Module Instructions

After the recent data structure overhaul, adding new features to mGen feels like a breeze, which is a nice treat. Today I wrote a basic module instruction mechanism that allows the structure module to work with the generative modules to coordinate the composition at a higher level. This is, of course, essential to the coherence of the composition and is a feature that will require a lot of refining if I hope to get good material out of mGen.

Basically, the structure module can now coordinate, for instance, when the piano should come in, when the drums should make an entrance, when things should get softer, and when things should get heavier. There's now an overlaying set of general module instructions to help the generative modules achieve a greater coherence.

Also, the data structure now allows other modules to effectively "see" each other even before they have generated any output. This was necessary at first because the structure module needed to be able to see the generative modules before it could start giving part instructions...you can't rely on a nonexistent pianist to start a song, nor a nonexistent drummer to get fancy with a solo! As a consequence, modules can also now see each other. Conceivably, this could be used for a dynamic interactivity between them. Although there is no data structure in place yet to allow modules to communicate between each other, that may be a feature in the future. This could allow, for example, the drum and the bass modules to "establish a groove" before they start generative the composition. Communication is essential in a real band, so it should be essential in mGen as well.

Lots of progress is being made these past few days. mGen's compositions are taking less and less of my intervention to sound good. I usually just plop in a synth doing some rhythm work or harmony and then lay down a drum groove. Throw in some nice mixer effects and it all sounds pretty darn impressive, or at least I think. Soon enough mGen will be doing all of that autonomously. It's a scary thought. But it's the future of music.