Sails (Rhythm Variations)

Sails is a Max4Live midi generator that creates pattern variations. These can be used to drive drum racks, synths or samplers.

What is a pattern variation?

Sails lets you draw a pattern, and then creates variations (deviations) from that pattern. This is the core concept of Sails -- it creates variations that are each different from each other but all resemble your original pattern. This lets you create a beat with variety while keeping a central shared feeling.

This is similar to what you can create in Ableton using chance, groupings, follow actions, etc, but is simply a different and contained approach to that idea.

Steps to use Sails:

1) Set the midi notes in sails to the midi notes of the drum or synth you would like to trigger.

2) Draw a pattern onto the pattern matrix, or press the "random pattern" button to create a random pattern. If creating a random pattern, you can adjust the density of the random pattern using a slider.

On the righthand side of the device, you will now see the current "variation" for your pattern. Starting the Ableton transport, you will now hear your variation being played.

3) Update the parameters for your variation to change it. The parameters are

• Deviate -- how much the notes will stray from their original location in your pattern. Notes will stray by being bumped right or left, and by being cloned to a similar beat later or earler in the pattern.
• Erase -- how often instances of notes will be randomly removed from your original pattern
• Stutter -- how often notes will be rapidly repeated in a 'beat repeat' style

4) Create new variations by pressing "> generate variation" or by toggling the button that says "gen every loop", which causes a new variation to be generated every time the end of a variation is reached.

5) If desired, loop part of the rhythm using the the loop bar above the variation graph.

6) If you especially like a variation, I recommend recording it to a MIDI clip for safe keeping. Sails does not remember past variations or control states, so once you have generated a new variation, the last variation is gone for good.

**Note:** Sails is based off of a 16 subbeat grid, implying a base-2 signature (4/4. 2/4, etc). It does not reconfigure for other time signatures, however you can loop the Sails variation to suit your time signature.