looks like magic. Do we have any manual* for all the parameters or only source analysis?

Next would be to find out which other tools of rearack are best for combining with note tool. My main goal would be taking a simple 1 bar loop, e.g. programmed inside hackey trackey, and making it sound with more variety, playing certain notes not each time, but only sometimes, as explained above. Playing each 4 bars some fill for example. Or multiple fills maybe, first fill in midi channel 1, after 4 bars again, fill2 in midi channel 2, after 4 bars again, fill3 in midi channel 3 for example. All would be simple notes sitting inside hackey trackey in different columns, with Out[C] setting, meaning multiple midi channel output, each column triggering on a different midi channel. Maybe random note gate needs a midi channel filter here as well, then we could define directly inside random note gate probabilities for those fills.

* UPDATE2: Downloaded again, there is a huge manual included, was it always there? Cool, will read it! Thanks again.

[TonE]

Originally Posted by Time Waster

ReaRack2 has a Note Filter module, which can do this type of thing. See my signature for the link to ReaRack2. There is a manual included in the zip file.

Checked the manual, but still, not the best explanation, no images, no examples. This sentences 'only'.

The beat filter passes notes based on the project tempo. You can set the filter window open on a specified beat (from the transport play position), to close after some fraction of, or a number of beats, and to re-open (loop) after some fraction of, or a number of beats.

So I am interested in this beat-filtering method, rather than the note counting method above, which I might try later as well. First the beat method. Let us assume my numbers above mean beats = 1/4 notes.

(a)
I want 3 beats muting, last beat playing. How can I achieve this?

(b)
Then, same but only each 4 bars, last beat-slot notes playing?

What should be the values for both examples for
- beat window start beat
- start beat fine tune
- beat window loop beat
- beat window size
- window size fine tune

And can class and group be useful for above examples?
Filter window edge I understood, very cool design. In my example I am just looping a 1 bar drum loop, just notes played sequentially, for testing purposes only. For me, the chosen terms are not immediately understandable what they are doing or should do. For example 'beat window start beat', ok. Tells me not much, how does it relate to my above two example use cases for example. I want my start beat counting from the beginning of the bar each time for example, beat 1, would be 1, beat 2, 2 ... And what is a beat window?

I tried following
- beat window start beat 1
- beat window size 1/4, so assuming this will be those kick positions, the 'classical beats of 4/4
what remains is setting
- beat window loop beat, but what is its meaning, loop, will it play or mute, and why loop, what is looping? Having some visual diagrams would make it much simpler, then I could try to find better or easier understandable terms for those, so no guessing would be needed.

[Time Waster]

I had a look at the note filter to refresh my memory on how it works, and found that it is not working correctly for the beat filter. Give me it day or so to get it working.

In the meantime, if your notes are exactly on each beat, or some division of a beat, you can use the note thinning method. This method counts the notes from the transport start position. To play the 4th note in each bar (assuming 4/4 time and a note on each beat), set the start note to 4 and the loop note to 4.

[TonE]

It does not hurry at all, thanks for caring. If this would not work, I was thinking of using midi vocoder. I should check how we check in jsfx, following:
if (note's onset time is within first beat range)
then do ...

Can we tell on relative bar positions with jsfx? If yes, it would be very simple, actually I did many such experiments in the past, using keykit, I could convert all those ideas into jsfx. Then all would work in real-time, directly inside Reaper.

Here one example:

PHP Code:

    for ( n=1; n<=sizeof(ph); n++ )
    {
        phase = ph%n.time%384
        notetime = ph%n.time
        if (phase < 96 || (phase > 192 && phase < 288))            # beat 1 and 3 goes to channel 1
        {
                                          print("belongs to beat 1 and 3")
            ph%n.chan = 1
            r|=AddPanoramaAdjustments(ph%n)
            phSize = sizeof(ph)
        }
        else            # beat 2 and 4 goes to channel 2
        {
                                          print("belongs to beat 2 and 4")
            ph%n.chan = 2
            r|=AddPanoramaAdjustmentsOpposite(ph%n)
        }
    } 


Can we tell in jsfx, similary as in keykit, e.g. using those 384 midi ticks per bar, meaning 96 ticks for 1 beat, for example? Then it would be very easy, as above. Then we could define all kinds of variants, for muting (meaning eating notes), or passing (inverted eating).

[Time Waster]

JSFX doesn't use MIDI ticks. The JSFX variable 'beat_position' gives the beat position in the project as a floating point number (I assume). Also JSFX uses the sample offset within the current block to determine when a MIDI message was received and when to send out a message. In principle you would be able to translate the intent of the keykit code, but it wouldn't be a simple cut and paste.

[TonE]

Thanks, I can check anyway how sequencer megababy did their step definitions or any arp code, if not too difficult to understand, e.g. arp!0.

[TonE]

In terms of probability I know so far two great solutions, one your Random Note Gate, second IX's probalocity, which uses velocity as probability, can be also very useful, especially when applied to drum patterns. Now the only single thing missing is the above cases, either via midi vocoder and sequencer megababy before that, or something else, simpler. Anything which could be edited from a single pattern in hackey trackey would be great, and there any fx parameters can be edited. A per midi channel solution would be most flexible, you could take e.g. midi channel 11 for fills, which should play each 4 bars, and those using certain randomness. The pattern would be still a 1 bar pattern.

[Time Waster]

Did you look at the Random Modal Sequencer?
- https://stash.reaper.fm/v/38410/Rand...Sequencer.jsfx

[TonE]

To do what? I do not like the 'random note generation' part, there should be nothing random, all notes given, but the triggering should be based on randomness, as the other two above. I guess, I tested this quickly once, somehow had no great idea where I could use this to some advantage, at least today. Who knows which ideas, in which combination make this tool again very useful in a different context, it is always good having such tools in the background, thanks for developing and sharing it.

[vanhaze]

Just installed and wow, really fun, thank you !!

[TonE]

Request for Random Note Gate: Can this get a midi channel setting?

Only notes on that midi channel would be affected. This would be useful when using directly inside hackey trackey in multi-midi-channel output mode, if setting in Random Note Gate midi channel to 11, I could set my probabilistic notes into that column in hackey trackey. All the other notes would not be effected, they would play always, but these "fill notes" on midi channel 11 could get smaller probabilities, for example. One more parameter, giving much more power for direct and quick applications, at least when inside trackey.

[Time Waster]

The ReaRack3 Zip file in the stash has been updated to include the Random Note Filter module updated with an input channel filter.

[TonE]

Thanks a lot Time Waster! If this works, it will be very practical, then those each 4 bar repetitions I could design outside the pattern, simply changing probability to one for them, and placing via hackey patterns, meaning via arrange copy paste. As long as there is no simpler way.

Phase dependent triggers with jsfx seems to be a topic, ignored so far, somehow.

see also, called there 'Trigger Conditions'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhWNNHYEwks#t=9m15s

[TonE]

Originally Posted by Time Waster

The ReaRack3 Zip file in the stash has been updated to include the Random Note Filter module updated with an input channel filter.

And Random Note Gate? I thought it was there, did not check yet.
UPDATE: Checked, it was random note gate, great. Thanks again.

UPDATE2: Tested quickly, right now it seems the non-selected midi channels get probability = 0, but instead they should get probability = 1, playing always. Right now nothing is playing, at least on my computer. With this correction it will be perfect I guess.

[Time Waster]

Good point. I've filtered them out instead of passing through unaltered. Please wait while I fix this.