Creative MIDI Generator Plugins

Despite technological advances, making music can be daunting. From music theory to sound design to mixing, mastering, arranging, songwriting and composition - the skills required to make professional music seem endless. Luckily, the music software industry is always looking to develop new products to make our lives easier. We can see this most recently with the rise of MIDI generators; a new type of Software Plugin.

These new tools utilize a combination of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and music theory rules, to create new musical parts and rhythms to fit within our own compositions. They are extremely powerful and the music they generate is at worst, interesting and at best, relevant and inspiring.

There are a few 'headline acts' in this space, so let's get started.

'InstaComposer' by WA Production

'InstaComposer' is a new VST/AAX/AU Plugin from WA Production which uses A.I. to create melody, rhythm, bass, pads and chords at the click of a button - all using artificial intelligence to create genuinely useful and musical riffs.

Sometimes inspiration comes at you thick and fast... but sometimes not. The backbone of InstaComposer is a behind-the-scenes decision-making matrix which creates notes based on both mathematics and musical theory. This included artificial intelligence factors in a whole host of parameters that you can set in the bottom panel; from repetition probability to the complexity of chord shapes. Harmonic variations, strumming techniques and note density are just some of the myriad of options which can be adjusted, feeding the algorithm with your own personal set of preferences. 

InstaComposer Features

• Intelligent MIDI Generation plugin 
• Create Melodies, Phrases, Riffs, Chords & more
• Infinite ideas at the click of a button
• Generate 5 tracks simultaneously
• Multi-track and Multi-channel routing
• Automatic harmonies and chord progression generation
• Comprehensive MIDI editing
• MIDI drag and drop
• Multiple time signatures
• Many controls for Probability, Complexity & Variation
• Factory Presets
• Full PDF Manual & Tutorial video

ChordJam by Audiomodern

'Chordjam' is the ultimate chord generator plugin and it was created by Audiomodern. It builds chords and patterns using its intuitive user-guided randomizations. You can create unique and complex chord structures and infinitely evolving progressions using Chordjam. 

Choose from a variety of scale types, Chord types, voicing parameters, rhythms and progressions or have Chordjam's powerful sequencer generate unlimited progression patterns, based on your own personal requirements. Sound intriguing? Available in VST/VST3/AU/AAX and Standalone formats.

Features:

• Arp Mode
• Drag MIDI Chord
• Drag MIDI Pattern
• Generate Random Chords
• Intelligent Sequencer
• Trigger New Chords With Every Note Played
• Chord Progression & Pattern Presets
• Generate Infinite Chord Patterns & Progressions
• Everything Is Synced To Your Host Tempo
• Assign Pads For Musical Performance
• Quick-Load Preset Section
• Choose Quantization Settings
• Shuffle & Shift Modes
• Advanced Infinity Mode
• Set Sequence Range & Motion Settings
• Set Range For Transposition, Time-Delay And Velocity
• Save & Load Your Own Patterns
• Send MIDI To Any Device, Software & Hardware
• Advanced MIDI CC/Mapping Editor
• No Two Chords Will Ever Sound The Same
• Limitless Inspiration and Variety
• Available as VST/VST3/AU/AAX/Standalone

Summary

In this introduction to MIDI generators, we have touched on three of the most comprehensive and advanced Plugins in the exciting fields of MIDI and generative music. Each of them tackle the task of generating MIDI parts in a very particular and unique way, each providing different workflows and results while complementing each other with their own strengths to offer a powerful set of tools for advanced computer based music.