Correction before continuing: use clean active run directory text2fx_gemini/ui_runs/20260511_170540_goal_first5. Baseline-only artifacts already exist there from midi_locked_patch.py run --steps 0, so do not use the contaminated 20260511_170249_goal_first5 run. Read text2fx_gemini/ui_runs/20260511_170540_goal_first5/goal_prompt.md and song_research

I’ll pick up from the run artifacts rather than guessing from prior state. First I’m reading the goal prompt, research guide, and current run outputs so the next step is grounded in the actual harness state.

The active run directory currently only has the prompt and guide, so this is still at the setup/baseline stage. I’m reading the repository harness docs and scripts now, then I’ll run the fresh MIDI-locked first-five baseline into that directory.

I’ve read the required setup docs. Next I’m running the fresh first-five-second MIDI-locked baseline with the project’s secret-loading convention; I’ll inspect the generated bundle immediately after it completes.

Correction before continuing: use clean active run directory text2fx_gemini/ui_runs/20260511_170540_goal_first5. Baseline-only artifacts already exist there from midi_locked_patch.py run --steps 0, so do not use the contaminated 20260511_170249_goal_first5 run. Read text2fx_gemini/ui_runs/20260511_170540_goal_first5/goal_prompt.md and song_research_guide.md. Continue the outer Goal run directly from those artifacts. Do not run the legacy Critic/Producer loop; do not run midi_locked_patch.py run with --steps greater than 0. Iterate by directly editing/scoring patch_session_current.json candidates, logging to goal_run_log.md, inspecting scripts/inspect_run.py 20260511_170540_goal_first5 after each iteration, and continue until reconstruction_report.json best_scores.final >= 0.8.

Understood. I’ll switch to 20260511_170540_goal_first5 and treat the earlier directory as off-limits. I’m also checking whether the interrupted baseline command is still running so it does not keep writing to the contaminated run.

There is still a midi_locked_patch.py run process writing to the old 20260511_170249_goal_first5 directory, plus an old legacy Codex critic process. Since the correction explicitly says not to use that run or legacy loop, I’m stopping those stale processes before touching the clean run.

The clean run has the expected baseline-only artifacts. I’m inspecting the full bundle and the current scoring/session JSON now, then I’ll make the first direct candidate edit rather than invoking the old iteration loop.

Baseline score is extremely low (final about 0.00184) with the loudness floor and global mix acting as hard bottlenecks: the candidate is much quieter, too bright in mids/presence, missing bass energy, and under-dense in onsets. The first focused candidate will be a gain/tone correction only: raise level and shift energy toward the filtered low/bass body while avoiding MIDI or source-audio changes.

I’m creating candidate 01 as a structured JSON derivative, not editing MIDI or arrangement fields. The change is deliberately narrow: filtered saw/pulse Vital tone, more bass/body, less high-mid brightness, and higher output level to address the loudness floor gate.

Candidate 01 has rendered and scored. Per the run rules, I’m inspecting the full bundle again before deciding whether to accept it and what bottleneck to attack next.

Candidate 01 improves timbre/stereo/modulation proxies but fails the hard loudness gate worse than baseline, so I’m rejecting it. The next candidate will isolate level only from the baseline session: no tonal rewrite, just enough layer/master gain to test whether the score primarily wants energy before any synth-color changes.

Candidate 02 is scored. I’m doing the required full harness inspection again, then I’ll accept it only if the actual report shows the bottleneck moved in the right direction without breaking the other gates.

Candidate 02 is a clear accept: final rose to 0.3087, loudness floor is now fully open, arrangement preservation stayed intact, but spectral timbre got worse because the render is still too bright and bass-light. I’m promoting candidate 02 to current/best, then testing a single tonal-balance move from that accepted state.

Candidate 03 is scored. I’m inspecting the bundle again and comparing it against the accepted candidate 02, with special attention to spectral timbre versus loudness/groove regressions.

Candidate 03 proves the dark/bass tonal direction is useful, but it is rejected because the filter/EQ move dropped RMS and closed the loudness gate again. I’m keeping candidate 02 as current best and testing candidate 04 as the same tonal balance with corrected gain staging.

Candidate 04 is scored; I’m inspecting the harness again before accepting or rejecting. If it clears the loudness gate and keeps candidate 03’s spectral gains, it becomes the new current session.

Candidate 04 is also rejected: master gain did not materially increase rendered RMS, which means that path is either being limited or not effective for the filtered patch. I’m checking the renderer’s gain/effect handling before the next edit so the next candidate changes the parameter the scorer actually hears.

Renderer check shows a peak normalizer after master gain, so pushing master harder will not fix low RMS when the patch has sharp peaks. The next candidate returns to accepted candidate 02 and makes a less destructive EQ-only tonal shift, avoiding the low cutoff that caused the RMS collapse.

Candidate 05 is scored. I’m inspecting the run bundle and comparing it to the accepted best; if this improves final without closing the loudness gate, I’ll promote it.

Candidate 05 is rejected; even EQ-only cuts reduced RMS enough to fail the loudness gate. The current best remains candidate 02. I’m moving to the next guide-supported primitive that should improve rhythmic texture/modulation without changing the harmonic source: tempo-synced filtered delay.

Candidate 06 is scored. I’m inspecting the bundle and comparing the delay primitive against the current best, especially the hard groove/modulation gates.

Candidate 06 is accepted: delay raised final to 0.3346 while keeping the loudness gate open. The next largest bottleneck is modulation identity: the report says the reference has about 3.8 Hz movement while the candidate is around 0.2 Hz, so I’m testing a light sidechain-pump primitive at that rate.

Candidate 07 is scored. I’m inspecting the full run bundle and checking whether the pump improves modulation identity without undercutting loudness or groove.

Candidate 07’s final score is only marginally higher, but it did not improve the chosen bottleneck: modulation identity regressed and the rate estimate stayed too slow. I’m rejecting it under the goal’s acceptance rule and trying a step-gate primitive at an eighth-note feel to create explicit ~4 Hz rhythmic motion.

Candidate 08 is scored. I’m inspecting the full run bundle and checking whether the step-gate improves the modulation/rhythmic diagnostics enough to promote it.

Candidate 08 is rejected: the final score ticked up, but rhythmic texture fell and the modulation rate estimate is still stuck. I’m checking the LFO schema now because an explicit gain/filter LFO may be the renderer-supported way to produce the 3.8 Hz movement the scorer is asking for.

Candidate 09 is scored. I’m inspecting the bundle and comparing the explicit LFO candidate against the current best; the key question is whether the modulation identity estimate finally moves.

Candidate 09 is rejected; explicit LFOs still do not move the scorer’s rate estimate and reduce final. I’m going back to the strongest tonal candidate and solving why it fails loudness: its spectrum is good, but peak normalization leaves the sustained body too low. The next test uses a simple onset-taming gain envelope plus higher layer level, not dense automation.

Candidate 10 is scored. I’m inspecting the bundle again to see whether onset taming restored loudness while preserving the spectral gains from the darker patch.

Candidate 10 is a strong accept: final reaches 0.3880, with large gains in groove, modulation, rhythmic texture, spectral timbre, and patch control while preserving MIDI and source integrity. I’m promoting it, then adding the previously successful tempo-delay primitive on top of this darker, peak-tamed patch.

Candidate 11 is scored. I’m inspecting the run again and comparing the stacked delay against the newly accepted dark patch.

Candidate 11 is accepted: final reaches 0.4134, with better groove, texture, timbre, loudness envelope, and stereo. The next visible weakness is pitch/chroma plus remaining timbral balance; I’m promoting candidate 11 and testing a small sub-level reduction to see if it recovers pitch identity without losing the bass/body gains.

Candidate 12 is scored. I’m inspecting the bundle and checking whether the reduced sub actually improves pitch/timbre enough to keep.