Life Generative Sequencer by Retouch Control

[Biolumin3sc3nt]

I was only able to trial for about 30mins (free time), but I'll probably end up buying it in the next few days. Cool Player indeed!

[gkillmaster]

I do wonder how this compares to Szcz's Cracklefield. Looks mighty similar.

[Faastwalker]

Can the X Y Z knobs be automated? I find I get the most interesting results from turning them.

My thoughts exactly. But no...

Can you automate them if you stick it in a Combinator?

[geronimo]

No _

[challism]

It looks very interesting. I wonder why Retouch decided against making the x y and z automatable and also lack of cv inputs. Surely this was a conscious decision and not an oversight.

[Bes]

each variation can store a new XYZ setting, so in a way it kinda does have automation

[PhillipOrdonez]

each variation can store a new XYZ setting, so in a way it kinda does have automation

True story.


Anyone know why the "evolutions" seem to be very short when set to infinite? It very quickly gets to a point where is just doing the same thing and never changes

[huggermugger]

Anyone know why the "evolutions" seem to be very short when set to infinite? It very quickly gets to a point where is just doing the same thing and never changes

I don't know much about the underlying mechanism of "Life". But I don't think its patterns are meant to live forever; they're 'mortal', just like actual living things. This Player's evolution takes it from high entropy (disorder) to low entropy (order). Gradually, cells either A) die; B) get locked into small structures that stop evolving; or C) get locked into small structures that oscillate in place forever (a row of three cells that spins like a windmill). I've done several tests with random starting cell patterns. Some quickly reach that dead end, others take a while. Here's one that evolves for about 360 steps before it reaches a dead end. (the same dead end every time - this is not a random device).

[madmacman]

If you really want to go down the Rabbit hole:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life

[Faastwalker]

It's fun this. But, I've got no idea what's going on what so ever! It's definitely RTFM time.

[ravasb]

I have VSTs based on this idea, but this player would be much more useful and interesting with better automation and modulation possibilities. I will keep an eye on how this develops.

[Yonatan]

I would need some Life…does it do resurections?

Seriously, what this company puts out, I try.

[Mataya]

I would need dr. Omri Cohen to look at this one. I'm stuck.

M

[wowhow]

Oh my gosh, this is so amazing. Do you ever get the feeling that it's so good that I don't want to make it bad by using it?
I'm getting that feeling with this RE. It's so good that I don't want to ruin it.

[Re8et]

Where have I seen this before... mmhhh....

Life Maker!!! Insta Buy!

[MrFigg]

Right, I’m sure it’s good. Retouch Control are great. I’ve got all but 2 of their devices. I just don’t get what’s so good about this one. To me
It sounds like Evolution or any number of other generative plugins. Can someone please tell me what’s brilliant about this one. I’m sure I’m missing something.

[Eski]

Right, I’m sure it’s good. Retouch Control are great. I’ve got all but 2 of their devices. I just don’t get what’s so good about this one. To me
It sounds like Evolution or any number of other generative plugins. Can someone please tell me what’s brilliant about this one. I’m sure I’m missing something.

For me it's not been a quick 'bish bash bosh' straight off the mark it sounding great! I've had to spend time tweaking stuff, including the sound until something good started to happen. I think it's quite easy to over clutter things with this device, so tonight I tried 'Life' at lower tempo (86 bpm), moved all the TProb knobs to a low setting and varied the velocity to create some space between the notes. I've also found it useful to place a scales and chords device underneath to see what notes are being thrown out.
Quite pleased with tonights results. It sounds generative but very organic too, so I'll probably make a track out of this session as this is the sort of thing I like

[dvdrtldg]

To me this is another variation on the classic player theme of "making pleasant evolving patterns that you can set to a key or mode and put in the background of a piece of music for rhythmic decorative purposes". The "game of life" thing is a nice bit of geek cool but essentially the musical results are very familiar

It does a good job, and the X/Y/Z functions are a handy shortcut to introducing the kind of variety you'd usually have to get with CV or automation. But increasingly I'm finding it hard to get too excited about this kind of player

On the upside, the price is right and if you don't already have a bunch of other similar devices, it's probably a useful addition to the rack

[jam-s]

32x32 is a rather small area for game of life. Does it have closed loop boundaries (so that if one cell on the edge would influence the cell on the other side of the screen)?

[huggermugger]

32x32 is a rather small area for game of life. Does it have closed loop boundaries (so that if one cell on the edge would influence the cell on the other side of the screen)?

No, cell generation and influence doesn't wrap around. The four sides of the grid are hard limits to evolution.

[ravasb]

each variation can store a new XYZ setting, so in a way it kinda does have automation

The variations cannot be automated, which seems like a lost opportunity.

[jonnyretina]

Right, I’m sure it’s good. Retouch Control are great. I’ve got all but 2 of their devices. I just don’t get what’s so good about this one. To me
It sounds like Evolution or any number of other generative plugins. Can someone please tell me what’s brilliant about this one. I’m sure I’m missing something.

I had a demo of it and whilst it's conceptually interesting, I think between the Lectric Panda and Robotic Bean generative Players, and even Reason Studios' own Quad Note Generator, you can already be about as a covered as anyone needs to be on the novelty of letting an algorithm write music for you

[MrFigg]

Right, I’m sure it’s good. Retouch Control are great. I’ve got all but 2 of their devices. I just don’t get what’s so good about this one. To me
It sounds like Evolution or any number of other generative plugins. Can someone please tell me what’s brilliant about this one. I’m sure I’m missing something.

I had a demo of it and whilst it's conceptually interesting, I think between the Lectric Panda and Robotic Bean generative Players, and even Reason Studios' own Quad Note Generator, you can already be about as a covered as anyone needs to be on the novelty of letting an algorithm write music for you

Yeah. S’what I thought.

[Yonatan]

It is in the zone of ”no idea what I am doing”. And while not knowing, combining with other players one does not master, it can feel like being in a lab. It is not always useful, but now and then you stumble into interesting patterns that could set you in a certain mood. I am sometimes in that uninspired lab-mood, and it serves a purpose. Also if one wants to make up moods that may be more like soudscaping. But for songwriting, I am not finding the generative road as lucrative, although it could be used for that too.

[huggermugger]

The variations cannot be automated, which seems like a lost opportunity.

The variations can be automated. And also controlled in a Combinator.