Mini-notation

Everything between double quotes is mini-notation: a compact way to write rhythm. The same rules work for drum names, note names and numbers.

Sequences and rests

Steps separated by spaces share the cycle equally. ~ (or -) is a rest.

s("bd ~ ~ bd ~ ~ sd ~")

Groups: [ ]

Square brackets squeeze several steps into the space of one.

s("bd [sd sd] bd [~ sd]")

Groups can be nested as deep as you like: [hh [hh hh]] is an eighth note followed by two sixteenths.

s("hh [hh hh] hh [hh [hh hh]]")

Faster and slower: * and /

*n plays a step n times in its own space; /n stretches it over n cycles, so it only sounds every n bars.

s("bd*2 sd, hh*8, cp/2")

Alternation: < >

Angle brackets play one of their steps per cycle, in turn. They are the easiest way to make a pattern change from bar to bar.

note("<c3 a2 f2 g2>").s("sawtooth")

Combine them with * to step through the list faster:

note("<c3 e3 g3 b3>*4")

Chords and layers: ,

A comma plays its parts at the same time. Inside a group it makes a chord.

note("[c3,e3,g3] [a2,c3,e3] [f2,a2,c3] [g2,b2,d3]")

Longer and repeated steps: @ ! _

@n makes a step n times as long as the others. !n repeats a step n times, each copy a full step. _ extends the previous step by one step.

note("c3@3 eb3 g3!2 bb3 _")

Polymeter: { }

Curly brackets play layers of different lengths with the same step size, so they drift against each other and meet again later. %n sets how many steps fit in a cycle.

note("{c3 eb3 g3, c4 d4 eb4 f4 g4}%4")

Euclidean rhythms: (k,n)

x(k,n) spreads k hits as evenly as possible over n steps. Many traditional rhythms are Euclidean: (3,8) is the tresillo, (5,8) the cinquillo. A third number rotates the pattern.

s("bd(3,8), hh(5,8,2), sd(2,8,4)")

Chance: ? and |

? drops a step half of the time (?0.2 drops it 20% of the time). | chooses one of its options at random. Chance is seeded: the program plays the same "random" notes every time you run it, until you change the code.

s("hh*16?, bd [sd|cp]")

Sample variants and number ranges: : and ..

name:n chooses variant n of a sound (bd:3). a .. b counts from a to b.

n("0 .. 7").scale("C:major")

Mini-notation is a pattern everywhere

Any argument that takes a number also accepts a quoted pattern, so the same syntax can drive speed, volume or a filter:

s("hh*8").gain("0.9 0.4 0.6 0.4").fast("<1 2>")