Edit: got it loaded up and it's just very pleasant to work with. The CPU load is not present...excellent externals those are!
I'm afraid that I have not had a chance to work with the Slice/Jockey yet but I am looking forward to it. I would love to see the pattern interface.
I suppose that if beats are generated separately from subdivisions that explains the sense of pulse.
I agree that the "stupid hard work" should be left to the computer while the user can influence the feeling and add the human element to the mix. I am always trying to think of ways to pass along formal structure to the computer and let it decide how to make this or that sound like a phrase or arrival point. Once you have it done, you feel like you are within a dark maze of form - the phrase ends before you're ready because you told the computer it was 32 bars and time is up!
I would like to take the time with your patch to let it record a percussive motive into its separate slices, store the time between each attack, and then use those values in a markov chain to recreate motive-derived variations. Is that relinquishing control or regaining it? I understand an argument for each.
I believe that many traditional performers may find this sort of manipulation more satisfying - a soloist, for example, may play an ostinato that your program repeats for them, but not just as a loop (strict ostinato), an idea. Speed, density, variation, can be altered...though that introduces many more control issues for a performer to worry about.
J.P.
Lucider Improvised Funktronic Interface: Ubuntu Studio AMD64 10.04 -rt 2.6.33-4 // Phenom II 3.2x2, 2GB RAM, Asus mobo w/ hyper transport // Elo 15...