Max Cooper Never Repeats Generative
Genre: Techno, Experimental · Tempo: 130 BPM · Time signature: 4/4 · Length: 16 steps · Style: Max Cooper's stated aim that no sound ever plays exactly the same twice - each repeat modulated slightly differently - built from semi-generative layers and fine micro-rhythms, in interviews describing his production as 'complexity presented as simplicity'
Open this pattern in the interactive Patchpad (with playback)
The pattern
| Instrument | Steps (1 = start of the bar) | Velocity | Timing and chance |
|---|
| kick | 1, 9 | 95-100 | step 9: early by about 4% of a step, plays 92% of the time |
| perc3 | 1, 4, 6, 9, 15 | 16-26 | step 1: late by about 4% of a step, plays 40% of the time; step 4: late by about 12% of a step, plays 30% of the time; step 6: late by about 8% of a step, plays 28% of the time; step 9: early by about 8% of a step, plays 38% of the time; step 15: late by about 17% of a step, plays 35% of the time |
| hat-closed | 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 | 40-58 | step 2: late by about 4% of a step, plays 70% of the time; step 4: early by about 4% of a step, plays 75% of the time; step 6: late by about 4% of a step, plays 72% of the time; step 8: late by about 8% of a step, plays 78% of the time; step 10: late by about 4% of a step, plays 70% of the time; step 12: early by about 4% of a step, plays 76% of the time; step 14: late by about 4% of a step, plays 74% of the time |
| perc1 | 3, 7, 11, 13 | 30-44 | step 3: early by about 8% of a step, plays 55% of the time; step 7: early by about 12% of a step, plays 60% of the time; step 11: late by about 4% of a step, plays 40% of the time; step 13: early by about 8% of a step, plays 62% of the time |
| snare | 5, 13 | 84-88 | step 13: late by about 4% of a step, plays 98% of the time |
| perc2 | 5, 11, 15 | 24-32 | step 5: late by about 8% of a step, plays 45% of the time; step 11: late by about 12% of a step, plays 50% of the time; step 15: early by about 8% of a step, plays 36% of the time |
| hat-open | 16 | 56 | step 16: early by about 4% of a step, plays 80% of the time |
Digitakt II
Tracks
- T1: kick
- T2: snare
- T3: hat-closed
- T4: hat-open
- T5: perc1 (generative micro-layer 1)
- T6: perc2 (generative micro-layer 2)
- T7: perc3 (generative micro-layer 3, quietest)
Settings
- Kick (T1, steps 1/9): no two occurrences share the same VEL, micro-timing, or PROB (100/0/100% vs 95/-1/92%) - a direct implementation of the sourced aim that 'no sound ever plays twice' the same way
- Perc1/perc2/perc3 (T5/T6/T7): three independent low-level generative layers, each with its own distinct PROB range (perc1 ~55-62%, perc2 ~45-50%, perc3 ~30-40%) and a different VEL and micro-timing on every single occurrence, so the same track never plays back identically twice across the loop - the pattern's 'hidden' micro-structure sitting under the audible groove
- Hat-closed (T3): VEL climbs and falls unevenly across its six occurrences (40/52/46/58/42/50) rather than following any repeating cycle, per the sourced 'no sound plays exactly the same twice' approach applied to a single sustained element
- Snare (T2, steps 5/13): VEL, micro-timing, and PROB all differ slightly between the two hits (88/0/100% vs 84/+1/98%) rather than repeating identically bar to bar
- This pattern deliberately runs more simultaneous low-level layers (perc1-3) than most patterns in this library, each individually sparse and quiet, so the overall texture reads as 'complexity presented as simplicity' - a wall of small varied detail under an otherwise clear, danceable groove
Digitone II
Tracks
- T1: kick (ALGO 4, low RATIO C)
- T2: snare (moderate-FDBK FM noise)
- T3: hat-closed (high-FDBK FM noise)
- T4: hat-open (high-FDBK FM noise, long ring)
- T5: perc1 (ALGO 5, mid inharmonic layer)
- T6: perc2 (ALGO 8, higher inharmonic layer)
- T7: perc3 (ALGO 8, quietest, highest layer)
Settings
- Kick (T1, steps 1/9): distinct VEL/micro-timing/PROB on each occurrence (100/0/100% vs 95/-1/92%), never an identical repeat
- Perc1/perc2/perc3 (T5/T6/T7): each on a different ALGO/RATIO combination so the three generative micro-layers are texturally distinct, and each occurrence within a track carries its own VEL, micro-timing, and PROB (never repeating a prior value exactly) - the FM-synthesis realisation of the sourced never-repeats-exactly approach
- Hat-closed (T3): AMP page VOL set per-step across all six occurrences with no repeated value (40/52/46/58/42/50)
- Snare (T2, steps 5/13): VEL/micro-timing/PROB differ slightly between the two occurrences rather than matching
- The three perc layers are deliberately kept quiet (low AMP page VOL, roughly 18-44 versus the kit's main hits at 80-100+) so they read as fine background detail rather than competing lead percussion, matching the sourced 'micro-rhythms and micro-structures, hidden stuff throughout' description
Syntakt
Tracks
- T9: kick (BD CLASSIC)
- T10: snare (SD NATURAL)
- T12: hat-closed / hat-open (CH CLASSIC / OH CLASSIC, shared voice)
- T11: perc1 (SY DUAL VCO)
- T1: perc2 (SY CHIP)
- T2: perc3 (SY RAW, filtered quiet layer)
Settings
- Kick (T9, steps 1/9): distinct VEL/micro-timing/PROB on each occurrence, never an identical repeat, per the sourced approach
- Perc1/perc2/perc3 (T11/T1/T2): three separately-tuned generative layers, each with its own PROB range and per-occurrence VEL/micro-timing variation, kept quiet relative to the main kit (VEL roughly 18-44 vs 80-100+ for kick/snare)
- Hat-closed (T12, CH CLASSIC): VOL/NCOL set per-step across all six occurrences with no repeated value
- Snare (T10, SD NATURAL, steps 5/13): VEL/micro-timing/PROB differ slightly between the two occurrences
- Because Syntakt has only one Analog Cymbal voice for both hats, hat-open (step 16) and hat-closed never overlap in this pattern, so the shared-voice constraint doesn't cost anything here
Notes
Three quiet generative percussion layers, each with its own probability range and a different velocity and micro-timing on every single occurrence, sit under a kick, snare and hat pattern where no two repeats of the same instrument are ever quite identical - a direct implementation of Max Cooper's own stated aim, in interviews, that no sound in his music plays exactly the same way twice. An original pattern in the spirit of that documented approach, not a transcription of any specific track.
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