Genre Energy Guidance

1. Look up the current genre in references/genres.md
2. Find your role (drums, bass, melody, or chords)
3. Read the bullet for your current energy band
4. Use the description to shape your pattern's density, complexity, and character
5. Stay within the energy band boundaries — don't play HIGH behavior at MID energy

Fallback rules

• Unknown or unsupported genre: Use the Generic section. It provides role-appropriate energy guidance without genre-specific flavor.
• Ambiguous energy: If the energy level is unclear, hold your current energy level rather than guessing.
• Missing role: If your role isn't listed for a genre (shouldn't happen), fall back to Generic for your role.

Anti-patterns

• Literal pattern recipes: The guidance says "walking quarter-note bass" — this describes a feel, not a Strudel pattern to copy verbatim. Translate intent into your sound.
• Ignoring energy bands: Playing full-density fills at energy 2 violates the guidance even if the genre matches.
• Overriding genre character: At the same energy level, Jazz drums and Punk drums should sound very different. Don't flatten genre distinctions.
• Treating guidance as mandatory: If the musical moment calls for a brief departure (a fill, a break, a surprise), that's musicianship. The guidance sets the baseline, not a cage.

Reference data

Full per-genre, per-role energy tables are in references/genres.md.

Supported genres: Dark Ambient, Pop, Jazz, Blues, Funk, Waltz, Afrobeat, Lo-fi Hip Hop, Drum & Bass, Reggae, Prog Rock, Latin, Mixolydian Rock, Cinematic, Bossa Nova, Punk, Generic.