Reaktor 5: Morphing Effects as Sound Generators using Feedback Matrix

Here's something I've been playing around with recently: using effects in feedback matrices and morphing between presets. I got the idea when playing around with frequency shifted feedback in a Serge modular system. So I created a crude macro that let's you morph between the presets, but intend to improve upon it before releasing it (morphing speed modulation, snapshot lists etc). A lot of effects in Reaktor unfortunatly use non-interpolating parameters, like switches (which is good for saving cpu), thus creating clicks when morphing. I will be creating a set of effects intended for morphing like this which are completely designed for morphing (complete with polarizing mod matrices and such). In this particular setup, grainstates fx, a stereo frequency shifter with a wide range and crossfade between up and down-shift, a spacemaster reverb and an analogic filter box are being mixed using a matrix mixer. This allows for any output to be sent to any input. All of the effects are morphing randomly between presets and so is the matrix mixer. Works quite well as a proof of concept if you ask me!

Limit Cycle EP - Out now on Fools Forest!

Limit Cycle EP, containing the tracks Limit Cycle, Ax34 Suimle, Tryastvec Pattern and Mosaic, has just been released by Fools Forest! This EP basically started out with me getting into the Max4Live beta, spawning the track Ax34 Suimle. When Fabian at Fools Forest heard it, he said he wanted to release it and I said go ahead. Limit Cycle followed Ax34 Suimle and then Tryastvec Pattern. At that point there were going to be just those three tracks but before Fabian had the time to finish up the cover artwork I finished Mosaic.

These four tracks are in a sense experiments: They are all made using possibilities open up by Max4Live, the extension to Ableton's Live sequencing software, which allows for easier control over things such as algorithmic composition. And this EP is filled of just that. Variations on the concept spawned by Per Nørgaard's Infinity Series are restrained by mutating scale quantizers while psuedo-random pattern and weighted random generators create constantly moving rythmic material. These numbers comes to life via synthesizers in which all sound parameters are slightly, slowly moving, creating an organic texture of sounds. These tracks could have been created before Max4Live of course, but I can only imagine having to spend at least 6 months on every track, working out these tremendously complex mathematical relations between the notes by hand, in a traditional sequencing enviroment.

With this, I would also like to say that Max4Live is quite possibly, in my opinion, the greatest innovation within music technology in the 00's!

I hope you'll enjoy listening to it as much as I did making it!

Download via Fools Forest 320 kbps mp3

Download via Bandcamp Multiple Formats

Spinal Tap Amps, via XKCD

Parsuitel Orbitelum

New album out now:

Live: Netaudio Megarave@Ginglik, London

See you there hopefully!

DIY Flux Capacitor Expander

This demonstration uses my crude DIY flux capacitor for the Livewire AFG, basically 5 switches and 10 jacks corresponding to the flux cap pins. Two pin pairs are attenuated by two VCA's controlled by the makenoise/wiard wogglebug, crosspatched with the malekko/wiard noisering, which drives the melodic noodling, via a A-189-1 used as a bitcrusher, to perform cheap quantizing.
The sine output is sent to an input of a makenoise QMMG, driven by the A-143-1 envelope. About halfways through, a feedback path from the animated pulses, animated by A-143-1 LFOs, into the A-106-6 xpander filter (wogglebug controlled) goes into one of the pins on the flux cap expander, resulting in strange noises and unpredictable inharmonic distortion.

DIY Flux Capacitor Demonstration - Sine Out by Veqtor

Next up is a quite complex patch, demonstrating some weird possibilities open up by having access to the individual pins of the AFG flux capacitor pins. All the AFG outputs are sent to the A-152 for switching, then into a f(h) plague bearer and after that routed into flux cap expander. At the same time, a pair of flux cap pins are sent into another f(h) plauge bearer. Everything is controlled by a Wogglebug/Noisering crosspatch quantized by a A-189-1 bitcrusher.

You're listening to the currently selected waveform from the A-152. This creates highly unpredictable noises, ringings and well... listen for yourself!

DIY Flux Capacitor Demonstration - Feedback Abuse by Veqtor

Don't try this if you're not certain about what you're doing, you might destroy your AFG!

Exploring M4L & The Finger: Ax34 Suimle

Ax34 Suimle by Veqtor
First audio demo/track using Ableton Live with the Max 4 Live Beta and Tim Exile's The Finger. All control data is generated through different infinity-row generator max devices. One drum track, manipulated by two instances of The Finger. And two instrumental tracks, notes are infinity row again, one instance of The Finger on each. Loads of filtering and dynamics processing, controlled by M4L LFOs. I love this kind of over-the-top complex processing.

This track will be released on Fools Forest.