Been having some thoughts about alternate arrangements for how I currently perform my music to allow for more freedom. I've been calling these SLMs (speculative live mechanisms), writing them down and trying to flesh them out.

I am toying with the idea of incorporating a pure data patch on a raspberry pi that will serve to replace the MIDI merge box, as well as provide potential SLMs via the USB MIDI IN port on MCL, and some kind of redirect to the MnM via MCL PORT 2. Control would come into the pi via USB MIDI from a MIDI controller, similar to my current system with the MiniLab.

Here are some random unorganised SLM ideas:

1. Pd song mode for MnM & MCL - PGM IN for both, handled separately so that pattern slots do not need to be aligned beforehand; which means no automatic PGM OUT from MCL to MnM unlike how I currently do things, which is very laborious. Instead, PGM is read from Pd in sequence from a list (txt), with varying control prescribed to the performer of when to stay or move on. Syntax of song mode data may look like:

   a. MCL #1-128 / MnM #1-128 / Length: Steps (1-64) or Duration (00:00:00.000). e.g. 12,15,64 or 73,10,00:03:13.500 - perhaps with tempo markings.

2. Forced interrupts of MCL/MnM/MD can be used by queuing a pattern change via PGM message followed immediately by a Play message (still needs testing on MCL).

3. Parameters could gradually and/or randomly malform. Certain parameters and parameter macros will be relied on for the interest they create, and randomly selected or prescribed in a list.

4. Kaiser inspired generative sequencing of MnM POLY mode, or individual MnM tracks.

5. Pd sampler

Currently these are speculative ideas as stated before. They will probably not see use in the next sets that I do, but I hope to explore their use in the future.