Hello Forum!
I am uploading third tool of melody making algorithmic note processors. It makes combo kit together with Progressor and Pathfinder, so it is good to download them all and read instructions for them on the forum.
Tool is chart of intervals that may be played within prescribed scale, starting from specified note. If you read info for Pathfinder or my tips for melody makers you know that one of steps in building melody is making set of cadences and this is what Premier is for.
Premier got panel with scale buttons imitating piano keyboard. Mark there what tones are included in your scale. Below there is start tone and start octave controls. Mark there what tone you want to start cadence progression from. Next to it there are ‘scan’ and ‘drop’ buttons. Click on first one if first tone of cadence progression is already in the pattern. It will search up from the cursor in track looking for note and it will put found note into start tone controls. Drop do opposite - if you want to drop start tone in the pattern - click it.
Main controls are below. It is matrix of intervals, sorted with quality of interfering with previous cadence in vertical axis and distance of interval in horizontal axis. Last played interval is marked yellow. Minus symbol means that cadence of this button is not possible within the scale, with current start tone. Number symbolises how many semitones does the interval range.
Workflow is typical for Moore/Mealy automat. You got start tone, then you choose interval from matrix, tone is dropped into pattern and new start tone is set by interval. Then you choose interval again and so on, iteratively. You choose place of note drop in pattern by keyboard arrow keys.
According to centuries long tradition of setting cadences, it is custom that distance between cadences (numbers in matrix) and quality of interval changes monotonically. What means that number values that you choose from matrix should either rise, fall or stay in place along all cadences within section you make. Also at the time you may travel through the matrix only from row to neighbouring row - this is to make that quality changes monotonically too. It mean that you can not skip through two or more rows, just jump to neighbouring one (maybe one jump for two rows is not worst but it is surely not best option either). This strategy will make that all cadences will change smoothly.
Pressing button in matrix cause one note drop into pattern. Set desired place in pattern before, using arrow up and down keys on keyboard while Premier is focused or in pattern directly.
It is good habit that through all sections, you set cadences on selected beats, making longer pause every few cadences. it’s also good when way of travelling through the matrix changes every section, which is pattern or few patterns long. I mean you start from top of matrix going down or from down of matrix going up or from the middle to top or down or other way. Also you start from long intervals like 7 or 10 and finish on short like 1 or 2 or other way. You may also use numbers without extreme positions in matrix, so without 7 or 1 and 2.
Over all if it’s possible from matrix should be chosen numbers as it follows:
-
7 5 4 3 2 1 2 3 4 5 7
-
5 4 3 4 5
-
8 5 4 3 4 5 8
-
5 4 3 2 5 4 3 2
-
3 4 3 4 3 4
-
3 3 3 3
and such - simply, numbers changing value and position in height of the matrix in order.
Script is kit-pack of three tools together with Progressor and Pathfinder, so use them all like it is described in guide for Pathfinder. Over all, set cadences first, using Premier then apply chord progressions to it with Progressor and lastly, find ways of tones between cadences you set in first step using Pathfinder.
How it sounds?
Renoise songs:
http://www.laffik.com/Laffik%20-%20Premier%20Progressor%20Pathfinder.xrns
http://www.laffik.com/Laffik%20-%20Premier%20Progressor%20Pathfinder%20II.xrns
http://www.laffik.com/Laffik%20-%20Premier%20Progressor%20Pathfinder%20III.xrns
I think it sounds right.
Cheers.
PS.
Small update - position of interval of 5 and 4 semitones are in more relevant groups, also interval of tritone added for dissonant endings or dissonant progresions.
Links:
Melody making guide -https://forum.renoise.com/t/hints-for-melodists/46199
Progressor -https://forum.renoise.com/t/new-tool-progressor/29696
Pathfinder -https://forum.renoise.com/t/new-tool-3-1-pathfinder/47695