Generator System — manual

Algorithmic Random / Algo / Helical / Euclidean generators for Note, Curve & Indexed sequences, with a deterministic A/B preview workflow to audition before committing.

The Generator system provides algorithmic tools for creating and modifying Note, Curve, and Indexed sequence data. Accessed via long-press on the GEN button in a sequence edit page, generators produce deterministic output and support an A/B preview workflow to audition changes before committing. The available generator types depend on the track: Note and Curve tracks offer the Algo generator, while Indexed tracks offer Helical in its place.

1. Accessing Generators

From a Note or Curve sequence edit page:

• Long-press GEN to open the generator select page
• Choose a generator type from the list
• The generator opens in ORIGINAL state — no data is modified yet

Available generator types depend on the track:

Generator	Note Track	Curve Track	Indexed Track	Description
Init Layer	✅	✅	✅	Reset current layer to default values
Init Steps	✅	✅	✅	Clear all step data
Euclidean	✅	✅	✅	Distribute N gates evenly across M steps
Random	✅	✅	✅	Randomize step values per layer
Algo	✅	❌	❌	Tuesday algorithm engines on Note sequences
Helical	❌	❌	✅	Autoregressive fold-feedback map on Indexed sequences

Indexed tracks offer Helical in the slot where Note/Curve tracks offer Algo.

2. Generator Types

Init Layer

Resets the current edit layer to its default value across all steps (or selected steps). No A/B workflow — applies immediately.

Init Steps

Clears all step data (gate, note, slide, etc.) across all steps (or selected steps). No A/B workflow — applies immediately.

Euclidean

Generates a Euclidean rhythm pattern: distributes N gates as evenly as possible across M steps with an offset. Supports A/B preview.

Parameters:

Param	Function	Description
Steps	F2+encoder	Total number of steps in the pattern
Beats	F3+encoder	Number of gates to distribute
Offset	F1+encoder	Rotate the pattern

Random

Generates random values for the current edit layer. Seed-driven and deterministic — same seed always produces the same output. Supports A/B preview.

Parameters:

Param	Function	Description
Seed	F0 (A/B toggle)	32-bit seed value. Displayed in footer
VAR	F1+encoder	Variation 0-100%. 100% = fully random, 0% = unchanged
RANGE	F2+encoder	Scale range for generated values
BIAS	F3+encoder	Bias offset from center

Visualization: Draws a profile graph showing the generated values for the current layer. The graph updates per layer type (gate blocks, note contour, length bars, slide markers, etc.).

Algo

Note track only. Runs one of 15 Tuesday algorithmic composition engines against the sequence, producing gate, note, slide, gate offset, gate length, retrigger, and gate probability values in a single pass. Each algorithm is a self-contained compositional state machine. Supports A/B preview.

Parameters:

Param	Function	Description
Seed	F0 (A/B toggle)	32-bit seed mixed into algorithm RNG
ALGO	F1+encoder	Algorithm selection 0-14
FLOW	F2+encoder	Flow parameter 0-16 (seeds main RNG, drives gesture/mode decisions)
ORNMT	F3+encoder	Ornament parameter 0-16 (seeds aux RNG, drives subdivisions)
POWER	F4+encoder	Gate density 0-16 (higher = more gates)

Algorithms:

#	Name	Character
0	TEST	Simple test patterns: octave sweeps or scale walk
1	TRITRANCE	3-phase polyrhythm with swing and drag
2	STOMPER	7-mode gestural state machine with slide transitions
3	MARKOV	Order-2 Markov chain, 8×8×2 probability matrix
4	CHIP1	Chord-arpeggio pattern with chord stabs
5	CHIP2	Variable-length ascending/descending arpeggio
6	WOBBLE	Dual-phasor oscillator with phase-selected notes
7	SCALEWLK	Scale direction walker with polyrhythm subdivisions
8	WINDOW	Dual-phase Markov-arpeggio engine, 4 voices
9	MINIMAL	Burst/silence state machine with density control
10	GANZ	Triple-phasor engine with 5-tuplet grid and phrase skipping
11	BLAKE	Breath-phrase engine with 4-note stable motif
12	APHEX	3-track polyrhythmic engine (4/4, warped, 5/4)
13	AUTECHRE	8-step pattern with rule-based transformation
14	STEPWAVE	Scale-degree stepping engine with micro-sequencing

Mapped layers (applied per-step, all at once):

• Gate: velocity > 0 && gateRatio > 0, modulated by POWER cooldown
• Note: Scale degree from algorithm output
• Slide: Algorithm-specific slide probability (modulated by VAR)
• GateOffset: Timing offset from algorithm
• Length: Gate length ratio from algorithm
• Retrigger: Trill count or polyrhythm subdivision count
• GateProbability: Velocity-based probability; accents set to 100%

Variation blend: Each layer independently rolls against the VAR parameter — at 100% all generated values are used, at 0% all original values are kept.

Helical

Indexed track only. Runs a deterministic coupled autoregressive (AR) fold-feedback map, ported from Nebulae 2's helical generator. Fills each step's note index, duration, and gate length from the feedback (duration dominates the feedback, ~35:1), reading the resolved scale/root off the Indexed sequence. Indexed tracks offer Helical in place of Algo. Supports A/B preview.

Parameters:

Param	Function	Description
Seed	F0 (A/B toggle)	Re-roll for new initial conditions (deterministic per seed)
Octave Range	F1+encoder	Octave span, 1–4 (default 2)
Base	F2+encoder	Feedback base, 24–768 (default 192)
Law Dir	F3+encoder	Law/fold direction, ±1
Helicity	F4+encoder	Law depth ×10, 1–20 (default 8 → 0.8)

3. A/B Preview Workflow

Generators with A/B support (Random, Euclidean, Algo) follow a two-state workflow:

              ┌─────────────────┐
              │    ORIGINAL     │  ← generator opens here
              │ (sequence data) │
              └────────┬────────┘
                       │
            Turn encoder OR
           Press Shift+Step
                       │
                       ▼
              ┌─────────────────┐
              │    PREVIEW      │
              │  (generated)    │
              └────────┬────────┘
                       │
            ┌──────────┴──────────┐
            │                     │
         Press F0            Context menu
            │                     │
            ▼                     ├── REGEN → restart with fresh params
    ┌───────────────┐             ├── CANCEL → discard, return to original
    │   Toggle:     │             └── COMMIT → accept preview
    │ ORIGINAL ◄──► │
    │   PREVIEW     │
    └───────────────┘

Workflow steps:

1. Enter: Generator opens in ORIGINAL state. No data is modified. Footer shows "ORIGINAL" under the A/B label.
2. Generate preview: Turn the encoder (with no function key held), or press Shift+Step. The generator creates a preview and switches to PREVIEW state. Footer shows the seed value or "CURRENT."
3. Toggle A/B: Press F0 to switch between ORIGINAL and PREVIEW. The footer label updates to show which state is active.
4. Adjust parameters: Hold F1-F4 and turn the encoder to adjust generator parameters in real time. The preview updates automatically.
5. Commit or Cancel:
   • Context menu → COMMIT: Accept the preview. The generated data replaces the original sequence. The generator closes.
   • Context menu → CANCEL: Discard the preview. The original sequence is restored.
   • Close without action (e.g., press Back): Automatically discards the preview and restores the original.
6. Re-entering: After committing, reopening the generator shows the committed data as the new ORIGINAL. After canceling, the original data remains unchanged.

4. Common Controls

Footer Functions (F0-F4)

F-key	Random	Euclidean	Algo
F0	A/B toggle	A/B toggle	A/B toggle
F1	VAR	OFFSET	ALGO
F2	RANGE	STEPS	FLOW
F3	BIAS	BEATS	ORNMT
F4	(context menu)	(context menu)	POWER

• A/B toggle (F0): Switch between original and preview state. Blocked until first preview is generated.
• Param edit (F1-F4): Hold function key and turn encoder to adjust the parameter.

Encoder

• Bare encoder turn (no function key): Triggers a new preview (Random = reseed, Euclidean = new pattern, Algo = reseed).
• F1-F4 + encoder: Adjust the corresponding parameter.

Step Buttons

• Shift+Step: Generates a new preview (re-rolls the seed for Random and Algo, re-randomizes for Euclidean).
• Step selection: Works as in the sequence edit page — select steps to constrain generation scope.

Section Navigation (64-step sequences)

• Left/Right buttons: Cycle through sections (banks) of 16 steps.
• Bank separators: Vertical lines at 16-step boundaries. Current bank is highlighted.
• Bank frame: Horizontal lines framing the active section.
• Non-active banks: Dimmed in the visualization.
• Playhead: Current playback position cursor.

Common Context Menu Items

Generator	Item 0	Item 1	Item 2	Item 3	Item 4
Random	(empty)	SMOOTH N	REGEN	CANCEL	COMMIT
Algo	(empty)	VAR N	REGEN	CANCEL	COMMIT
Euclidean	NEW RAND	RESEED	REVERT	COMMIT	(empty)

Access: Press Page, short-press GEN, or double-tap Page on the Generator page.

Item descriptions:

• SMOOTH N / VAR N: Opens a quick-edit dialog for the Smooth/Variation parameter
• REGEN: Resets to default parameters and returns to ORIGINAL state
• CANCEL / REVERT: Discard preview, restore original sequence, close
• COMMIT: Accept preview, write to sequence, close
• NEW RAND: Re-randomize all parameters and generate a new preview
• RESEED: Re-roll the seed only, keep current parameters, generate new preview

5. Random Generator

The Random generator operates on a single layer at a time (the currently selected layer). It generates values within the layer's valid range.

Variation blend

The VAR parameter controls how much of the generated data is kept vs. how much original data survives. At 100%, all generated values are used. At 0%, all original values are kept. The blend is applied per-step — some steps may keep original values while others use generated ones.

The algorithm is seed-driven: the same seed with the same VAR/RANGE/BIAS always produces the same output.

6. Algo Generator

The Algo generator runs one of 15 Tuesday algorithms against the full NoteSequence (all active steps) in a single pass. Unlike the Random generator which operates layer-by-layer, Algo generates gate, note, slide, offset, length, retrigger, and probability in one pass.

Gate density control (POWER)

The POWER parameter simulates a cooldown-based density gate. Higher values produce more gates per sequence; lower values create sparser patterns. POWER=16 passes all gates, POWER=0 passes none.

Variation blend

Like the Random generator, each layer independently rolls against the VAR parameter. A step may get the generated note but keep the original gate, or get the generated gate but keep the original note. This is set in the context menu (shortcut: F4 opens context menu, then item 1 for VAR quick edit).

Algorithm state

Each algorithm is deterministic: the same ALGO/FLOW/ORNMT/SEED combination always produces the same sequence. The seed is mixed into the RNG seed derivation rather than modifying the FLOW or ORNMT parameters directly.

7. Helical Generator

Indexed track only. A deterministic coupled autoregressive (AR) fold-feedback map, ported from Nebulae 2's helical generator. It fills each step's note index, duration, and gate length from the feedback — duration dominates the feedback (~35:1) — reading the resolved scale and root off the Indexed sequence. On Indexed tracks it occupies the generator slot that Note/Curve tracks give to Algo.

Parameters:

Param	Range	Default	Effect
Seed	32-bit	—	Re-roll for new initial conditions; same seed + params is repeatable
Octave Range	1–4	2	Octave span of the generated note indices
Base	24–768	192	Feedback base scaling the map output
Law Dir	±1	+1	Law/fold direction
Helicity	1–20	8	Law depth ×10 (8 → 0.8): higher = deeper fold

Re-rolling the seed produces new initial conditions; the same seed with the same parameters always reproduces the same sequence.

8. Euclidean Generator

Generates a Euclidean rhythm: distributes Beats gates evenly across Steps positions with an Offset rotation.

• STEPS: Total positions (max 16 for Euclidean)
• BEATS: Number of gates to distribute
• OFFSET: Rotation offset for the pattern

The visualization shows filled/empty step cells: filled = gate, empty = rest.

9. Init Layer / Init Steps

• Init Layer: Resets the current edit layer to its default value. The default depends on the layer type (e.g., Gate = off, Note = C, etc.). If steps are selected, only those steps are affected.
• Init Steps: Clears all step data (gate, note, slide, layer values). If steps are selected, only those steps are affected. If no steps are selected, the entire active range is cleared.

10. Layer-Specific Visualization

The Random and Algo generators display a profile graph using the current sequence edit layer. The visualization adapts to the layer type:

Layer	Visualization	Description
Gate	Gate blocks	Filled/empty rectangles per step
Note	Note contour	Stair-step pitch graph (2 rows: value + vertical connector)
Slide	Slide markers	Filled rectangles at bottom of each gated step
Length	Length bars	Variable-height bars proportional to length value
Retrigger / Pulse Count	Repeat stripes	Vertical stripes proportional to repeat count
GateOffset	Centered profile	Value centered on baseline (positive = above, negative = below)
Probability, Range, Variation, etc.	Offset profile	0-255 value from top of plot area
Accumulator Trigger	Boolean markers	Small dots for enabled steps
Gate Mode / Harmony / Inversion / Voicing	Offset profile	Same offset profile (values may clamp to layer range)

All visualizations include:

• Bank separators: Vertical lines at 16-step boundaries
• Bank frame: Horizontal lines framing the active section
• Playhead: Current playback position cursor
• Active bank highlight: Current bank is bright; others are dimmed

11. Context Menu

The context menu provides additional actions beyond the footer buttons.

Opening: Page button, short-press GEN, or double-tap Page on the Generator page.

Random & Algo menus:

┌─────────────────┐
│                 │  ← empty slot (padding)
│ SMOOTH / VAR N  │  ← opens quick-edit for smooth/variation
│ REGEN           │  ← reset to defaults, return to ORIGINAL
│ CANCEL          │  ← discard preview, restore original
│ COMMIT          │  ← accept preview
└─────────────────┘

Euclidean menu:

┌─────────────────┐
│ NEW RAND        │  ← re-randomize all params, generate preview
│ RESEED          │  ← re-roll seed only, generate preview
│ REVERT          │  ← discard preview, restore original
│ COMMIT          │  ← accept preview
└─────────────────┘

Technical Notes

• RAM: Generators are heap-allocated when opened and freed on exit. The A/B preview buffer (~9.5 KB for NoteSequence) is also heap-allocated on first preview generation.
• Determinism: Random and Algo generators are fully deterministic. Same seed + same parameters = same output, across reboots.
• Focus: Track selection is locked while a generator is open. Changing tracks cancels the generator automatically.