Many of you know that the advanced pattern editor has a “Humanize” feature.
“Hum: Randomize the existing values by adding or subtracting a number within the specified value range.”
I propose a feature to choose between normal and uniform distributions. Uniform distributions generate random variations with equal probability for all possible values, while normal distributions have a higher probability of generating values close to the mean of the possible range.
I suggest separating “Humanize” from the “Modify” category. Set/Add/Multiply/Subtract/Divide are all simple operations, while Humanize is probabilistic in nature. By allowing a choice between normal and uniform distribution, the user has greater control over the random/probabilistic outcome, and its effect on the music.
Example A: I’m emulating live drums and want a straight hi-hat pattern to sound more “human” with fluctuating volume. I manually set my hi-hat volumes to 70 then select “Normal” as my distribution. I choose the range “10” and apply. The volumes will be affected with a range of -10 to 10, the smaller deviations will occur with greater frequency, and a shift of -10 or +10 is probabilistically low.
A graphical representation of Humanize value 5 using standard normal distribution
Example B: Uniform distributions are used to adjust a parameter with more of a “random feel”. Great for experimental intentions.
A graphical representation of Humanize value 5 using uniform distribution
