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How to make complex non-repeating beats LIVE

Anyone have any tips for creating complex non-repeating beats in a live setting? Creating constantly varying sounds is a lot easier; just throw a bunch of LFOs and parameter automations on your effects and let 'er rip. However programming varying BEATS is much more elusive.

By "live" I mean something that you can accomplish on-the-fly as opposed to something that would require lots of pre-programming. Well... depending on your how fast your fingers are, I guess you can accomplish anything on-the-fly... but I guess I'm after more of a platform than a patch.

In any case, I'd like to spark a discussion on general techniques as well as specific hardware/software solutions. What I've come up with so far:

Polyrhythm: Not sure this is the right terminology, but what I mean by this is patterns of different lengths looping simultaneously over each other. E.g., build up a 4/4 kick rhythm and then introduce a 7/4 snare. Eventually this leads to repetition as the patterns re-sync but it's a step in the right direction.

Random note hits: Instead of note on/note off, set a drum to trigger a certain percentage of the time. I know some VST sequencers that do this (PsychicModulation stuff) and some trackers I think. There are also some Buzz Machines I've worked with that trigger random notes. What else?

Random pattern switching: Ableton Live's "Follow Action" feature accomplishes this. I haven't seen this anywhere else but it's cool.

Buffer shuffling: Popular glitch VSTs such as dblue Glitch do this.

LFO mutes: Set a square wave LFO to oscillate out of phase with the bpm of your track. Let it cut in/out certain drum hits.

Manual drum triggers / mutes: As your pattern is looping throw in an extra hit manually or mute a hit.

Custom Max/MSP, PureData, Buzz, Reaktor patches: If you have the time and the talent, you can make any sort of probability sequencer you want. In my experience they end up being one-off solutions and limited in scope, i.e., one program per song. But I suppose it's possible to create a very open and extensible sequencer type patch as well. Haven't seen any though.

Procedural music generation: I had in the works a python script that used a MIDI library to trigger things in AudioMulch via MidiYoke. This is in essence a programmatic "drummer". The tough part is teaching a computer what dynamic syncopation is.






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Re: How to make complex non-repeating beats LIVE

-sequence the rate of a drum sequencer separate from the drum sequencer itself, and then let your rate sequencer phase with the drum pattern (or better yet, sequence each drum hit individually, so the drum hits are all phasing as the master rate phases with the phasing drum pattern).

-having the ability to change direction for drum hits (forward, backward, pendulum), can create nice variation if you change the direction of the pattern while its in the middle of its sequence.

-sequence a time synced delay's subdivision, its feedback, and its % wet all separately so that these three parameters phase with each other. Then send a drum pattern through this delay (phasing drum pattern?) - the delay, with high feedback, creates rolls within the drum pattern. These rolls shift around in speed, intensity, and placement due to the phasing parameters.