Diffy

Jordan Shier; Xiaowan Yi

Diffy
Image credit: Jordan Shier; Xiaowan Yi

Abstract:

Diffy is a duo music project comprising a drummer and a sound designer, connected by a set of machine learning-based sound design agents. In this project, we explore and juxtapose a set of three machine learning-based techniques for manipulating the timbral qualities of percussion instruments in real-time with low-latency. These techniques include a neural audio synthesizer trained on non-percussive material, a timbre remapping 808 drum synthesizer, and a modular synthesizer controlled by a neural network. Each sound design agent operates on different modes of timbral understanding – reacting to the drum performance based on this understanding, and suggesting sonic transformations. Sonic negotiations between the human sound designer and the sound-design agent are relayed back to the drummer, creating a feedback loop that shapes a structured improvisation.