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[ARTICLE · art-40331] src=gist.github.com ↗ pub= topic=machine-learning verified=true sentiment=· neutral

Neural Drum Machine Density Remix

A developer built a neural drum machine using Magenta's MusicRNN and MusicVAE models, combined with Tone.js for audio synthesis. The system generates drum patterns with humanization and reverb effects, mapping MIDI notes to nine drum classes with velocity layers.

read15 min views1 publishedJun 26, 2026

| const DRUM_CLASSES = [ | | 'Kick', | | 'Snare', | | 'Hi-hat closed', | | 'Hi-hat open', | | 'Tom low', | | 'Tom mid', | | 'Tom high', | | 'Clap', | | 'Rim' | | ]; | | const TIME_HUMANIZATION = 0.01; | | | | let sampleBaseUrl = 'https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s.cdpn.io/969699'; | | | | let reverb = new Tone.Convolver( | | ${sampleBaseUrl}/small-drum-room.wav | | ).toMaster(); | | reverb.wet.value = 0.35; | | | | let snarePanner = new Tone.Panner().connect(reverb); | | new Tone.LFO(0.13, -0.25, 0.25).connect(snarePanner.pan).start(); | | | | let drumKit = [ | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-kick-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-kick-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-kick-vl.mp3 | | }).toMaster(), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/flares-snare-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/flares-snare-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/flares-snare-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(snarePanner), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(-0.5).connect(reverb)), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-open-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-open-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/808-hihat-open-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(-0.5).connect(reverb)), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-low-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-low-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-low-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(-0.4).connect(reverb)), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-mid-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-mid-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-mid-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(reverb), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-high-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-high-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/slamdam-tom-high-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(0.4).connect(reverb)), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-clap-vh.mp3, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-clap-vm.mp3, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-clap-vl.mp3 | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(0.5).connect(reverb)), | | new Tone.Players({ | | high: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-rim-vh.wav, | | med: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-rim-vm.wav, | | low: ${sampleBaseUrl}/909-rim-vl.wav | | }).connect(new Tone.Panner(0.5).connect(reverb)) | | ]; | | let midiDrums = [36, 38, 42, 46, 41, 43, 45, 49, 51]; | | let reverseMidiMapping = new Map([ | | [36, 0], | | [35, 0], | | [38, 1], | | [27, 1], | | [28, 1], | | [31, 1], | | [32, 1], | | [33, 1], | | [34, 1], | | [37, 1], | | [39, 1], | | [40, 1], | | [56, 1], | | [65, 1], | | [66, 1], | | [75, 1], | | [85, 1], | | [42, 2], | | [44, 2], | | [54, 2], | | [68, 2], | | [69, 2], | | [70, 2], | | [71, 2], | | [73, 2], | | [78, 2], | | [80, 2], | | [46, 3], | | [67, 3], | | [72, 3], | | [74, 3], | | [79, 3], | | [81, 3], | | [45, 4], | | [29, 4], | | [41, 4], | | [61, 4], | | [64, 4], | | [84, 4], | | [48, 5], | | [47, 5], | | [60, 5], | | [63, 5], | | [77, 5], | | [86, 5], | | [87, 5], | | [50, 6], | | [30, 6], | | [43, 6], | | [62, 6], | | [76, 6], | | [83, 6], | | [49, 7], | | [55, 7], | | [57, 7], | | [58, 7], | | [51, 8], | | [52, 8], | | [53, 8], | | [59, 8], | | [82, 8] | | ]); | | | | let temperature = 1.2; | | | | let outputs = { | | internal: { | | play: (drumIdx, velocity, time) => { | | drumKit[drumIdx].get(velocity).start(time); | | } | | } | | }; | | | | let rnn = new mm.MusicRNN( | | 'https://storage.googleapis.com/download.magenta.tensorflow.org/tfjs_checkpoints/music_rnn/drum_kit_rnn' | | ); | | let vae = new mm.MusicVAE( | | 'https://storage.googleapis.com/download.magenta.tensorflow.org/tfjs_checkpoints/music_vae/drums_2bar_hikl_small' | | ); | | Promise.all([ | | rnn.initialize(), | | vae.initialize(), | | new Promise(res => Tone.Buffer.on('load', res)) | | ]).then(([vars]) => { | | | | | | let state = { | | patternLength: 32, | | seedLength: 4, | | swing: 0.55, | | pattern: [[0], [], [2]].concat(.times(32, i => [])), | | tempo: 120 | | }; | | let stepEls = [], | | hasBeenStarted = false, | | sequence, | | densityRange = null, | | activeOutput = 'internal'; | | | | function generatePattern(seed, length) { | | let seedSeq = toNoteSequence(seed); | | return rnn | | .continueSequence(seedSeq, length, temperature) | | .then(r => seed.concat(fromNoteSequence(r, length))); | | } | | | | function getStepVelocity(step) { | | if (step % 4 === 0) { | | return 'high'; | | } else if (step % 2 === 0) { | | return 'med'; | | } else { | | return 'low'; | | } | | } | | | | function humanizeTime(time) { | | return time - TIME_HUMANIZATION / 2 + Math.random() * TIME_HUMANIZATION; | | } | | | | function playPattern() { | | sequence = new Tone.Sequence( | | (time, { drums, stepIdx }) => { | | let isSwung = stepIdx % 2 !== 0; | | if (isSwung) { | | time += (state.swing - 0.5) * Tone.Time('8n').toSeconds(); | | } | | let velocity = getStepVelocity(stepIdx); | | drums.forEach(d => { | | let humanizedTime = stepIdx === 0 ? time : humanizeTime(time); | | outputs[activeOutput].play(d, velocity, time); | | visualizePlay(humanizedTime, stepIdx, d); | | }); | | }, | | state.pattern.map((drums, stepIdx) => ({ drums, stepIdx })), | | '16n' | | ).start(); | | } | | | | function visualizePlay(time, stepIdx, drumIdx) { | | Tone.Draw.schedule(() => { | | if (!stepEls[stepIdx]) return; | | let animTime = Tone.Time('2n').toMilliseconds(); | | let cellEl = stepEls[stepIdx].cellEls[drumIdx]; | | if (cellEl.classList.contains('on')) { | | let baseColor = stepIdx < state.seedLength ? '#e91e63' : '#64b5f6'; | | cellEl.animate( | | [ | | { | | transform: 'translateZ(-100px)', | | backgroundColor: '#fad1df' | | }, | | { | | transform: 'translateZ(50px)', | | offset: 0.7 | | }, | | { transform: 'translateZ(0)', backgroundColor: baseColor } | | ], | | { duration: animTime, easing: 'cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1)' } | | ); | | } | | }, time); | | } | | | | function renderPattern(regenerating = false) { | | let seqEl = document.querySelector('.sequencer .steps'); | | while (stepEls.length > state.pattern.length) { | | let { stepEl, gutterEl } = stepEls.pop(); | | stepEl.remove(); | | if (gutterEl) gutterEl.remove(); | | } | | for (let stepIdx = 0; stepIdx < state.pattern.length; stepIdx++) { | | let step = state.pattern[stepIdx]; | | let stepEl, gutterEl, cellEls; | | if (stepEls[stepIdx]) { | | stepEl = stepEls[stepIdx].stepEl; | | gutterEl = stepEls[stepIdx].gutterEl; | | cellEls = stepEls[stepIdx].cellEls; | | } else { | | stepEl = document.createElement('div'); | | stepEl.classList.add('step'); | | stepEl.dataset.stepIdx = stepIdx; | | seqEl.appendChild(stepEl); | | cellEls = []; | | } | | | | stepEl.style.flex = stepIdx % 2 === 0 ? state.swing : 1 - state.swing; | | | | if (!gutterEl && stepIdx < state.pattern.length - 1) { | | gutterEl = document.createElement('div'); | | gutterEl.classList.add('gutter'); | | seqEl.insertBefore(gutterEl, stepEl.nextSibling); | | } else if (gutterEl && stepIdx >= state.pattern.length) { | | gutterEl.remove(); | | gutterEl = null; | | } | | | | if (gutterEl && stepIdx === state.seedLength - 1) { | | gutterEl.classList.add('seed-marker'); | | } else if (gutterEl) { | | gutterEl.classList.remove('seed-marker'); | | } | | | | for (let cellIdx = 0; cellIdx < DRUM_CLASSES.length; cellIdx++) { | | let cellEl; | | if (cellEls[cellIdx]) { | | cellEl = cellEls[cellIdx]; | | } else { | | cellEl = document.createElement('div'); | | cellEl.classList.add('cell'); | | cellEl.classList.add(.kebabCase(DRUM_CLASSES[cellIdx])); | | cellEl.dataset.stepIdx = stepIdx; | | cellEl.dataset.cellIdx = cellIdx; | | stepEl.appendChild(cellEl); | | cellEls[cellIdx] = cellEl; | | } | | if (step.indexOf(cellIdx) >= 0) { | | cellEl.classList.add('on'); | | } else { | | cellEl.classList.remove('on'); | | } | | } | | stepEls[stepIdx] = { stepEl, gutterEl, cellEls }; | | | | let stagger = stepIdx * (300 / (state.patternLength - state.seedLength)); | | setTimeout(() => { | | if (stepIdx < state.seedLength) { | | stepEl.classList.add('seed'); | | } else { | | stepEl.classList.remove('seed'); | | if (regenerating) { | | stepEl.classList.add('regenerating'); | | } else { | | stepEl.classList.remove('regenerating'); | | } | | } | | }, stagger); | | } | | | | setTimeout(repositionRegenerateButton, 0); | | } | | | | function repositionRegenerateButton() { | | let regenButton = document.querySelector('.regenerate'); | | let sequencerEl = document.querySelector('.sequencer'); | | let seedMarkerEl = document.querySelector('.gutter.seed-marker'); | | let regenLeft = | | sequencerEl.offsetLeft + | | seedMarkerEl.offsetLeft + | | seedMarkerEl.offsetWidth / 2 - | | regenButton.offsetWidth / 2; | | let regenTop = | | sequencerEl.offsetTop + | | seedMarkerEl.offsetTop + | | seedMarkerEl.offsetHeight / 2 - | | regenButton.offsetHeight / 2; | | regenButton.style.left = ${regenLeft}px; | | regenButton.style.top = ${regenTop}px; | | regenButton.style.visibility = 'visible'; | | } | | | | function regenerate() { | | let seed = _.take(state.pattern, state.seedLength); | | renderPattern(true); | | return generatePattern(seed, state.patternLength - seed.length).then( | | result => { | | state.pattern = result; | | onPatternUpdated(); | | setDensityValue(); | | updateDensityRange(); | | } | | ); | | } | | | | | | function onPatternUpdated() { | | if (sequence) { | | sequence.dispose(); | | sequence = null; | | } | | renderPattern(); | | } | | | | function toggleStep(cellEl) { | | if (state.pattern && cellEl.classList.contains('cell')) { | | let stepIdx = +cellEl.dataset.stepIdx; | | let cellIdx = +cellEl.dataset.cellIdx; | | let isOn = cellEl.classList.contains('on'); | | if (isOn) { | | _.pull(state.pattern[stepIdx], cellIdx); | | cellEl.classList.remove('on'); | | } else { | | state.pattern[stepIdx].push(cellIdx); | | cellEl.classList.add('on'); | | } | | if (sequence) { | | sequence.at(stepIdx, { stepIdx, drums: state.pattern[stepIdx] }); | | } | | setDensityValue(); | | densityRange = null; | | } | | } | | | | function setDensityValue() { | | let totalCellCount = state.pattern.length * 9; | | let activeCellCount = _.sum(state.pattern.map(p => p.length)); | | let density = activeCellCount / totalCellCount; | | let roundedDensity = Math.round(density / 0.05) * 0.05; | | document.querySelector('#density').value = roundedDensity; | | } | | | | function updateDensityRange( | | density = +document.querySelector('#density').value | | ) { | | let stepsDown = density / 0.05; | | let stepsUp = (0.75 - density) / 0.05; | | let stepsBeyond = 0.25 / 0.05; | | | | let emptySeq = toNoteSequence([]); | | let fullSeq = toNoteSequence( | | _.times(state.pattern.length, () => _.range(9)) | | ); | | let currentSeq = toNoteSequence(state.pattern); | | | | densityRange = []; | | let interpsUp = stepsDown > 0 ? vae.interpolate([emptySeq, currentSeq], stepsDown) : Promise.resolve([]); | | let interpsDown = stepsUp > 0 ? vae.interpolate( | | [currentSeq, fullSeq], | | stepsUp + stepsBeyond | | ) : Promise.resolve([]); | | | | interpsDown.then(interps => { | | for (let noteSeq of interps) { | | densityRange.push(fromNoteSequence(noteSeq, state.pattern.length)); | | } | | }).then(() => densityRange.push(state.pattern)) | | .then(() => interpsUp) | | .then(interps => { | | for (let noteSeq of interps) { | | if (stepsUp-- > 0) { | | densityRange.push(fromNoteSequence(noteSeq, state.pattern.length)); | | } | | } | | }); | | } | | | | function toNoteSequence(pattern) { | | return mm.sequences.quantizeNoteSequence( | | { | | ticksPerQuarter: 220, | | totalTime: pattern.length / 2, | | timeSignatures: [ | | { | | time: 0, | | numerator: 4, | | denominator: 4 | | } | | ], | | tempos: [ | | { | | time: 0, | | qpm: 120 | | } | | ], | | notes: _.flatMap(pattern, (step, index) => | | step.map(d => ({ | | pitch: midiDrums[d], | | startTime: index * 0.5, | | endTime: (index + 1) * 0.5 | | })) | | ) | | }, | | 1 | | ); | | } | | | | function fromNoteSequence({ notes }, patternLength) { | | let res = .times(patternLength, () => []); | | for (let { pitch, quantizedStartStep } of notes) { | | res[quantizedStartStep].push(reverseMidiMapping.get(pitch)); | | } | | return res; | | } | | | | function setSwing(newSwing) { | | state.swing = newSwing; | | renderPattern(); | | } | | | | function setPatternLength(newPatternLength) { | | if (newPatternLength < state.patternLength) { | | state.pattern.length = newPatternLength; | | } else { | | for (let i = state.pattern.length; i < newPatternLength; i++) { | | state.pattern.push([]); | | } | | } | | let lengthRatio = newPatternLength / state.patternLength; | | state.seedLength = Math.max( | | 1, | | Math.min(newPatternLength - 1, Math.round(state.seedLength * lengthRatio)) | | ); | | state.patternLength = newPatternLength; | | onPatternUpdated(); | | if (Tone.Transport.state === 'started') { | | playPattern(); | | } | | } | | | | function updatePlayIcons() { | | if (Tone.Transport.state === 'started') { | | document.querySelector('.play .-icon').style.display = null; | | document.querySelector('.play .play-icon').style.display = 'none'; | | } else { | | document.querySelector('.play .play-icon').style.display = null; | | document.querySelector('.play .-icon').style.display = 'none'; | | } | | } | | | | function encodeState() { | | return Object.keys(state) | | .reduce((a, k) => { | | a.push(k + '=' + JSON.stringify(state[k])); | | return a; | | }, []) | | .join('&'); | | } | | | | WebMidi.enable(err => { | | if (err) { | | console.error('WebMidi could not be enabled', err); | | return; | | } | | document.querySelector('.webmidi-enabled').style.display = 'block'; | | let outputSelector = document.querySelector('.midi-output'); | | | | function onOutputsChange() { | | while (outputSelector.firstChild) { | | outputSelector.firstChild.remove(); | | } | | let internalOption = document.createElement('option'); | | internalOption.value = 'internal'; | | internalOption.innerText = 'Internal drumkit'; | | outputSelector.appendChild(internalOption); | | for (let output of WebMidi.outputs) { | | let option = document.createElement('option'); | | option.value = output.id; | | option.innerText = output.name; | | outputSelector.appendChild(option); | | } | | onActiveOutputChange('internal'); | | } | | | | function onActiveOutputChange(id) { | | if (activeOutput !== 'internal') { | | outputs[activeOutput] = null; | | } | | activeOutput = id; | | if (activeOutput !== 'internal') { | | let output = WebMidi.getOutputById(id); | | outputs[id] = { | | play: (drumIdx, velo, time) => { | | let delay = (time - Tone.now()) * 1000; | | let duration = Tone.Time('16n').toMilliseconds(); | | let velocity = { high: 1, med: 0.75, low: 0.5 }; | | output.playNote(midiDrums[drumIdx], 1, { | | time: delay > 0 ? +${delay} : WebMidi.now, | | velocity, | | duration | | }); | | } | | }; | | } | | for (let option of Array.from(outputSelector.children)) { | | option.selected = option.value === id; | | } | | } | | | | onOutputsChange(); | | WebMidi.addListener('connected', onOutputsChange); | | WebMidi.addListener('disconnected', onOutputsChange); | | $(outputSelector) | | .on('change', evt => onActiveOutputChange(evt.target.value)) | | .material_select(); | | }); | | | | document.querySelector('.app').addEventListener('click', event => { | | if (event.target.classList.contains('cell')) { | | toggleStep(event.target); | | } | | }); | | document.querySelector('.regenerate').addEventListener('click', event => { | | event.preventDefault(); | | event.currentTarget.classList.remove('pulse'); | | document.querySelector('.play').classList.remove('pulse'); | | regenerate().then(() => { | | if (!hasBeenStarted) { | | Tone.context.resume(); | | Tone.Transport.start(); | | updatePlayIcons(); | | hasBeenStarted = true; | | } | | if (Tone.Transport.state === 'started') { | | setTimeout(() => playPattern(), 0); | | } | | }); | | }); | | document.querySelector('.play').addEventListener('click', event => { | | event.preventDefault(); | | document.querySelector('.play').classList.remove('pulse'); | | if (Tone.Transport.state !== 'started') { | | Tone.context.resume(); | | Tone.Transport.start(); | | playPattern(); | | updatePlayIcons(); | | hasBeenStarted = true; | | } else { | | if (sequence) { | | sequence.dispose(); | | sequence = null; | | } | | Tone.Transport.(); | | updatePlayIcons(); | | } | | }); | | | | let draggingSeedMarker = false; | | document.querySelector('.app').addEventListener('mousedown', evt => { | | let el = evt.target; | | if ( | | el.classList.contains('gutter') && | | el.classList.contains('seed-marker') | | ) { | | draggingSeedMarker = true; | | evt.preventDefault(); | | } | | }); | | document.querySelector('.app').addEventListener('mouseup', () => { | | draggingSeedMarker = false; | | }); | | document.querySelector('.app').addEventListener('mouseover', evt => { | | if (draggingSeedMarker) { | | let el = evt.target; | | while (el) { | | if (el.classList.contains('step')) { | | let stepIdx = +el.dataset.stepIdx; | | if (stepIdx > 0) { | | state.seedLength = stepIdx; | | renderPattern(); | | } | | break; | | } | | el = el.parentElement; | | } | | } | | }); | | document.querySelector('#density').addEventListener('input', evt => { | | let newDensity = +evt.target.value; | | let patternIndex = Math.round(newDensity / 0.05); | | if (.isNull(densityRange)) { | | updateDensityRange(newDensity); | | } | | if ( | | densityRange && | | patternIndex >= 0 && | | patternIndex < densityRange.length - 1 | | ) { | | state.pattern = densityRange[patternIndex]; | | renderPattern(); | | if (sequence) { | | state.pattern.forEach((drums, stepIdx) => | | sequence.at(stepIdx, { stepIdx, drums }) | | ); | | } | | } | | }); | | document | | .querySelector('#swing') | | .addEventListener('input', evt => setSwing(+evt.target.value)); | | document | | .querySelector('#temperature') | | .addEventListener('input', evt => | | temperature = +evt.target.value | | ); | | document | | .querySelector('#tempo') | | .addEventListener( | | 'input', | | evt => (Tone.Transport.bpm.value = state.tempo = +evt.target.value) | | ); | | | | window.addEventListener('resize', repositionRegenerateButton); | | | | renderPattern(); | | setDensityValue(); | | | | document.querySelector('.progress').remove(); | | document.querySelector('.app').style.display = null; | | }); |

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