🥁 BeatCrafter

Intelligent MIDI Drum Pattern Generator VST3 - Proof of Concept

🎯 Concept Overview

BeatCrafter is a proof of concept for an intelligent MIDI drum pattern generator designed specifically for live performance with foot controller. The plugin generates only MIDI data - no audio - making it perfect for triggering your favorite drum VSTs like MT Power Drum Kit, Superior Drummer, or any General MIDI drum sampler.

The core philosophy: start simple and build complexity musically. Patterns begin with minimal elements (snare only on beat 3) and progressively evolve into full arrangements as intensity increases, respecting the authentic characteristics of each musical style.

✨ Features

• 🎛️ 8 Pattern Slots - Switch patterns live with foot controller during performance
• 🎚️ Dynamic Intensity Control - Morph patterns from simple to complex (0-100%)
• 🎸 8 Music Styles - Rock, Metal, Jazz, Funk, Electronic, HipHop, Latin, Punk
• 🎹 Visual Pattern Editor - 16-step grid with velocity visualization
• 🎯 Style-Aware Generation - Each style follows authentic rhythmic rules
• 🎮 MIDI Learn - Map intensity and slot changes to any MIDI controller
• 🦶 Foot Controller Ready - Designed for hands-free live performance
• 📡 MIDI Output Only - Routes to any drum VST or hardware
• 🎧 MIDI Export - Ctrl+click to drag patterns directly into your DAW

🚧 Development Status

This is a proof of concept with ongoing work on:

• ⚠️ Rhythmic Coherence - Improving musical authenticity of generated patterns
• 🎵 Style Refinement - Better characteristic patterns for each genre
• 🥁 Cymbal Logic - More realistic hi-hat/ride/splash combinations
• 🎛️ Performance Stability - Live performance optimization

🚀 Quick Start

Build from Source

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/innermost47/beatcrafter.git
cd beatcrafter
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build . --config Release

🎮 Workflow Example (Bitwig Studio)

1. Load BeatCrafter as a MIDI effect on a track
2. Add MT Power Drum Kit (or any drum VST) after BeatCrafter in the chain
3. Choose a style from the dropdown (Rock, Metal, Jazz, etc.)
4. Generate patterns or create custom ones
5. Map foot controller to intensity slider and slot buttons via MIDI Learn
6. Perform live - change intensity and switch patterns with your feet!

🎛️ Intensity Progression

Each style follows its own musical evolution:

• 0-30%: Minimal pattern (snare on beat 3 only)
• 30-50%: Classic backbeat (snare on beats 2 & 4)
• 50-70%: Added complexity (ghost notes, double kicks)
• 70-85%: High energy (fills, off-beats, accents)
• 85-100%: Maximum intensity (blast beats for metal, complex jazz comping)

🥁 General MIDI Drum Map

Instrument	MIDI Note	Note Name
Kick	36	C1
Snare	38	D1
Hi-Hat	42	F#1
Open HH	46	A#1
Crash	49	C#2
Ride	51	D#2
Tom Hi	50	D2
Tom Low	45	A1
Ride Bell	53	F2
HH Pedal	44	G#1
Splash	57	A2
China	52	E2

🎹 MIDI Learn

• Click "LEARN" next to intensity slider → move your foot controller
• Click "L" under any slot → press the corresponding foot switch
• All mappings saved with your project

🛠️ Requirements

• CMake 3.22+
• C++17 compiler
• VST3 SDK (downloaded automatically via JUCE)
• A drum VST (MT Power Drum Kit recommended for testing)

🎪 Use Cases

• Live Performance - Hands-free drum track control
• Home Studio - Quick authentic drum parts
• Songwriting - Rapid pattern prototyping
• Practice - Dynamic backing tracks

🤝 Contributing

This is an open proof of concept! Pull requests welcome, especially for:

• Rhythmic pattern improvements
• New style implementations
• Performance optimizations
• UI/UX enhancements

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details

🙏 Credits

Built with JUCE Framework

Note: BeatCrafter generates MIDI only. Pair it with quality drum samples for best results!