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Parameter Variation

Posted

. . . is a wonderful thing. It adds with sligthest effort very welcome enrichment of lines etc.

I use it often for one or two vices of homophonic arrangments, where all voices play the same rhythm.

The point is, that there s no control which parameters are changed. Sometimes it cutts the length of notes to staccato, and then the homophonic harmony with the other voices is lost, and other unwanted results.

So a possibility to include/exclude certain parameters of variation would be very helpful.


Fri, 2009-09-25 - 15:27 Permalink

Not at this time.

We might eventually provide an inspector for this parameter that allows for configuring the effects in more detail, but at this time they are fixed and built.in. Here's a list of the transformations applied to figure segments depending on Variation value (0.0 ... 1.0).

Value: 0.0 0 Transformations = (none)
Value: 0.02 Transformations = invertedUp
Value: 0.06 Transformations = invertedDown
Value: 0.10 Transformations = variateTransposeUp
Value: 0.14 Transformations = variateTransposeDown
Value: 0.18 Transformations = variateTransposeUpMore
Value: 0.22 Transformations = variateTransposeDownMore
Value: 0.25 Transformations = reverse
Value: 0.29 Transformations = upsideDown
Value: 0.33 Transformations = reverse upsideDown
Value: 0.37 Transformations = reverse variateTransposeUp
Value: 0.41 Transformations = reverse variateTransposeDown
Value: 0.45 Transformations = reverse variateTransposeUpMore
Value: 0.49 Transformations = reverse variateTransposeDownMore
Value: 0.52 Transformations = upsideDown variateTransposeUp
Value: 0.56 Transformations = upsideDown variateTransposeDown
Value: 0.6 0 Transformations = upsideDown variateTransposeUpMore
Value: 0.64 Transformations = upsideDown variateTransposeDownMore
Value: 0.68 Transformations = reverseAtAnchor
Value: 0.72 Transformations = reverseAtAnchor upsideDown
Value: 0.75 Transformations = reverseAtAnchor upsideDown variateTransposeUp
Value: 0.79 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf
Value: 0.83 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf reverse
Value: 0.87 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf reverse variateTransposeUpMore
Value: 0.91 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf reverse upsideDown
Value: 0.95 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf reverseAtAnchor variateTransposeDownMore
Value: 0.99 Transformations = variateSpeedHalf reverseAtAnchor upsideDown variateTransposeUpMore

Please note that this mapping is valid for current version 1.1 only. It may change in future releases.

Fri, 2009-09-25 - 22:19 Permalink


Here's a list of the transformations applied to figure segments depending on Variation value (0.0 ... 1.0).

(EDIT: list changed, see post above)

So the staccato effects I found are produced by variation of the speed, maybe by multiple use of variation. Interesting. -

ok, the presets of variation weak, medium and strong are connected with the 3 stages you decribed here, moderate, medium, dramatic, I guess.

and the same thing by creating my own variation, (I want them very long, no repeats), I can choose between moderate, medium, dramatic by using the respective third of the skala.

Ok, now I´m looking for a way to move the variation line up and down, and also to compress and expand vertically like in the figure parameter. For example looking for more spatial transformation (the most interesting variation) found only in "dramatic variation" and not wanting to edit some hundred bars manually.
The same thing I just asked on the shift parameter, where it is still more important than here. And probably there are more parameters where this would be helpful.

So I propose a general possibility for editing parameters globally in a vertical way, moving up and down, compressing and expanding.

----

Another easy (I guess) improvement would be to allow free choosing of the length of the variation (and other parameters, exspecially shift). Then the 3 templates weak medium and strong would be more usable.

(In the moment the preset templates are fixed to 32 bars. And maybe the conscious mind does not experience, that there is a loop, whether 32 bars or an irregular number. But the subconscious mind knows it, and this kind of loops are producing subtle effects on feeling comfortable with music or not, to say the least.
Therefore I need variation as long as the whole piece, usally some hundred bars.)

Sat, 2009-09-26 - 16:23 Permalink

Hi Alfred,

the Variation templates simply generate a random noise vector between 0.0...0.33 (weak, covering approx. the first third of the above list), 0.0...0.66 (medium) and 0.0...1.0 (strong). You get a different curve every time you call up a new template.

You are free to copy/paste any portions of the templates and create your own vectors of any length that way.

See the attached video for ways to edit vertical scaling of a vector (requires update 1.1.4 due out today, otherwise will not work for all numeric vectors).

(VectorScaling.mov)
vectorscaling_177.mov

Attachments

Sun, 2009-09-27 - 23:54 Permalink

Hi Andre,


See the attached video for ways to edit vertical scaling of a vector (requires update 1.1.4 due out today, otherwise will not work for all numeric vectors).

Thank You very much, the vertical editing possibilities are very helpful, and make a lot of fun.
Shift becomes even more interesting now, the same with variation. Now I can choose to use just the specific third of the scala for more control over the results, for example using only the "dramatic third" from 0.66 to 1.0 for most spatial effects, if i want them.

Is it possible to make even finer adjustment by using specific areas of the thirds? "0.0...0.33 (weak, covering approx. the first third of the above list), 0.0...0.66 (medium) and 0.0...1.0 (strong)"

In other words, are specific points of the scala from 0 to 1 a specific effect?
Lets say e.g. 0.66 is #( #reverseAtAnchor )?


You are free to copy/paste any portions of the templates and create your own vectors of any length that way.

Of course it is possible to do manually any length of the vector, but it needs time and brain energie, which I would like to concentrate on creative things. -

I write something related to that in the workflow area.

Mon, 2009-09-28 - 10:10 Permalink

In other words, are specific points of the scala from 0 to 1 a specific effect? Lets say e.g. 0.66 is #( #reverseAtAnchor )?

Theoretically, yes (note: I changed the listing in the above post).

You should however consider that the Variation parameter is still experimental to a large extent, that is, it will very likely change in future versions of the software as it evolves. For that reason we didn't map exact numbers (1,2,3,4,...) to specific effects, but rather used a continuous range of 0...1 that fits all numbers of possible future effects.

The intended use of Variation is to quickly fake an improvising human rather than building specific musical motifs. If you intend to keep the output of Variation, you should apply it to the figure and delete the parameter after that.

[quote]Of course it is possible to do manually any length of the vector, but it needs time and brain energie, which I would like to concentrate on creative things.

Sure, but lots of extra submenus, buttons and entry fields that allow for setting a template's properties would not help very much in this regard either.

Although, the duration of the container would be a meaningful template length. I'll think about it.

Mon, 2009-09-28 - 12:24 Permalink


You should however consider that the Variation parameter is still experimental to a large extent, that is, it will very likely change in future versions of the software as it evolves. For that reason we didn't map exact numbers (1,2,3,4,...) to specific effects, but rather used a continuous range of 0...1 that fits all numbers of possible future effects.

I understand. So spezific effects I reach now would change with future versions.


The intended use of Variation is to quickly fake an improvising human rather than building specific musical motifs.

Yes of course. But sometimes things are thought for something, and they suddenly appear to be good for something else also. Therefore I propose the most freely access, I just wrote more about that in the workflow forum.

Of course it is a balance between free acess to all the process and the also wanted simplicity of the software.

Of course it is possible to do manually any length of the vector, but it needs time and brain energie, which I would like to concentrate on creative things.


Sure, but lots of extra submenus, buttons and entry fields that allow for setting a template's properties would not help very much in this regard either.

In this case here it would be most easy.
In the variation editor there is already in the top of the very right side this little field which shows the length of the parameter, and it can be edited.
But as soon as preset template is used, the legth is fixed to 32 bars.
If simply the template would accept the tipped in value, thats all. If nothing is typed in, it stays on 32 bars. so nobody has any additionel work with this exept the ones who want to use it.

And I propose this for all parameter editors. You don´t know, for what it will reveal later to get interesting maybe exiting results. -

I will look for a little musicexample.

Mon, 2009-09-28 - 21:44 Permalink

Andre... I love the new vector scaling! I was looking forward to that.

Also it's good to see the up/down arrows work faster/in larger steps.