Quick Start
1. Load PERF
Insert PERF on a MIDI or instrument track in your DAW. Route its MIDI output to any virtual instrument.
2. Press Play
PERF syncs to your DAW transport automatically. When the transport is running, PERF 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, PERF generates with:
- 8 active layers in Complementary family mode (hocketing)
- Stochastic rhythm at 1–4 attacks per beat
- Euclidean perforation at 30% density
- Serial Exhaustion 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 algorithmic approaches (Euclidean, Polyrhythm, Cloud, 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 compositional character — evenly-distributed rhythms filtered through self-similar Fibonacci gaps, over a Japanese pentatonic.
6. Enable the State Machine
Turn on Auto-Evolve to activate the state sequencer. PERF 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.
7. Export MIDI
When you have a texture you like:
- Use your DAW’s MIDI capture/recording to capture PERF’s output in real-time
- Or use PERF’s Export MIDI button to write the current generation to a MIDI file
The exported MIDI is standard multi-track — one track per layer — ready for editing, orchestration, or further processing in your DAW.
PERF 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 PERF’s algorithmic output.
