Integer & Fapy
Fapy
Hey, have you ever thought about writing a program that auto‑generates a synth loop based on a set of musical constraints?
Integer
Yeah, I’d map the constraints into a state machine, then generate the loop by exploring the state space with a deterministic algorithm. The key is pruning impossible paths early so the program stays efficient. It’d be like a puzzle solver, but for music.
Fapy
That sounds like the kind of thing that’d make my synth loop obsession go from 2 am to 4 am without me noticing the time. What kind of constraints were you thinking?
Integer
You’d probably limit things to a few parameters so the search space stays small: a key signature, a maximum tempo, a chord progression length, and a rule that each new note must be within a set interval from the previous one. Add a rhythm grid so the loop fits a fixed bar count, and maybe a constraint that each bar uses at most two different notes to keep it simple. Then a depth‑first search can build the loop, backtracking whenever a rule is violated. It’s just a lot of “if” checks until the whole loop satisfies every constraint.
Fapy
Cool, that’s a neat way to keep the loop tight. I’d probably start with a 4‑beat bar and a handful of chords, then let the search decide the exact notes. If it ever feels too mechanical, I’ll just throw in a little random modulation or a glitchy effect to break the pattern. How would you handle the “at most two notes per bar” rule? It feels like a puzzle that can become a loop in a second.