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RESERVOIR: Echo State Composer

RESERVOIR is a real-time polyphonic MIDI composition engine that generates, perforates, and shapes musical texture through a pipeline of generative algorithms — and feeds its own output back through a recurrent network that holds decaying memories of what’s already played. Where most generative tools produce monophonic sequences or rely on randomness alone, RESERVOIR operates as a 12-layer polyphonic orchestrator with per-layer MIDI channel routing. Each layer generates independent rhythm and pitch material while sharing the global compositional state.

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The Compositional Pipeline

Every note RESERVOIR produces passes through five stages:
  1. Rhythm Engine — Determines when notes occur, with 17 rhythm techniques ranging from stochastic clouds to grid-based pattern morphing.
  2. Perforation Engine — Determines which notes are removed, creating gaps and texture through 7 different filtering approaches.
  3. Pitch Logic — Determines what notes play, selecting from 150+ scales using 11 pitch selection algorithms including a polyphonic arpeggiator.
  4. Expression Control — Determines how notes are articulated: velocity curve shaping, articulation styles, continuous CC controllers, and four micro-timing styles including 30 genre-derived grooves.
  5. Echo State Network — A recurrent layer that listens to RESERVOIR’s own output and feeds back time-decaying influence over density, pitch drift, and timbral shift, visualized in real time.

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Why RESERVOIR Exists

Algorithmic composition has a long lineage — but those ideas have largely stayed confined to academic software and offline rendering. RESERVOIR brings them into a real-time DAW-integrated plugin. Every algorithm runs in streaming mode with sub-10ms latency, synchronized to DAW transport via PPQ-based timing. The output is standard MIDI on user-assignable channels — route it to any instrument.

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Key Capabilities

  • 12 independent layers with per-layer MIDI channel routing and 4 layer-interaction modes
  • 17 rhythm techniques, 7 perforation methods, 11 pitch patterns
  • 150+ scales spanning Western, Japanese, Indian, microtonal, and synthetic systems
  • Echo State Network for self-listening evolution
  • State sequencer for macro-level compositional arc with crossfading sections
  • Style Grid — a 4-axis pad navigating thousands of percussion pattern clusters
  • Genre Groove micro-timing with 30 distinct feels
  • Topographic mesh visualization with isometric pillar UI
  • Preset morphing with automatable crossfade between any two presets
  • MPE mode for per-note pitch bend
  • Standalone GM synth with 128 instruments (no DAW required)
  • VST3, Audio Unit, and Standalone formats