BeatForge new release - speed multiplier and generators (euclid, random)

[Paul_Pulsonix]

Another small update in:
you can now set different outputs per slice (if your DAW supports multi-out routing), tested in Reaper, Bitwig, Logic
Great for remixing REX files or stuff you've sliced yourself in BeatForge — give kicks and snares their own outputs from a REX file and process them independently downstream. This was already possible for tracks, but now also per individual slice, i suggest grouping them first for the fastest workflow if you want to do this.

[pekbro]

I couldn’t figure out how to set the seq to an individual slice. Though I didn’t look too hard for an explanation.

Prob be cool if you cloud set it to a rnd slice, like with the rnd sample thing.

[Paul_Pulsonix]

good idea, I'll put it in sometime. you can set seq to an individual slice if you drag the left and right markers, but might as set the track to slice mode,click on the seq button next to the steps, controls buttons to set the track to slice mode.
You also need that mode if you want to play rex files with midi dragged into your DAW.

[pekbro]

good idea, I'll put it in sometime. you can set seq to an individual slice if you drag the left and right markers, but might as set the track to slice mode,click on the seq button next to the steps, controls buttons to set the track to slice mode.
You also need that mode if you want to play rex files with midi dragged into your DAW.

Ok thanks

[Paul_Pulsonix]

Forgot it's already there, my memory isn't what it used to be anymore. The random mode in the trackname rightclick menu picks a random slice when a rex file is loaded.

[Paul_Pulsonix]

BeatForge 4.1.3 is out —
Per-track speed multiplier (Time tab): 1/4x to 4x, including the /3 and 3x ratios. Each track runs its own clock against the host, so you can have a half-time kick under a double-time hat line. Fully deterministic — renders and exports match playback exactly.
Pattern generators (new Gen tab, per track):

Euclidean fill — drag the HITS knob and the pattern updates live while playing; release to keep it. Always downbeat-anchored, rotate afterwards with the arrows.
Random fill — DICE rolls a constellation for the bar, then the DENS knob works as a live threshold on that roll: turn it up and steps get added, turn it down and they drop out in reverse order, all while the sequencer runs. Click DICE again for a new roll at the same density. Shift+DICE adds to empty steps only, so your hand-placed hits, locks and flams stay untouched.

Everything the generators write is ordinary step data — so you can edit any hit afterwards, p-lock it, flam it, put chance on it, and it's all one undo step per action.
pekbro — this should cover the random + speed requests. Uncle E — the Euclid ended up simpler than planned in a good way: the separate rotation control turned out unnecessary once the fill previews live, so it's one knob plus rotate arrows that move whatever's in the bar (generated or hand-made).
Grab it at www.beatforge.nl — free update as always.
Next up: accents, Nepheton/Drumazon-style. And the Syncussion is still on the list. I guess I need to buy the Behringer version to study it properly .

[pekbro]

Sweet update! Thanks Paul! Works great!

[Uncle E]

Agreed! Works great!

[Paul_Pulsonix]

Thanks, I'll get started on the accents now, should be a quick one as those is just some datastructure and UI stuff.

[Uncle E]

I'm really hooked on using BeatForge as a slice player. Would it be possible to have it sort of round robin through the slices, meaning that it plays a different slice each time? The best would be if there's also a random button, that way the slices can be played at random or in order.

Also, it would be nice if it could load mp3 and flac files.

[Paul_Pulsonix]

BeatForge 4.1.4 — accents. That was fast, but most of the plumbing was already there.
Per-step accents, 808/909 style: Ctrl+click a step and it comes in accented (bright top bar), or select a bunch of steps and set it from the right-click menu. One global Accent slider (0 to +12 dB) controls how hard accented steps hit — sits under the FX return, MIDI-learnable, so you can ride the whole kit's emphasis from a hardware knob. Accented steps also export as velocity 127 in the MIDI export.
Euclidean accent generator — this is the one I'm happy with. Since the Gen tab already had a Euclid knob for steps, it hit me the same thing should exist for accents: the ACC knob spreads N accents evenly across the bar, live while playing, over whatever pattern is there. Put 16 hats on the floor, drag ACC to 3 or 5, and the emphasis cycles against the meter — instant pulsing groove, seconds instead of clicking accents one by one. And because accents are their own layer, the rotate arrows got two extra modes: shift+arrow moves the steps while the accents stay on the grid (backbeat stays planted while the pattern turns underneath), alt+arrow walks just the accents around a static pattern. That last one during playback is worth trying before anything else.
Accents are a layer on the grid, not a property of hits — so they survive re-dicing, they boost whatever lands on them, and everything is one undo step per action as usual.
Uncle E — random slice mode was already in (right-click the track name), and in-order round robin through the slices is noted, that one's a small add. Flac should always have worked, for MP3 there was setting in projucer I forgot about and switched to enable.

[Uncle E]

Thanks! Unfortunately, that mode is doing weird stuff, sometimes using random samples that aren't part of what I dragged in, and other times just playing a static sample (and again, not a sample that's part of the ones I pulled in).

[Paul_Pulsonix]

i'll check it asap. should be an easy fix