livepilot 1.16.0 → 1.17.0

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/audio_effects/utility.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
+id: utility
+name: Utility
+sonic_description: >
+  The universal gain / pan / width / DC-offset / mid-side / phase-invert /
+  mute-left-right toolbox. Lives everywhere in a serious mix — gain-stage
+  before a compressor, narrow stereo into mono on a sub, flip the phase on
+  a snare bottom mic, extract the sides of a stereo source for parallel
+  processing. Not an "effect" so much as surgical infrastructure.
+effect_type: utility
+character_tags: [transparent, surgical, infrastructure, mix_bus, gain_staging]
+use_cases:
+  - gain_staging_before_compression
+  - stereo_width_control
+  - mono_compatibility_check
+  - phase_inversion_on_drum_bottom_mic
+  - mid_side_separation
+  - dc_offset_removal
+  - silencing_one_channel_of_a_stereo_source
+genre_affinity:
+  primary: [all]
+  secondary: []
+complexity: beginner
+self_contained: true
+introduced_in: "1.0"
+pack: Core Library
+
+key_parameters:
+  - name: "Gain"
+    description: "Precise level adjustment — essential for gain staging"
+    range: [-35.0, 35.0]
+    unit: "dB"
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      trim: -3.0
+      boost: 3.0
+      match_source: 0.0
+
+  - name: "Width"
+    description: "Stereo field width — 0% is mono, 100% original, >100% phase-exaggerated"
+    range: [0.0, 400.0]
+    unit: "%"
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      mono: 0.0
+      narrow_bass: 30.0
+      natural: 100.0
+      wide: 140.0
+
+  - name: "Left/Right Balance"
+    description: "Pan the stereo field"
+    range: [-1.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+
+  - name: "Phase L"
+    description: "Invert left channel phase"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+  - name: "Phase R"
+    description: "Invert right channel phase"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+  - name: "Mute L"
+    description: "Silence left channel only — useful for checking mono"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+  - name: "Mute R"
+    description: "Silence right channel only"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+  - name: "Mid/Side"
+    description: "Enable mid-side mode — Width now controls mid-vs-side balance"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+  - name: "DC"
+    description: "Remove DC offset from the signal"
+    range: [0, 1]
+    type: int
+
+pairs_well_with:
+  - device: "Compressor"
+    reason: "Put a Utility before a compressor to hit the exact level the compressor expects"
+  - device: "EQ Eight"
+    reason: "Utility first for gain staging, EQ Eight for tonal shaping — the order matters"
+  - device: "Saturator"
+    reason: "Utility to trim level before saturation so you can predict the harmonic generation"
+
+starter_recipes:
+  - name: "Mono Sub Bass"
+    description: "Collapse low-end stereo for phase-coherent sub"
+    genre: techno
+    params:
+      "Width": 0.0
+
+  - name: "Phase-Invert Snare Bottom"
+    description: "Flip phase of bottom-mic'd snare against top for fatter snare"
+    genre: all
+    params:
+      "Phase L": 1
+      "Phase R": 1
+
+  - name: "Mid/Side Extract Sides"
+    description: "Get only the stereo difference for parallel processing"
+    genre: all
+    params:
+      "Mid/Side": 1
+      "Width": 100.0
+
+gotchas:
+  - "Width at 0% collapses the signal to mono — the standard move for sub-bass and kick where stereo phase issues matter"
+  - "Mid/Side mode changes what Width controls — read carefully before adjusting"
+  - "Phase invert is per-channel — inverting both L and R re-inverts to original"
+  - "Gain is post-pan — if you're trying to compensate a pan with gain, check the order"
+  - "Utility is ALWAYS at the bottom of the master chain in LivePilot setups — AFTER LivePilot_Analyzer would break analyzer readings"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/audio_effects/vocoder.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+id: vocoder
+name: Vocoder
+sonic_description: >
+  Classic channel-vocoder — carrier signal (synth/noise) modulated by a
+  modulator signal's spectral envelope (voice/drums). Converts your voice
+  into a robot singing the synth's notes. Up to 40 bands, adjustable formant
+  shift, noise/pitch tracking modes. Essentiel for Imogen Heap / Daft Punk
+  vocal, robotic speech, and pitched noise/drum transformations.
+effect_type: vocoder
+character_tags: [vocal, robotic, synthesized, formant, classic]
+use_cases:
+  - robot_voice
+  - synth_speaks_words
+  - pitched_drum_transformation
+  - noise_to_harmonic_texture
+  - talk_box_emulation
+genre_affinity:
+  primary: [electronic, hip_hop, pop, synthwave]
+  secondary: [experimental, ambient, dub]
+complexity: intermediate
+self_contained: false
+introduced_in: "8.0"
+pack: Core Library
+
+key_parameters:
+  - name: "Bands"
+    description: "Number of analysis/synthesis bands — more bands = more speech-intelligible"
+    range: [4, 40]
+    type: int
+    sweet_spots:
+      abstract: 8
+      classic_robot: 16
+      speech_clarity: 32
+
+  - name: "Carrier Source"
+    description: "Where the synthesizing signal comes from"
+    range: ["Noise", "External", "Modulator"]
+    type: enum
+
+  - name: "Formant"
+    description: "Shift the formant frequencies up or down"
+    range: [-24, 24]
+    unit: "st"
+    type: int
+    sweet_spots:
+      deeper: -6
+      original: 0
+      chipmunk: 8
+
+  - name: "Depth"
+    description: "Intensity of the vocoding effect"
+    range: [0.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+
+  - name: "Gate"
+    description: "Silence vocoder output below a threshold — reduces background hiss"
+    range: [-80.0, 0.0]
+    unit: "dB"
+    type: float
+
+pairs_well_with:
+  - device: "Reverb"
+    reason: "Long reverb on vocoded voice creates ethereal robot atmospheres"
+  - device: "Chorus-Ensemble"
+    reason: "Thickens the synthetic voice"
+  - device: "EQ Eight"
+    reason: "Post-vocoder high-pass at 200 Hz cleans up the rumble"
+  - device: "Utility"
+    reason: "Width control for stereo vocoded voices"
+
+starter_recipes:
+  - name: "Classic Robot Voice"
+    description: "Voice modulator, saw-wave carrier"
+    genre: electronic
+    params:
+      "Bands": 16
+      "Carrier Source": "External"
+      "Formant": 0
+      "Depth": 1.0
+
+  - name: "Noise-Carried Drums"
+    description: "Drums as modulator, internal noise carrier — whispering pitched drums"
+    genre: experimental
+    params:
+      "Bands": 12
+      "Carrier Source": "Noise"
+      "Depth": 1.0
+
+gotchas:
+  - "The carrier signal must be harmonically rich (saw, square, noise) — a sine wave carrier produces no vocoded sound"
+  - "External carrier mode requires audio-from routing on the track — most people miss this on first try"
+  - "Very low Bands count (4-8) is abstract, not speech-intelligible — pick Bands based on whether you want words understood"
+  - "Formant shift is in semitones but changes character, not pitch — useful for gender/age effects"
+  - "Gate is essential — without it, even silence outputs noise"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/analog.yaml

@@ -154,6 +154,17 @@ key_parameters:
       moderate: 0.35
       extreme: 0.8
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Reese bass (drum & bass)"
+    description: "Two detuned saws at different octaves, LP24 filter with slight resonance, no LFO — let the beat frequency between the oscillators do the modulation."
+    aesthetic: ['dnb', 'neurofunk', 'jungle']
+  - name: "Hawtin subtractive pad"
+    description: "Single saw, slow filter sweep from dark to bright across 32 bars, filter env amount slight negative so attack is dark — the pad evolves by unfolding, not by adding."
+    aesthetic: ['minimal_techno', 'deep_minimal']
+  - name: "303 acid bass"
+    description: "Osc1 saw, octave down, LP24 with high resonance (0.8+), env amount 0.9, amp decay short. Use Filter1 Freq + Res as performance controls — the acid line IS the filter gesture."
+    aesthetic: ['acid_house', 'acid_techno']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "Auto Filter"
     reason: "Adds rhythmic filter movement and envelope-following beyond the built-in filters"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/bass.yaml

@@ -134,6 +134,17 @@ key_parameters:
       medium: 80.0
       slow_glide: 200.0
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "808 sub replacement"
+    description: "Sine+triangle, fundamental C1, amp envelope long decay, subtle pitch envelope down 1 semitone over 100ms. Cleaner than sampled 808s, and tunable in-key."
+    aesthetic: ['trap', 'hip_hop', 'dubstep']
+  - name: "Reese-style bass"
+    description: "Two detuned oscillators octave apart, LP filter resonant, saturation on output. The sum-of-beats IS the movement — no LFO needed."
+    aesthetic: ['dnb', 'jungle', 'bass_music']
+  - name: "Dub sub-bass"
+    description: "Pure sine at fundamental, very long release, no transient. The bass is felt not heard — pair with a short percussive layer (click at 2-5kHz) for attack."
+    aesthetic: ['dub', 'dub_techno', 'deep_minimal']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "EQ Eight"
     reason: "Surgical low-end shaping — roll off sub-rumble and shape the bass presence"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/bell_tower.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+id: bell_tower
+name: Bell Tower
+sonic_description: >
+  FM bell synthesis M4L example device from the Building Max Devices pack.
+  Designed as a tutorial but produces genuinely usable bell/mallet timbres
+  via simple FM synthesis. Through Convolution Reverb = thin Arpiar bell
+  stab territory.
+synthesis_type: fm_bell
+character_tags: [bell, fm, metallic, percussive]
+use_cases: [bell_stab, pluck, atmospheric_bell]
+genre_affinity:
+  primary: [ambient, deep_minimal, arpiar]
+  secondary: [experimental, cinematic]
+complexity: beginner
+self_contained: true
+introduced_in: "11.0"
+pack: Building Max Devices
+creator: Ableton
+class_name: PluginDevice
+
+key_parameters:
+  - name: "Carrier Freq"
+    description: "Base pitch."
+  - name: "Modulator Ratio"
+    description: "Ratio of modulator to carrier — inharmonic ratios give bells, integer ratios give pluck tones."
+  - name: "Modulator Depth"
+    description: "FM index — brightness/metallic character."
+  - name: "Decay"
+    description: "Bell decay time."
+
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Arpiar bell through Convolution Reverb"
+    description: "Short decay, subtle modulator depth, single hit per bar, through a long cathedral IR → the thin bell stab that recurs in Arpiar tracks."
+    aesthetic: [arpiar, deep_minimal]
+  - name: "Inharmonic bell struck through PitchLoop89"
+    description: "Modulator ratio around 1.41 (irrational), short decay, through dual-detune PitchLoop89 (+5 / -7 cents) → phased bell cluster."
+    aesthetic: [arpiar, ambient]
+
+pairs_well_with:
+  - device: "Convolution Reverb"
+    reason: "Essential — Bell Tower raw is too dry. Long cathedral or hall IR transforms it into the signature bell-stab"
+  - device: "PitchLoop89"
+    reason: "Dual-detune smears the bell transient into a phased cluster — Henke bell territory"
+  - device: "Utility"
+    reason: "Width control essential — Bell Tower is mono, Utility width at 140% gives headphone-scale spatialization"
+  - device: "Auto Filter"
+    reason: "Modulate cutoff slowly for evolving bell texture — 30-second LFO period"
+
+starter_recipes:
+  - name: "Arpiar Bell Stab"
+    description: "Single bell hit per bar, thin, through cathedral reverb"
+    genre: deep_minimal
+    params:
+      "Carrier Freq": 660.0
+      "Modulator Ratio": 1.41
+      "Modulator Depth": 0.35
+      "Decay": 0.3
+
+  - name: "Ambient Bell Cloud"
+    description: "Sustained bells through reverb — pad-adjacent atmosphere"
+    genre: ambient
+    params:
+      "Carrier Freq": 440.0
+      "Modulator Ratio": 3.0
+      "Modulator Depth": 0.2
+      "Decay": 1.0
+
+gotchas:
+  - "Modulator Ratio at integer values (2, 3, 4) gives pluck-like tones; irrational values (1.41, 2.71) give metallic bells. Small distinctions, big character shifts"
+  - "Modulator Depth at max is harsh — the FM index becomes over-rich. Stay under 0.7 unless you want noise-bell"
+  - "Bell Tower is monophonic by default — for chords, use multiple instances or layer with another FM instrument"
+  - "It's an M4L tutorial device — not as CPU-optimized as Operator in FM mode. Consider Operator for production final bounces"
+
+learn_more:
+  pack: "Building Max Devices"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/collision.yaml

@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@ key_parameters:
       fifth: 7.0
       octave: 12.0
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Mallet percussion"
+    description: "Struck resonator, material=wood, partials=5-8, decay short. Marimba/vibraphone without sampling — the physical model responds to velocity like the real instrument."
+    aesthetic: ['ambient', 'cinematic', 'experimental']
+  - name: "Inharmonic bell drone"
+    description: "Struck bar, inharmonicity high, decay long, LFO modulating partial levels. The bell never settles — each strike reveals a different harmonic slice."
+    aesthetic: ['experimental', 'ambient', 'microhouse']
+  - name: "Struck prepared string"
+    description: "Bowed string exciter with mute on, low tension, short decay — prepared-piano territory. Pair with Convolution Reverb for Cage/Feldman atmosphere."
+    aesthetic: ['experimental', 'classical', 'cinematic']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "Reverb"
     reason: "Physical modeling sounds bloom in reverberant spaces — adds room context"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/drift.yaml

@@ -104,6 +104,17 @@ key_parameters:
       natural: 250.0
       ambient: 1500.0
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Neo-soul Rhodes-adjacent keys"
+    description: "Sine+triangle mix, short-attack amp, dark filter, gentle chorus send. Not trying to emulate Rhodes — trying to SIT where Rhodes sits in the mix."
+    aesthetic: ['neo_soul', 'r_and_b', 'lo_fi']
+  - name: "Minimal-techno bass anchor"
+    description: "Sine sub at C1, triangle octave up blended -6 dB, LP filter fixed open, no modulation. The bass doesn't move — the filter on the REVERB send does."
+    aesthetic: ['minimal_techno', 'deep_minimal', 'dub_techno']
+  - name: "Warm synthwave pad"
+    description: "Saw+triangle, detune 0.1, slow filter envelope, long amp release, subtle vibrato at 5 Hz. 80s pad territory without the period-drama cliché."
+    aesthetic: ['synthwave', '80s', 'vaporwave']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "Reverb"
     reason: "The organic drift character blooms beautifully in reverb space"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/drum_rack.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,142 @@
+id: drum_rack
+name: Drum Rack
+sonic_description: >
+  A container instrument that maps up to 128 drum pads — each pad hosts its own
+  Simpler (or Sampler, Operator, or any other instrument plus effect chain) and
+  responds to one MIDI note. Drum Rack is not a synth: its sonic character comes
+  entirely from the samples and devices loaded into its pads. Think of it as
+  infrastructure — the spine that turns a folder of one-shots into a playable
+  kit with per-pad routing, choke groups, and macro control.
+synthesis_type: sample_container
+character_tags: [container, infrastructure, kit_builder, per_pad_chain, macro_addressable]
+use_cases:
+  - build_drum_kit_from_loose_samples
+  - per_pad_effects_processing
+  - choke_groups_for_hat_pairs
+  - macro_controlled_drum_performance
+  - parallel_sample_layering_on_a_single_pad
+  - host_for_sliced_break_recomposition
+genre_affinity:
+  primary: [hip_hop, electronic, techno, house, trap]
+  secondary: [dnb, footwork, ambient, experimental, all]
+complexity: beginner
+self_contained: false
+introduced_in: "6.0"
+pack: Core Library
+is_container: true
+chain_model: per_pad_instrument_and_effects
+
+key_parameters:
+  - name: "Pad Note Assignment"
+    description: >
+      Each pad is assigned a MIDI note (C1=36 by convention for the kick).
+      Programmatic: use `set_drum_chain_note(track, chain_index, note)` rather
+      than GUI drag. The Live 12.4+ drum-map uses note 36 for the bottom-left
+      pad by default.
+    range: [0, 127]
+    type: int
+    sweet_spots:
+      kick: 36
+      snare: 38
+      closed_hat: 42
+      open_hat: 46
+      clap: 39
+      ride: 51
+
+  - name: "Pad Volume (per chain)"
+    description: "Each pad has its own volume fader on the chain"
+    range: [0.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      anchor_kick: 0.85
+      accent_snare: 0.75
+      ghost_hat: 0.35
+
+  - name: "Pad Pan (per chain)"
+    description: "Stereo placement per pad — crucial for width on hats/percs"
+    range: [-1.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      center: 0.0
+      hat_right: 0.25
+      perc_wide: 0.6
+
+  - name: "Choke Group"
+    description: >
+      Pads in the same choke group cut each other off (pair hats so closed
+      cuts open, or group percussion so overlapping hits don't stack).
+    range: [0, 16]
+    type: int
+    sweet_spots:
+      hat_pair: 1
+      percussion_cluster: 2
+
+  - name: "Macro 1-8"
+    description: >
+      Drum Rack macros address any parameter across any pad chain. Use for
+      performance gestures (global dust filter, global saturation, pad volumes
+      collected onto one knob).
+    range: [0.0, 127.0]
+    type: float
+
+pairs_well_with:
+  - device: "Drum Buss"
+    reason: "The native glue — shape/boom/transients for the whole kit post-rack. Often the entire mix tool a drum rack needs"
+  - device: "Compressor"
+    reason: "Glue the kit into one punch — 2-4 dB gain reduction with a medium attack"
+  - device: "EQ Eight"
+    reason: "High-pass below 30 Hz, notch masking from kick/snare"
+  - device: "Saturator"
+    reason: "Add harmonic weight without gain staging pain. Especially on sampled kits that sound sterile"
+  - device: "Reverb"
+    reason: "Per-pad sends (build a reverb return) rather than stacking on the master"
+  - device: "Gate"
+    reason: "Tighten room-mic'd one-shots or trim bleed from multi-sampled kits"
+
+starter_recipes:
+  - name: "Empty Kit for Sample Programming"
+    description: "Build from scratch — use add_drum_rack_pad for each slot"
+    genre: electronic
+    steps:
+      - "Create empty Drum Rack on a MIDI track"
+      - "For each sample: add_drum_rack_pad(track, note=36+i, sample_path=...)"
+      - "Verify each pad landed: get_track_info, check chain count"
+      - "Set pad volumes by role: kick 0.85, snare 0.75, hats 0.4"
+
+  - name: "Sliced-Break Reprogram"
+    description: "Take a break loop, slice it, reroute to a Drum Rack for MIDI programming"
+    genre: dnb
+    steps:
+      - "Load break to Simpler in Slicing mode"
+      - "classify_simpler_slices to identify kick/snare/hat roles"
+      - "Recreate as Drum Rack with each slice as its own pad"
+      - "Program new pattern — you now have MIDI control of the break"
+
+  - name: "Layered Kick (sub + click + body)"
+    description: "Single kick pad with three parallel instruments for fullness"
+    genre: techno
+    steps:
+      - "Drum Rack → pad 36 (kick) → add 3 chains within that pad"
+      - "Chain 1: sub sine (Operator sine wave)"
+      - "Chain 2: transient click (short sample)"
+      - "Chain 3: body (sampled kick tail)"
+      - "Balance chain volumes — sub first, body second, click last"
+
+gotchas:
+  - "A Drum Rack with no pads produces nothing — loading the container alone is not enough. Always verify at least one chain exists via get_track_info before firing notes"
+  - "Pad 36 (C1) is the bottom-left in the default view and the conventional kick slot. Live 12's auto-mapping assumes this"
+  - "add_drum_rack_pad is the ONE reliable tool for adding pads. Using load_browser_item repeatedly to 'add' pads creates nested racks, not siblings"
+  - "Each pad is itself a chain with its own Volume/Pan/Solo/Mute — per-pad mute is different from muting the pad's chain. Use set_chain_volume for the pad-level fader"
+  - "Macros must be explicitly mapped — they don't auto-address pad volumes. Use add_rack_macro + map_plugin_parameter on the underlying instrument"
+  - "Choke groups 0 and 'None' are the same (no choke). Use 1-16 for actual mutual-exclusion grouping"
+  - "A sliced Simpler inside a Drum Rack pad responds to slice-base pitch (36+N), NOT the pad's own MIDI note. Mis-configured slicing→pad routing is a common silence cause"
+  - "Per-pad sends can be shown/hidden by the rack's S (Send) button on the chain list. Hidden sends still work, but you can't see them — makes debugging missing reverb very hard"
+
+learn_more:
+  official: "https://www.ableton.com/en/live-manual/12/drum-racks/"
+  livepilot_related_tools:
+    - add_drum_rack_pad
+    - set_drum_chain_note
+    - get_rack_chains
+    - set_chain_volume
+    - rename_chain

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/electric.yaml

@@ -78,6 +78,17 @@ key_parameters:
       clean: 0.5
       asymmetric_bark: 0.3
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Classic Rhodes"
+    description: "Suitcase preset, tremolo at 5 Hz, chorus modest. The tine-bar mechanism is already in the model — no outboard reverb needed for the classic sound."
+    aesthetic: ['jazz', 'neo_soul', 'r_and_b']
+  - name: "Gritty Wurlitzer"
+    description: "Wurly preset, short attack, amp drive in the 20-30% range, high-pass at 100 Hz. The reed-bar grit IS the character — don't EQ it out."
+    aesthetic: ['soul', 'funk', 'lo_fi']
+  - name: "Tape-warped EP"
+    description: "Rhodes through Grain Delay + Auto Filter LFO, slight pitch detune. Boards of Canada / lo-fi hip-hop territory — the imperfection is the sound."
+    aesthetic: ['lo_fi', 'downtempo', 'hip_hop']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "Chorus-Ensemble"
     reason: "Classic electric piano chorus — essential for the Juno-Rhodes sound"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/emit.yaml

@@ -102,6 +102,17 @@ key_parameters:
       natural: 500.0
       ambient: 3000.0
 
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Grain cloud (Tim Hecker)"
+    description: "Load a sustained pad source, grain density high, pitch randomization slight, reverb send heavy. The grains blur the source into an undifferentiated textural bed."
+    aesthetic: ['ambient', 'drone', 'experimental']
+  - name: "Generative evolving bass"
+    description: "Source = a droning note, grain density medium, randomize position slightly. The bass evolves organically without automation."
+    aesthetic: ['ambient', 'deep_minimal', 'generative']
+  - name: "Fluid texture"
+    description: "Short vocal sample as source, grain density sparse, position LFO slow, pitch spread wide. Not a chord, not a noise — a liminal texture that sits between."
+    aesthetic: ['experimental', 'ambient', 'idm']
+
 pairs_well_with:
   - device: "Reverb"
     reason: "Spectral sounds merge beautifully with long reverb — creates immersive washes"

package/mcp_server/atlas/enrichments/instruments/granulator_iii.yaml

@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+id: granulator_iii
+name: Granulator III
+sonic_description: >
+  Robert Henke's (Monolake) reimagined granular synth. Three playback modes —
+  Classic (2 overlapping grains per stereo channel, the Granulator II engine),
+  Loop (rhythmic crossfaded sample playback), Cloud (up to 20 unsynced
+  overlapping grains). Full MPE for per-note control of grain size, shape,
+  and position. Real-time audio capture samples any source in one click.
+  The single most-used instrument for evolving texture, drone beds, and
+  vocal-chop clouds in deep minimal / microhouse / ambient.
+synthesis_type: granular
+character_tags: [granular, evolving, textural, atmospheric, experimental, organic, cloud]
+use_cases: [texture, drone, vocal_chop, evolving_pad, cloud, re_pitched_loop, atmosphere]
+genre_affinity:
+  primary: [deep_minimal, microhouse, ambient, dub_techno, idm]
+  secondary: [experimental, drone, cinematic, electronica]
+complexity: intermediate
+self_contained: false  # requires a source sample or real-time capture
+introduced_in: "12.0"
+pack: Granulator III
+creator: Robert Henke
+class_name: PluginDevice
+
+key_parameters:
+  - name: "Mode"
+    description: "Playback mode. Classic = 2 overlapping grains per channel (G II engine). Loop = rhythmic crossfaded playback synced to clip tempo. Cloud = up to 20 unsynced overlapping grains for drones/textures."
+    range: ["Classic", "Loop", "Cloud"]
+    type: enum
+    sweet_spots:
+      rhythmic_micro_loop: "Loop"
+      drone_cloud: "Cloud"
+      classic_texture: "Classic"
+
+  - name: "Grain Size"
+    description: "Duration of each grain in ms. Shorter = more tonal; longer = more recognizable as source."
+    range: [1, 1000]
+    unit: "ms"
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      cloud_drone: 200
+      vocal_grain: 500
+      micro_stutter: 20
+
+  - name: "Position"
+    description: "Read-head position in the source sample. Automate this for smooth source traversal."
+    range: [0.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+
+  - name: "Position Random"
+    description: "Randomness added to read-head position per grain. Essential for Cloud-mode non-repeating texture."
+    range: [0.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      locked_loop: 0.0
+      organic_scatter: 0.3
+      full_chaos: 1.0
+
+  - name: "Pitch Random"
+    description: "Per-grain pitch detune in semitones. Low values give vintage tape wobble; high values give chord-cloud effects."
+    range: [0.0, 24.0]
+    unit: "st"
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      tape_wobble: 0.15
+      chord_cloud: 7.0
+      octave_chaos: 12.0
+
+  - name: "Grain Density"
+    description: "How many grains overlap at once. Higher = denser wall of sound."
+    range: [1, 20]
+    type: int
+    sweet_spots:
+      classic: 2
+      cloud_pad: 12
+      wall_of_sound: 20
+
+  - name: "Spray"
+    description: "Time randomization of grain onsets. Prevents periodic artifacts that make granular sound 'machine-like'."
+    range: [0.0, 1.0]
+    type: float
+    sweet_spots:
+      organic: 0.2
+      fully_asynchronous: 0.6
+
+signature_techniques:
+  - name: "Instant deep-minimal texture"
+    description: >
+      Load any vocal snippet or field recording → Cloud mode, Grain Size 200-500ms,
+      Position Random 0.3, Pitch Random 0.1 → immediate organic evolving bed.
+    aesthetic: [microhouse, deep_minimal, ambient]
+  - name: "Rhythmic break re-chop"
+    description: >
+      Load a drum break → Loop mode, sync to clip tempo → automate Position in
+      short jumps → Akufen-style micro-edit patterns without manual slicing.
+    aesthetic: [microhouse, idm]
+  - name: "Vocal-to-chord-cloud"
+    description: >
+      Sustained vowel sample → Cloud mode, Pitch Random 7st, Grain Size 400ms
+      → vocal becomes harmonic cloud without recognizable words.
+    aesthetic: [ambient, deep_minimal]
+  - name: "Real-time capture and grain"
+    description: >
+      Set up Granulator on a return track, route any source to it, hit Capture,
+      then grain the just-captured audio. Zero commitment to the source — if
+      you don't like the grain, record a new slice.
+    aesthetic: [experimental, ambient]
+
+pairings:
+  - device: convolution_reverb
+    rationale: "Henke-canonical combo — grain clouds through a long hall IR = Basic Channel / Monolake spatial signature"
+  - device: pitchloop89
+    rationale: "Pair on output for detuned shimmer on top of the evolving texture"
+  - device: microtuner
+    rationale: "Feed Granulator through Microtuner for microtonal grain-cloud beds"
+
+gotchas:
+  - "Cloud mode with 20 grains + 500ms size is CPU-heavy — freeze the track after print"
+  - "Real-time Capture samples whatever routes to the track — put on a return to grain a single source cleanly"
+  - "Position at 1.0 (end of sample) goes silent — keep Position + Grain Size below 1.0 of the sample duration"
+  - "Grain Size below 20ms starts producing audible tonal artifacts — good for FM-like textures, bad for 'natural' grain"
+
+learn_more:
+  official: "https://www.ableton.com/en/packs/granulator-iii/"
+  creator_site: "https://roberthenke.com/technology/granulator3.html"