DD103 via Residue

This is a video of me messing around with some software I created for the monome 256 called 'residue'. It grew out of a drum pattern sequencer I created earlier. Instead of a straight drum sequencer, it provides two independent melody patterns in addition to the drum patterns. Not only can you write patterns while the software is running, you can write and edit a non-playing pattern. While one pattern is playing, I'm writing another, then switching to that pattern when I want. All three voices loop independently so I can alter the phase of the loops on the fly.

The software is triggering individual drum sounds on a soft sampler. Everything else is from the modular. I started the video with a completely blank slate - no pre-composed patterns or tracks. Everything you see is constructed via the monome interface and recorded live.




We live in a world of amazing workstations and soft synths that write songs (really!) at the press of a button. Call up a preset and hold down a key. Sure, it makes you sound great, but there comes a point when you're mostly channeling the talent of the product designer.

Max may be a high level environment, but it is low level enough to offer a blank canvas. Max, the monome and the modular all do zero until you start plugging in patch cords. The monome and modular together may seem anachronistic, but you can understand what they have in common.

If I were a musical genius, I could improvise a four part fugue at the piano in real-time. I'm not. I'd have to sit down with a pencil and paper for a long while, then, when I was finished, I wouldn't be able to play it... at least, not without practicing. So, I'll have to settle for using a software tool of my design to assist in the performance of a real-time composition. This is a very primitive example based on not-a-lot-of-spare-time. I wonder what I'd do if I had more.

The music, video and software is all creative commons, which means you can freely use or modify any of it, provided you give credit to stretta.com.

Download DD103 MP3 file
Download residue max patch for the monome 256

more discussion here