Beat Conversation

This is a draft project which looks at cybernetic conversation using basic drum patterns consisting of bass and snare drum sounds. The idea is that a beat will be played to you, which you can play back, perhaps changing it, and then what you play back will be played back to you, with a small change, and the cycle repeats....

To use:

• Press the play button. A basic pre-defined rhythm will be played for two bars
• IN the next two bars, the high hat will continue. You should use the space (bass drum) and enter (snare drum) keys to trigger the drum sounds, playing the same (or similar, or otherwise) rhythm that you have just heard.
• the computer will then play back your rhythm with a single variation.
• The cycle will then repeat up to 32 times.

While you do this, a basic visual will appear representing the patterns played.

You can use the stop and reset buttons to control the sequence. The snare and bass buttons allow you to test the sounds, but the keyboard should be used for actual recording.

Keyboard controls:

• Space - bass drum
• Enter - snare drum
• z - snare drum
• shift - open high hat
• ? / - closed high hat

Is the noise in this process constructive, or just annoying? With the current setup, which is short on accuracy of recording and musical sensitivity in variations, possibly mostly the latter, but perhaps with some refinement it would become fun!