Random Note Values / velocities

[Xyvir]

Is it possible to create random or semi-random notes, so that songs can be slightly different each time they are played? Like I can say 50% chance to play a C or A and the tracker will randomly select between the two at playback? IF open MPT doesn't support this, do you know of any tracker that would? I"m not looking for anything completely procedural generated, I would just like to be able to randomize a few parts of a song as like a flourish. Thanks!

-Tyler

[Saga Musix]

Random note velocities are possible through the "random variation" instrument settings. Random notes are not possible in OpenMPT's sampler, and I'm not aware of a tracker that would allow you to do that (I'm not sure how this would be a useful feature). But if you want to use VST instrument plugins, you can use something like Humanize or a similar plugin, and route its output to the instrument plugin that you want to use. Such an instrument plugin could of course also be a simple sampler like OpenMPT's built-in sampler.

[LPChip]

I agree with Saga Musix here.

In addition, I like the idea, but as composer myself, I would not want a note to be a random choice between a C and an A. I can see this gimmicky being fun, the problem is that because the song is less predictable that way, when you hear these notes, it will always sound off somehow.

That said, using the random variation on the note velocities can be used to simulate pressing a wrong key at various places on a very low to medium volume slightly before or at the same time as a correct note. This wrong key would usually be a half or whole note up or down to simulate a piano player accidentally pressing 2 keys at once. If they do, the wrong key is heard very shortly with a softer volume during the correct note. You do not want to overuse this gimmick though. It would make the song sound as if a bad pianist played the whole song, and then the question would rise: why would you on purposely release a tune like that? So consider 4 or 5 events to be heard throughout the entire song as a max.

[Saga Musix]

In addition, I like the idea, but as composer myself, I would not want a note to be a random choice between a C and an A. I can see this gimmicky being fun, the problem is that because the song is less predictable that way, when you hear these notes, it will always sound off somehow.

LPChip, You really cannot argue with artists like that. If someone wants random notes, you cannot simply tell them "your song will be less predcitable that way, don't do that." What if that's exactly they're after? The correct answer is still: There are plugins that can do that, but OpenMPT's internal sampler cannot do it  and will most likely not be able to do it. However, I'm still working on the scripting API, so one day it might be possible to randomize patterns in any way the user wants, including notes. They will sound the same on every play, but most of the time that will be sufficient.

[Exhale]

A basic way to simulate what you are going for...
I have made you some examples:
eg1 is a stock no vst example of what was talked about earlier with velocity cutoff and reso variation applied to a single instrument
eg2 - for this you will need tinygate : https://www.kvraudio.com/product/tiny_gate_by_tiny_god a free and very basic gate vst with a useful 'mutate' slider.  The file has 3 instances of tinygate applied separately to 3 (shift)copies of the same instrument, the same effect could have been achieved by applying the separate instances of tinygate to the separate channels.

[LPChip]

@Saga Musix: Fair enough. Good point. To clarify, I didn't mean it would happen to you, but that would happen to me, and might happen to you too.