Looking for interesting and unusual melody idea generator

[gkillmaster]

narrowed it down to these:

1) Phrase Key Trigged Sequencer
2) Pattern Mutator
3) Quad Note Generator

Do you have a personal preference for one of these, or have another you'd (heartedly) recommend?

P.S. I have Evolution and love it.

Many thanks,

Greg

[selig]

This will probably be different for everyone since we all look for different melodies.
I don’t know about Phrase Key, but didn’t find either Pattern Mutator or QNG good at finding interesting melodies IMO. I DO like QNG for more random (but still “in key”) generation, fwiw.

But you may find REs like Pearls interesting because they separate the notes from the rhythms, so that if you have a starting point with a simple melodic theme, it can be helpful in generating useful variations. Pattern Mutator is supposed to help create variations on a theme, but for whatever reasons I get along better with Pearls for this task (though I don’t have a ton of experience with either).

Don’t for get you can also invert MIDI clips in Reason which can sometimes help “un-stick” the creative process, and you may also find Scales & Chords useful for modifying existing melodies to hear how it would sound minor vs major. But in all of these cases the more you provide as a starting point the better the results in my experience – if you’re looking for a more direct idea generator for when you have zero inspiration, there may be better solutions.

[gkillmaster]

This will probably be different for everyone since we all look for different melodies.
I don’t know about Phrase Key, but didn’t find either Pattern Mutator or QNG good at finding interesting melodies IMO. I DO like QNG for more random (but still “in key”) generation, fwiw.

But you may find REs like Pearls interesting because they separate the notes from the rhythms, so that if you have a starting point with a simple melodic theme, it can be helpful in generating useful variations. Pattern Mutator is supposed to help create variations on a theme, but for whatever reasons I get along better with Pearls for this task (though I don’t have a ton of experience with either).

Don’t for get you can also invert MIDI clips in Reason which can sometimes help “un-stick” the creative process, and you may also find Scales & Chords useful for modifying existing melodies to hear how it would sound minor vs major. But in all of these cases the more you provide as a starting point the better the results in my experience – if you’re looking for a more direct idea generator for when you have zero inspiration, there may be better solutions.

This is so helpful to have your thoughts about it. Much appreciated!!

[huggermugger]

Phrase is a little more finicky to program than your average Player, but it has tremendous power (and a ton of presets covering areas like arpeggiation, chord progressions, rhythm gtr/piano, melodic patterns, etc). Unlike QNG, PM, or Evolution, Phrase requires realtime note input. It's kind of like an arpeggiator or sequencer on steroids. It does, however, have a built-in phrase generator, if you're feeling uninspired. But it is not a randomizer - what it outputs is entirely predetermined, except for the pitches you provide.

Pattern Mutator is brilliant at producing variations on an existing melodic pattern. The variations never sound totally random, there's some algorithmic magic going on underneath the hood, particularly with the rhythm.

QNG would be the most similar to Evolution, though it lacks Evolution's repeatability. Evolution's seeds make it possible to start with fixed or almost fixed patterns. QNG is, within the limits of the settings, completely random. Generally speaking, you'll never hear the same thing twice.

[Bes]

i recommend Phrase, let us know what you choose g

[gkillmaster]

Phrase is a little more finicky to program than your average Player, but it has tremendous power (and a ton of presets covering areas like arpeggiation, chord progressions, rhythm gtr/piano, melodic patterns, etc). Unlike QNG, PM, or Evolution, Phrase requires realtime note input. It's kind of like an arpeggiator or sequencer on steroids. It does, however, have a built-in phrase generator, if you're feeling uninspired. But it is not a randomizer - what it outputs is entirely predetermined, except for the pitches you provide.

Pattern Mutator is brilliant at producing variations on an existing melodic pattern. The variations never sound totally random, there's some algorithmic magic going on underneath the hood, particularly with the rhythm.

QNG would be the most similar to Evolution, though it lacks Evolution's repeatability. Evolution's seeds make it possible to start with fixed or almost fixed patterns. QNG is, within the limits of the settings, completely random. Generally speaking, you'll never hear the same thing twice.

Great to understand what differentiates them. I was wondering about it and this clarifies a lot of things. Thanks so much!
It does make me wonder how ChordSQ would compare to Phrase Key. They seem similar.

[huggermugger]

Great to understand what differentiates them. I was wondering about it and this clarifies a lot of things. Thanks so much!
It does make me wonder how ChordSQ would compare to Phrase Key. They seem similar.

ChordSQ is sort of a hybrid of Phrase and Reason's ChordSequencer. ChordSQ is mainly purpose is to on playback and modify chord progressions. Since it uses a similar UI to Phrase, owning both doesn't hurt . ChordSQ has a vast set of chord types, with per-step inversions, and the chords can be output on CV separate from the programmable bass note, very convenient.

[huggermugger]

Personally, I would say Phrase is the most powerful, Pattern Mutator is the most useful, and QNG is the most fun.

[guitfnky]

I’m disappointed nobody has suggested what will always be, by far, the best combo tool for this.

use your ears and what’s in between them.

[gkillmaster]

Personally, I would say Phrase is the most powerful, Pattern Mutator is the most useful, and QNG is the most fun.

Ha, that is very useful info!!

[gkillmaster]

I’m disappointed nobody has suggested what will always be, by far, the best combo tool for this.

use your ears and what’s in between them.

But I do that too.

[gkillmaster]

I stumbled on to Aggregate Music System. Do you all use it? Looks very involving and potentially powerful.

[huggermugger]

I dig Players in general, and algorithmic composition Players in particular. But Aggregate is just too dense with controls and fiddly to work with. It's one of the few Players I don't own.

[gkillmaster]

I dig Players in general, and algorithmic composition Players in particular. But Aggregate is just too dense with controls and fiddly to work with. It's one of the few Players I don't own.

Thanks!

[crimsonwarlock]

Not a player, but a relative of Aggregate, is PSQ-1684: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... /psq-1684/

Some other stuff that supports experimentation (check their videos in the shop):

Tonicmint Inrange: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... n/inrange/
Retouch Control Noteset Corrector: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... or-filter/

Both are capable of doing mash-ups of different MIDI-tracks/patterns.

[gkillmaster]

Not a player, but a relative of Aggregate, is PSQ-1684: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... /psq-1684/

Some other stuff that supports experimentation (check their videos in the shop):

Tonicmint Inrange: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... n/inrange/
Retouch Control Noteset Corrector: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... or-filter/

Both are capable of doing mash-ups of different MIDI-tracks/patterns.

Interesting, I'll check them out, thanks.
EDIT: these look super interesting! Great ways of thinking about how to rearrange basic patterns. Wow! A whole universe in there. Kinda overwhealming.

[Bes]

I stumbled on to Aggregate Music System. Do you all use it? Looks very involving and potentially powerful.

Aggregate is 11/10

to get started with it, i suggest working within a defined pattern length 2xbars or whatever you are comfortable with and using the "send to track" feature and moving the L&R locaters to print your song structure

[gkillmaster]

I stumbled on to Aggregate Music System. Do you all use it? Looks very involving and potentially powerful.

Aggregate is 11/10

to get started with it, i suggest working within a defined pattern length 2xbars or whatever you are comfortable with and using the "send to track" feature and moving the L&R locaters to print your song structure

So glad to hear from you about this one! Thanks!

[dvdrtldg]

Don't overlook Inspiral if you haven't tried it. It's not a "melody generator" as such but it pairs well with Evolution and hugely expands its possibilities (as well as other monophonic players like Bassline Generator, even Beatmap)

I generally set the Strum, Repeat, Ratchet and Arp modes to 0, and just work with Single/Dual/Chord. It can turn a monophonic pattern or phrase into something a lot more interesting

[huggermugger]

Another vote for Inspiral. It's like an assortment of toppings to put on a good pizza.

https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... /inspiral/

[DaveyG]

Inspiral is also one that sprang to my mind. the UI can be a bit confusing but the end results can be excellent.

In addition to the REs listed above there are a whole load of VSTs that generate melodies, some more unusual than others. Some are tricky or fiddly to use with Reason due to Reason's lack of support for VST MIDI but many have built-in synths for auditioning and drag and drop to get the end result into Reason.

If you want to get more left-field then you can't beat some of the weirder apps that you can get for iPhone/iPad. If you only try one app then it has to be Fugue Machine. You stick a handful of notes on a piano roll and then you can have up to four play heads running across the notes at different speeds and in different directions. It's surprisingly effective and utterly hypnotic. If any Dev wanted to make an RE similar to it I'm sure it would sell.

https://alexandernaut.com/fuguemachine/

[Mataya]

Randomize a bunch of matrixes, with different sequencer length's, some of them with attenuated cv range's via spider cv splitter, going trough cv player tap, then maybe quantized to a scale.

M

[challism]

I'd recommend you give Evolution another look. It's like a simplified, monophonic version of Aggregate.

Also, don't overlook randomizing Matrix. You should be able to get some ideas from that.
A tip I learned from jazz musicians: It doesn't really matter what notes you play, as long as you finish on the 3rd.

I’m disappointed nobody has suggested what will always be, by far, the best combo tool for this.

use your ears and what’s in between them.

Sure, but is there an RE for that?

Another vote for Inspiral. It's like an assortment of toppings to put on a good pizza.

https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... /inspiral/

Like pineapple!

[electrofux]

The issue i have with most melody generators is that they tend to not take note lengths into account and everything comes out as some noodling type of melody.
Thats why i like Evolution alot.The nicest melody i ever got from a generative player was from Aggregate Music System. After a couple of minutes randomly fiddling around with it i had a melody that turned into a song. Its just not very user friendly.
The Bassdrum Player from Reasonstudios is also quite nice. And Step Note Recorder with some heavy remote codec programming (as it doesnt generate on its own but can be made to by programming some logic into the remote codec).
If you are into Remote Programming and have a Launchpad i highly recommend Step Note Recorder as you can program any generative logic you want - it is one of the few devices of its kind that has a remotable item for every (step) parameter. Even only randomizing the plenty parameters it has inbuilt can give very interesting results. But nothing can stop you programming more non random logic into the codec.

[gkillmaster]

The issue i have with most melody generators is that they tend to not take note lengths into account and everything comes out as some noodling type of melody.
Thats why i like Evolution alot.The nicest melody i ever got from a generative player was from Aggregate Music System. After a couple of minutes randomly fiddling around with it i had a melody that turned into a song. Its just not very user friendly.
The Bassdrum Player from Reasonstudios is also quite nice. And Step Note Recorder with some heavy remote codec programming (as it doesnt generate on its own but can be made to by programming some logic into the remote codec).
If you are into Remote Programming and have a Launchpad i highly recommend Step Note Recorder as you can program any generative logic you want - it is one of the few devices of its kind that has a remotable item for every (step) parameter. Even only randomizing the plenty parameters it has inbuilt can give very interesting results. But nothing can stop you programming more non random logic into the codec.

Thanks for the tips here. Look interesting and I know exactly what about the noodling melody syndrome I can't find "Bassdrum Player". Is it built into Reasonstudios?