I installed PB4 on my old laptop a couple of weeks ago. I had a bit of a test and really liked it.
While I did go through the factory packs and used the ‘Smart’ tag, I was much much more focussed on the AI+Random combo.
Yesterday I’ve done a fresh install on my new computer and experimented some more.
The epiphany I’ve had, which has been a revelation for me, is that the real power lies in using the AI+Random to feed the ‘Smart’ side of the plugin.
… I went through the factory packs again and was a little more liberal in throwing out Smart tags.
I then used the AI+Random for a good while… And this, I believe, adds strong flavours of your own personal special sauce, via the careful selection of 3 genres in combination with the Density control… You save all the patterns you like and also tag them Smart.
Then you start using the Smart… And you already have a good hit rate of patterns you like.
… But this is then where it gets really powerful… By repeatedly using Smart, saving the patterns you like and then tagging those as Smart too, the AI learns what you like, so each iteration gets better and better. Feeding the algorithm.
Now, practically every time I hit the big red button, it spits out a pattern that I LOVE.
I’m sure I’m saying things which are obvious to most people, but I personally hadn’t initially understood this. I was much more focussed on using the AI aspect in terms of Random choices from my 3 chosen genres… I now see that’s just step 1 and the power is using that to feed the Smart function.
Just wow. I absolutely love this thing.