Probability variations with Bitwig Studio’s The Grid

Bitwig’s flagship modular instrument features a host of chance, random and logic-based tools, which can be combined to generate fresh ideas

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To start we’ve created a super simple synth with Bitwig’s Poly Grid. Its Triangle oscillator is triggered via a sequencer to play a repeated pattern of a single note – F#3. Let’s add a second synth element to our Grid to create randomised variations.

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We duplicate our Triangle oscillator and amp ADSR, and route everything to a mixer before the output. From the Data devices, we add a Probabilities sequencer. We turn off its internal phase, sync it to the Transport LFO, and send its trigger out to the new Triangle oscillator and ADSR.

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We can now use this probability sequencer to add semi-random notes to our sequence. We set it to 16 steps and draw in a few triggers. The height of each determines its probability – at max, steps will trigger 100% of the time, but shorter steps will trigger less frequently.

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We now have randomised triggers, but we want some variation in pitch too. To create this we use a Dice module from Bitwig’s selection of Random devices. We connect its trigger input to our Probabilities sequencer and its output to the oscillator pitch modulation.

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The pitch of our second oscillator is now random but it’s a little too unpredictable to sound musical. We can tame this with a Pitch Quantize module placed between the Dice and the oscillator. We select pitches that suit our root note (F#3) so the variations adhere to a scale.

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The randomised pitches are still a little broad in range. As a final control we add a Pitch Scaler between the Dice and Pitch Quantize. This allows us to constrain the random notes within a certain range (we’ve gone for two octaves above our root note).