Hello folks, here’s my first attempt at a composition;
use_bpm 120
#Set an initial parameter
set :kick_active, false
set :perc_active, false
set :noise_active, false
set :synthbass_active, false
set :subbase_active, false
#Set an initial parameter
#set :kick_active, true
#set :perc_active, true
#set :noise_active, true
#set :synthbass_active, true
#set :subbase_active, true
live_loop :met1 do
sleep 1
end
#DRUMS
define :pattern do |pattern|
return pattern.ring.tick == "x"
end
live_loop :kick, sync: :met1 do
if get[:kick_active]
sample :bd_808, amp: [2.5,2.3,2.1,1.9].tick, hpf: 24 if pattern "x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-"
sleep 1
else
sleep 0.5
end
end
live_loop :perc, sync: :met1 do
if get[:perc_active]
sample :perc_bell, amp: 0.02, hpf: 60, pan: rrand(-0.5, 0.5), finish: 0.05 if pattern "x-------x-------"
sleep 1
else
sleep 0.5
end
end
#NOISE
live_loop :crackle do
if get[:noise_active]
sample :vinyl_hiss, amp: 0.3, hpf: 60
sleep sample_duration(:vinyl_hiss)
else
sleep 0.5
end
end
#SIDECHAIN
with_fx :slicer, phase: 2, wave: 0, invert_wave: 1, mix: 0.9 do
use_synth :hollow
with_fx :reverb, mix: 0.8, room: 0.5 do
live_loop :synthbass, sync: :met1 do
#stop
at = 0.2
s = 3.7
r = 0.1
sl = at+s+r
n = :A2
sc = :minor
hpf = note n
options = { attack: at, sustain: s, release: r, hpf: hpf }
#am,fma,dm,em
[:i, :vi, :iv, :v].each do |degree|
with_fx :ixi_techno, cutoff_min: rrand(60,80), cutoff_max: rrand(100,120), mix: 0.9, phase: sl do
if get[:synthbass_active]
play (chord_degree degree, n, sc, 3), options.merge(amp: [1.3,1.5,1.7].choose)
sleep sl
else
sleep 0.5
end
end
end
end
end
use_synth :bass_foundation
with_fx :reverb, mix: 0.8, room: 0.8, damp: 1 do
live_loop :subbass, sync: :met1 do
#stop
at = 0.1
s = 0.3
r = 0.6
sl = at+s+r
n = :A1
sc = :minor
lpf = note (n+12)
options = { attack: at, sustain: s, release: r, lpf: lpf, amp: 0.5 }
[:A1, :F1, :D1, :E1].each do |notes|
if get[:subbase_active]
play notes, options
sleep 4
else
sleep 0.5
end
end
end
end
end
#COMPOSITION
live_loop :composition, sync: :met1 do
set :noise_active, true
sleep (16)
set :subbase_active, true
sleep (16)
set :kick_active, true
sleep (32)
set :synthbass_active, true
sleep (16)
set :perc_active, true
sleep (32)
set :synthbass_active, false
sleep (16)
set :subbase_active, false
sleep (16)
set :noise_active, false
sleep (4)
set :kick_active, false
set :perc_active, false
stop
end
I don’t understand much music theory yet and I’ve tried to write this based on what others seem to do with Sonic Pi and also EDM in DAWs. For instance, I’ve set values for low and high pass filters trying to stop the different frequencies running into each other so the overall sound is theoretically cleaner. I don’t have the ears or equipment to test this so I’m relying on the theory.
Is this good practice? Have I executed this idea reasonably well?
I’ve seen other people’s work and how they have created compositions using nested ‘in_thread’ instructions; however, I wanted to try and make something more compact. I’ve created on/off switches for the play/sample instructions in my live_loop(s) and set the recheck delay to half of the delay in the metronome live_loop. When it plays through each section does come in and out but it does get out of sync. I’m guessing that when I toggle a switch bang on a exact number of beats like 16 or 32 I’m actually already too late and end up waiting one more metronome cycle. If true then I would need to toggle one beat earlier for example but this make the code unintuitive to read and understand. I’m going to play around and work this out but I just wanted to canvass peoples thoughts at the same time.
Am I mining a dead end or do people thing this is a valid strategy for creating compositions?
Also, I had an issue running the YummyFillings code that I have now sorted and intend to explore the functions that might help with composition.
Thanks for any advice!
.