Further Automatic Breakbeat Cutting Methods

Following the invention of an automatic breakbeat cutting algorithm in the style of early 90s jungle, further experiments are described. These are namely, the use of more advanced techniques to control choices in the original algorithm, and new algorithms for cutting including methods based on campanology and recursion. Automatic breakbeat cutting can reduce the effort of working by hand in a sequencer with MIDI triggering of a sampler. Furthermore, the parameterisation of the process concedes new techniques that can be awkward to implement with a sequencer, for example, cutting in septuplet demisemiquavers. To improve the original algorithm, states, whether offsets, cut sizes or repetition counts, can be governed by Charles Ames' method of statistical feedback. Weight distributions can be changed during a phrase to give more control of cut sequence structure. These processes are investigated in the light of the output pacing and variation of cut sequences. Campanology, or change ringing, is based on a small subset of a permutation group consisting of permutations that can only swap adjacent elements in distinct pairs. When acting upon offsets into the source a fluid series of undulating cuts can be produced. Recursive cutting is an analytical test of second order cutting. It takes a base sequence of [cut length, offset] pairs and further cuts them up, producing variations on a given cut sequence. The Warp Cutter is inspired by the thought of constant stutters and rolls. Probabilities control the likelihood of simple blocks, even rolls or geometric accelerating rolls, usually at very fast repetition rates. All methods have been implemented as SuperCollider patches and classes, and publicly released to accompany this paper in the BBCut Library.