Quick Start
1. Load RESERVOIR
Insert RESERVOIR on a MIDI or instrument track in your DAW. Route its MIDI output to any virtual instrument.
Or open it in Standalone mode — there’s a built-in General MIDI synth, so you don’t need a DAW or external instrument to hear something immediately.
2. Press Play
RESERVOIR syncs to your DAW transport automatically. When the transport is running, RESERVOIR generates MIDI in real-time across its active layers.
In Standalone mode, toggle Generation On to start the internal clock.
3. Explore the Defaults
Out of the box, RESERVOIR generates with:
- 8 active layers
- Random rhythm at roughly 2–8 attacks per beat
- Euclidean perforation at 30%
- Sequential pitch pattern over the C Major scale across 4 octaves
- Infinite duration mode — keeps generating until you stop
You should hear a continuously evolving polyphonic texture.
4. Shape the Texture
Try these adjustments to hear immediate changes:
| Parameter | Effect |
|---|
| Density Min/Max | More or fewer notes per beat |
| Perforation | Higher = more gaps in the texture |
| Rhythm Pattern | Switch between approaches (Euclidean, Polyrhythm, Cloud, Style Grid, etc.) |
| Scale | Change the harmonic palette — try Iwato, Yaman, or Whole Tone |
| Active Layers | More layers = denser polyphony |
5. Try a Different Algorithm Combination
Switch the Rhythm Pattern to Euclidean and the Perforation Method to Fibonacci. Change the scale to Kumoi. You’ll hear a completely different character — evenly-distributed rhythms filtered through self-similar gaps over a Japanese pentatonic.
6. Open the Style Grid
Set Rhythm Pattern to Style Grid and start moving the X/Y/Z/W sliders. You’re navigating a multi-dimensional surface of percussion patterns — small movements stay in one zone, larger movements jump between feels. Increase Style Wander to let the pattern drift on its own.
7. Try the Arpeggiator
Switch Pitch Selection to Arpeggiator for a polyphonic arpeggiator across all active layers, locked to the current scale and root. Combine with low Density Min and Staccato articulation for crisp arp lines.
8. Enable Auto-Evolve
Turn on Auto-Evolve to activate the state sequencer. RESERVOIR will automatically progress through sections, smoothly crossfading parameters to create a macro-level compositional arc. Adjust Sections (2–8) and Section Length to control the form.
9. Watch the Echo State Network
The ESN visualization shows a 16-bar deviation chart of the network’s internal state. As RESERVOIR plays, you’ll see the curves wander — those are the network’s outputs feeding back into density, pitch drift, and timbral shift. Set Evolution Rate higher to make the network respond faster.
10. Capture the Output
When you have a texture you like:
- Use your DAW’s MIDI capture/recording to grab RESERVOIR’s output in real-time
- Or use the Export MIDI button to write the current generation to a MIDI file (one track per layer)
RESERVOIR produces raw compositional material. The real creative work begins when you route different layers to different instruments, edit the exported MIDI, and build arrangements around it.
