SynthMaker

Listen how the chaos born

Archive · 2011 4 old posts

From the original SynthMaker forum (2004–2014), with its members’ names and dates.

lesobrod ·

There are many primitive equations that show very complex or even chaotic behaviour. http://www.imho.com/grae/chaos/chaos.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circle_map http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Chaotic_maps http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/Orbit ... andardMap/

Also there are many spectacular visual and audio demonstrations about it - fractals, random music etc. I try to do some simple SM schematic for "listening" such processes.

The main modules are Pitch and Rhythm. They produce both stream and float-discrete output according to choosen process. For the first time, better choose "Ticker" for Rhythm source - simple uniform rhythm with controlled tempo. Than we need to load a scale - set of standard midi notes. Examples of scales are attached; note, that no need to use chromatic sequence 60,61,62,.. It maybe major, minor, hole-tone scale etc. The longer scale - the more interesting sound. Transposition is possible. Pitch module produce float value from 0 to 1 depends on choosen equation. SendNote module convert (lineary) this value to index of scale: [0..1] -> [0..MaxInd] and send note value to MIDI.

Now possible only two chaotic system examples - Logistic and Circle map. (No problem to add more, even famous Lorenz map etc. If someone has interest, I'll do it) To understand what exactly is going on, one should read Wiki, Wolfram or another explanations.

In short, every system have parameters - Logistic map only one and Circle map two. System behaviour is function of parameters; pictures roughly show how. The simplest Logistic map behaviour is cycle "2" - just jumping between two values. So we hear only two notes with uniform rhythm - very good music 😈 Increasing Parameter, we will find a point where cycle "4" born - and 4 different notes start to play cyclically. Than cycle "8" born etc. From some point a kind of chaos begins; but note, that in heart of chaos there are many "order areas"... 😮

Circle map has much more complex behavior. Changing D and K parameters we will have some cycles, strange "arpeggio" or pure chaos.

The same systems can be using for modulate a rhythm, just choose it in Rhythm section. Oscilloscope show current processes time-form.

So.. for at first sight it seems (and sounding) a bit idiotic.. But it really helps me to explore the area between order and chaos, discover how different melodies and rhythms may born from simple "la-la". Maybe for someone too..

P.S. (Request!) For to make standalone exe, I need some simple VSTi (include open .osm!) with sound like xylophone, marimba or piano. Can I find it on forum?

martinvicanek ·

Here is one quick contribution to the subject. It is a logistic map iteration routed directly to audio. Sounds freaky 😈 . Amazing how such a simple iteration (1 line of code!!) can result in such a rich and diverse structure.

lesobrod ·

martinvicanek wrote: Amazing how such a simple iteration (1 line of code!!) can result in such a rich and diverse structure.

Yeah Similar things have been discovered very wide&deep in fractal's theory and visualization. SM offers good possibilites to make it for sound. As the next step take a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_chaotic_maps So many ways to madness.. 😈

attic ·

These examples are fun. Thanks for this. It reminds me of this post that I made when I first started here. Experimenting with Sound Design - Experimental & Generative I think that maybe its time to revisit that idea as the human genome maybe an interesting source for some random music. Structure in natural patterns is an obsession of mine. Now a question. I would like to sync the notes from your example to incoming midi clock what would be the best way to do this. IE lock it to tempo.

Also ... I would be curious to see any other examples in this direction of thought.

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