Finding Inspiration Through Ableton’s Simpler

For this creative practice assignment, I used Ableton’s simpler to process some long samples. My goal is to cut these samples into many short pieces and then use random triggering to discover some new combinations.

First, I loaded a long audio sample into the simpler, then sliced it into many small pieces. After that, I used a sequencer to trigger these slices, creating a looping pattern. I also used an LFO to shift the position of the sample being played, so the result isn’t entirely under my control. Sometimes it triggers a very short click, sometimes a high-pitched sound, and sometimes a rough noise. Many of the results are quite chaotic, but some of the unexpected sounds are interesting and surprising.

This final piece evolved from a short pattern that emerged during the process. Its rhythm is somewhat irregular, and its texture is a bit glitched. I repeated it, changed the pitch a little, and added a simple background drone.

I’ve found that randomness can be useful in creative exercises, although it’s very unpredictable but it can sometimes lead to surprises. The sequencer and LFO gave me unexpected material, but I had to choose what to keep.