Came for the technicals, stayed for the gentle video diary with emotional soundtrack. For some reason it reminded me of the piano scene near the end of The Enchanted Cottage (1945). Odd connection, but there it is. Glad that all is well.
Looking forward to version 7! While I can do euclidian rhythms natively in my day, I could see an option for euclidian in the arp. Not really a wish, but a mayyyyyybeee....
This is a genuine question... How do you see Euclidian rhythms fitting with ARP's workflow? I'm thinking... Rhythm Patterns, Binary Patterns and Time Divisions. ARP can create any of these Rhythms currently (I believe) but what would be the benefit of using an algorithmic generator?
@@midicakemidiGiven how you can set pattern lengths, divisions and delays (rotations in a way) you could simply reuse those settings with a Euclidian option under the Arp, Drone, Chord option menu. The only real difference is how the beats would either snap to beat length divisions or space evenly. Is it the Torso that focuses on euclidian? Something like that. Honestly, it's not a high priority option , since how dang complex a rhythm you can create with the Arp. The killer feature which you've nailed is the 3 modulation options per channel. Those alone give me everything I really need, in a very intuitive way. Also, modulating the midi channel is freaking awesome. Modulating the instrument to be played. Amazing results.
@@docjoesweeney Thanks for responding with your suggestions. I see how a Euclidean approach to timing can offer interesting timing for rhythms. ARP has a wealth of options in this respect, it allows you to chose the time factor to subdivide a musical time period. It is the interesting note clusters you get with Eucliedian patterns that ARP's time parameters do not cover alone, however, when combined with Binary Patterns, you can craft pretty much any rhythm you desire. It's more like design through exploration than relying on an algorithm but perhaps there's something we could take on for a future feature. Thanks also for the feedback on how you use ARP's other features. It's great to hear you find ARP intuitive and exciting. Brilliant! ❤
@@midicakemidi just to sure other readers understand where I am coming from. I freaking love euclidian rhythms, especially for percussion patterns. There are plenty of cheap euclidian rhythm sequencer vsts, so it's not a major issue. And the Arp comes close to providing similar concepts to euclidian, but with a lot more options to mess with the generations. Plus my experience with the Arp is that it's got more flexibility and fun than tipsy gymnast at a Wiggles themed rave party. I am totally loving the Arp and finding new options for its use every day.
I don't quite understand what it's doing in terms of rhythm. The divisions value is the baseline number of notes per bar, and then the modulator is modulating the target number of notes per bar, but then are those notes being quantized to a specified # of beat divisions per bar, or are the notes per bar just being randomly spaced (or evenly spaced) within a bar, ignoring normal musical quantizations 8th, 16th, etc?
ARP uses 3 parameters to control the musical timing. Division is the number of steps per bar (as you said) and this can be increased and decreased. Function sets whether the increase/decrease is an Incremental or Exponential change. That is, adding/subtracting or multiplying/dividing by the third parameter, Factor, which determines the scale of the function. This approach is very flexible and means you can control changes to the timing in many different ways. There are explanations and examples of these parameters in the user manual.Midicake.com/manuals In this video, I'm using a modulation to change the time division, I can't recall the exact parameter values used but it will be increasing and decreasing the speed (steps per bar) by the factor.
@@midicakemidi I'm looking at the manual now, trying to understand it. The relevant part seems to be this: ARP can divide any number of bars by any number of divisions using 3 parameters. Time Division Sets the number of divisions per bar. Each division is a sequencer step. e.g. 4/1 will play 4 steps in 1 MIDI bar Time Factor Sets the base number for the divisions. This is just a way to set how the Time Division behaves when you change it. e.g. Factor 3 will divide the bar in multiples of 3 Time Function Sets how the divisions increase or decrease as the Division value changes. ● Incremental, the factor is added or subtracted ● Exponential, the factor is doubled or halved So...I'm still a confused though and my question still stands: given any specified number of time divisions, which are "sequencer steps" as the manual says, and which can be modulated, is there then a way to quantize those sequencer steps to a musical grid. In other words, I think of it as two separate things: 1. The number of possible notes per bar (ie 8, 12, 13, 16) 2. The quantized resolution of each bar And thus, when modulating the # of notes per bar, the resulting notes could be quantized to the "resolution of a bar". This would mean that, similar to Euclidian algorithms, the notes are mathematically "rounded" to land in a given step in a bar, and if there are more notes than steps, then some notes would be skipped, ie, in the simplest example, given notesPerBar = 16, and quantization=8 steps per bar, every other note would be played. This would provide for an interesting modulating of possible notes per bar, but also still allow for a musical quantization of the notes to typically desired divisions, ie, 8/12/16 etc.
No, it's not how ARP works. The 96 clock ticks of the MIDI bar is the constant around which ARP operates, yet you are not limited by that. You can sub divide a bar or indeed spread those steps over multiple bars. Doing so sets the number of possible steps but you can define whether those steps actually play a note in several ways. Binary Patterns, Rhythms, modulations etc. It is the combinations of parameters that create the magic. If you want to discuss this further, feel free to contact us through Midicake.com or our forum Midicake.com/forum.
Is it just playing random notes from the chords? Just does not sound good. I wouldn't even be impressed if someone were actually playing this on a piano.
Came for the technicals, stayed for the gentle video diary with emotional soundtrack. For some reason it reminded me of the piano scene near the end of The Enchanted Cottage (1945). Odd connection, but there it is. Glad that all is well.
Magic mate. Well done. Perfect for recycling in Japanese too....
Loving the Midicake. I packed it with my laptop on a teo week trip to India and have relaxing with it after long days of business.
Love it! Have a safe and succesful trip! 🎶
@@midicakemidi last day of trip. I will take a snapshot of the setup.
this device has been a great addition to my toolbox. Thank you for allowing me to explore and thank you for taking time for yourself. Cheers.
Thanks, it was a much-needed rest. Thank you for your support, as always!
Looking forward to version 7! While I can do euclidian rhythms natively in my day, I could see an option for euclidian in the arp. Not really a wish, but a mayyyyyybeee....
This is a genuine question... How do you see Euclidian rhythms fitting with ARP's workflow? I'm thinking... Rhythm Patterns, Binary Patterns and Time Divisions. ARP can create any of these Rhythms currently (I believe) but what would be the benefit of using an algorithmic generator?
@@midicakemidiGiven how you can set pattern lengths, divisions and delays (rotations in a way) you could simply reuse those settings with a Euclidian option under the Arp, Drone, Chord option menu. The only real difference is how the beats would either snap to beat length divisions or space evenly. Is it the Torso that focuses on euclidian? Something like that.
Honestly, it's not a high priority option , since how dang complex a rhythm you can create with the Arp.
The killer feature which you've nailed is the 3 modulation options per channel. Those alone give me everything I really need, in a very intuitive way.
Also, modulating the midi channel is freaking awesome. Modulating the instrument to be played. Amazing results.
@@docjoesweeney Thanks for responding with your suggestions.
I see how a Euclidean approach to timing can offer interesting timing for rhythms. ARP has a wealth of options in this respect, it allows you to chose the time factor to subdivide a musical time period. It is the interesting note clusters you get with Eucliedian patterns that ARP's time parameters do not cover alone, however, when combined with Binary Patterns, you can craft pretty much any rhythm you desire.
It's more like design through exploration than relying on an algorithm but perhaps there's something we could take on for a future feature.
Thanks also for the feedback on how you use ARP's other features. It's great to hear you find ARP intuitive and exciting. Brilliant! ❤
@@midicakemidi just to sure other readers understand where I am coming from. I freaking love euclidian rhythms, especially for percussion patterns. There are plenty of cheap euclidian rhythm sequencer vsts, so it's not a major issue. And the Arp comes close to providing similar concepts to euclidian, but with a lot more options to mess with the generations. Plus my experience with the Arp is that it's got more flexibility and fun than tipsy gymnast at a Wiggles themed rave party. I am totally loving the Arp and finding new options for its use every day.
Hmm, I should start using Midicake Arp softly, only with my piano emulations (Grand, Rhodes, Wurlitzer) …
Definitely! ☺
I don't quite understand what it's doing in terms of rhythm. The divisions value is the baseline number of notes per bar, and then the modulator is modulating the target number of notes per bar, but then are those notes being quantized to a specified # of beat divisions per bar, or are the notes per bar just being randomly spaced (or evenly spaced) within a bar, ignoring normal musical quantizations 8th, 16th, etc?
ARP uses 3 parameters to control the musical timing. Division is the number of steps per bar (as you said) and this can be increased and decreased. Function sets whether the increase/decrease is an Incremental or Exponential change. That is, adding/subtracting or multiplying/dividing by the third parameter, Factor, which determines the scale of the function.
This approach is very flexible and means you can control changes to the timing in many different ways. There are explanations and examples of these parameters in the user manual.Midicake.com/manuals
In this video, I'm using a modulation to change the time division, I can't recall the exact parameter values used but it will be increasing and decreasing the speed (steps per bar) by the factor.
@@midicakemidi I'm looking at the manual now, trying to understand it. The relevant part seems to be this:
ARP can divide any number of bars by any number of divisions using 3 parameters.
Time Division
Sets the number of divisions per bar. Each division is a sequencer step. e.g. 4/1 will play 4 steps in 1 MIDI bar
Time Factor
Sets the base number for the divisions. This is just a way to set how the Time Division behaves when you change it.
e.g. Factor 3 will divide the bar in multiples of 3
Time Function
Sets how the divisions increase or decrease as the Division value changes.
● Incremental, the factor is added or subtracted
● Exponential, the factor is doubled or halved
So...I'm still a confused though and my question still stands: given any specified number of time divisions, which are "sequencer steps" as the manual says, and which can be modulated, is there then a way to quantize those sequencer steps to a musical grid.
In other words, I think of it as two separate things:
1. The number of possible notes per bar (ie 8, 12, 13, 16)
2. The quantized resolution of each bar
And thus, when modulating the # of notes per bar, the resulting notes could be quantized to the "resolution of a bar". This would mean that, similar to Euclidian algorithms, the notes are mathematically "rounded" to land in a given step in a bar, and if there are more notes than steps, then some notes would be skipped, ie, in the simplest example, given notesPerBar = 16, and quantization=8 steps per bar, every other note would be played. This would provide for an interesting modulating of possible notes per bar, but also still allow for a musical quantization of the notes to typically desired divisions, ie, 8/12/16 etc.
No, it's not how ARP works. The 96 clock ticks of the MIDI bar is the constant around which ARP operates, yet you are not limited by that. You can sub divide a bar or indeed spread those steps over multiple bars. Doing so sets the number of possible steps but you can define whether those steps actually play a note in several ways. Binary Patterns, Rhythms, modulations etc. It is the combinations of parameters that create the magic. If you want to discuss this further, feel free to contact us through Midicake.com or our forum Midicake.com/forum.
Real pianists are tearing their hair out at this! 😂
Real pianists don’t watch youtube.
Is it just playing random notes from the chords? Just does not sound good. I wouldn't even be impressed if someone were actually playing this on a piano.