#1

Less Concepts 3.0

less concepts is rooted in the idea that complexity is just a shit-ton of simplicity, chained together. at its core, less concepts holds 65,536 possible combinations of notes which can be gated, offset, and manipulated to create minimal sequences for improvisation. small changes to a single parameter can bring sweeping or subtle changes.

seek. think. discover. - dan derks

Requirements

norns 2.4.8 210114
Passersby engine installed (restart/reset after initial installation to activate engine)
grid (128), optional
crow, optional
just friends, optional
mannequins w/2 synth, optional

Documentation

1

at first you are met by a constructive concept built from the seed 36 and rule 30. root note is C and the scale is major. the sequence is fed through the built in sound engine ā€œpassersbyā€ and midi device 1 / channel 1.

  • the combination of seeds and rules feed the sequencer with 8-bit numbers. this number is visualized by the eight squares top left on the screen / grid (in the screenshot above 11001111 = 207), a new number is seeded with every beat of the selected time signature. the two voices are individually triggered when they cross paths with the true value 1. the current 8-bit number (11001111 = 207) translates into a note by passing it through the limits for high / low and then transposed within the selected scale.

  • navigate the main performance screen by scrolling with E1, changing values with E2 and E3. adding snapshots with K2 and randomizing selected values with K3.

  • K3 takes on a different role when snapshots are selected (bottom left) or cycling sequencer direction / duration (bottom right). while snapshots are selected K3 will randomize all values (except time and duration). while direction / duration is selected K3 activates a Ā“destructiveĀ“mode, indicated by ā€˜*ā€™. all changes to snapshots will be saved while in destructive mode. if you wish to delete a snapshot hold K2 and press K3, this results in the snapshot still playing but no snapshot is selected. you scroll through and select the snapshots with E2.

NEWS

  • time: change time signature for the sequencer. 1/8 - 1/32 (more options available in params).
  • a cycling sequencer that steps through saved snapshots and move when the indicated duration has passed. the cycling sequencer can move up ā€˜>ā€™, down ā€˜<ā€™ or random ā€˜~ā€™.
  • midi notes can trigger snapshots. select ā€œmidi ā†’ snapshot rootā€ and play away!

/ / / / / / / /

~ r e f r a i n

2

hold K1 to find the built in pitch, delay, micro looper.

NEWS

  • buffers are now visible (top right)
  • input mix (engine and adc) is editable on screen (prev. in params / adc is new)
  • K2 toggles state for both buffers ā€˜rec | playā€™

/ / / / / / / /

params ā†’ edit

3

ā€˜load & saveā€™

  • all values including params are now saved with a set.
  • saves from pre 3.0 works, you need to move them from dust\data\less_concepts to dust\data\less_concepts_3. also saves with 0 presets/snapshots will not work (I think maybe they never did?)

ā€˜time, midi & outputsā€™

  • select time range(ā€˜legacy 1/8 - 1/32ā€™, ā€˜slow 1/1 - 1/16ā€™ and ā€˜full 2/1 - 1/32ā€™ (locked with snapshots)
  • default length (cycle) 1x - 32x (cycle duration for new snapshots)
  • midi (choose midi device and channels) turn midi/link transport on / off
  • midi ā†’ snapshots root (play your snapshots with a midi keyboard)
  • outputs, choose outputs for voice 1 & 2.

ā€˜scaling & randomizationā€™

  • choose scale and global transpose
  • set transpose randomization
  • clamp the values for randomization with ā€˜randomization limitsā€™

+ params for ~refrain, passersby and w/syn

Grid operation

less_concepts_grid
less_concepts_grid2692Ɨ1296 502 KB

Download

Available in Maiden

PS. I want to add a side note at the end hereā€¦ It might seem strange seeing an update for Less Concepts by someone other than @dan_derks . I would probably think the same. So how come?

I reached out to Dan early fall 2020 with a couple of questions, I think the first one was if it would be possible to lower the tempo of the iterations in the script. He was (as we all know) extremely kind, helpful and giving with his knowledge pointing me in the right directions to make my additions to the script. After succeeding with my first steps I came up with more ideas, reached out again and more and more ideas sparked. We had a couple of meetings, I sent Dan continous updates on my progress and he continued to motivate me on going further by complementing me and re-assuring me I was on a good path with the script (his script). Itā€™s a wierd thing, taking on another artists work and adding stuff on top. I have made sure that every addition and the minor changes Iā€™ve made were in line with his vision and I sincerely hope you all feel that I did not break any ā€˜magicā€™ here. Dan asked me to re-direct the installation source and do this forum post. I am of course very humbled by this but here it goes.

Development and testing of the script has been ongoing for a couple of months now. There might be minor bugs though. Please report here and Iā€™ll make sure to fix as quickly as I can.

Now seek!

Bug report

  • Short press on K1 (in ~refrain makes the screen flicker) / Use long press til fixed.
  • After load file - reference to nil position
59 Likes
Less concepts
#2

So happy to see this in the wild!!! doing a fresh download now. Congrats on an amazing release!!! Much love

2 Likes
#3

Thank you @MatthewAshmore and super thanks for helping out with feature requests, bug hunting and in general chatting with me about this.

2 Likes
#4

Oh this is amazing - My favorite script grows! Iā€™ve got a DIY Grid 128 coming soon, and I think between this and Cheat Codes Iā€™m going to be living in a dreamscape. Thank you so much for all your work!

2 Likes
#5

I just dug out the M4L plug-in today and was loving it. Canā€™t wait to try the Norns update too. Thanks

2 Likes
#6

this is what makes true open source dev (and dan, and norns as a platform) so great

i really love hearing the background on thisā€¦to your question, no itā€™s not strange to see how openly your additions have been welcomed

super cool that they get to live as LC3 instead of some new renamed app tho

5 Likes
#7

UPDATE

Some minor changes (saving/loading and bug fixes) where made and the script is now available through Maiden. This will (for the time being) live side by side with the old Less concepts but follows suit and is 100% compatible with old saves (actually 99% because zero preset count saves wonā€™t load), behaviour etc.
You can load old saves by moving them according to the instructions in the top post.
Please note, if you had a version (of LC3) installed pre-Maiden the saves might not work and they will probably be in the wrong data-directory on Norns. If you need help with a situation because of this Iā€™ll gladly help out and hopefully be able to recover your work.

#8

yeah! love all the additional features youā€™ve added, and nice to hear the backstory of your collab. such a powerful and playable script. especially the meta sequencer and midi-playable snapshots is brilliant.

1 Like
#9

I totally forgot about these :joy: Iā€™ll update the docs soon. Thanks for the reminder. (Edit to be clear, they are in the script, only missed them in docs)

Edit:

Just uploaded a hotfix for save/load that couldnā€™t be helped from adding a line that wrecks save files from earlier today. sorry 'bout that. :frowning:

2 Likes
#10

this is absolutely remarkable work, @vicimity. just, totally beyond!

the depth of care you exhibited for this weird lilā€™ tool, this platform, and the people who have engaged with it is bursting with warmth. thank you for reaching out, for letting me join in on the fun, and for bringing such depths to the original. iā€™m so grateful to celebrate your work as someone new to this old friend again :hugs:

13 Likes