Sample trimming
By default, samples play from start to end when triggered. This page presents many functions that allow to trim the samples inside TidalCycles.
Each function will be presented following the same model:
- Type signature: how the function is declared on the Haskell side.
- Description: verbal description of the function.
- Examples: a small list of examples that you can copy/paste in your editor.
Absolute
This function allows us to indicate the sample duration in seconds.
sustain
Type: sustain :: Pattern Double -> ControlPattern
A pattern of numbers that indicates the total duration of sample playback in seconds.
This sustain refers to the whole playback duration, and is not to be confused with the sustain level of a typical ADSR envelope.
It's also not to be confused with legato, which modifies the playback duration relative to the event duration.
d1 $ fast 2 $ s "breaks125:1" # cps (120/60/4) # sustain 1
At 120 BPM, a cycle lasts for two seconds. In the above example, we cut the sample so it plays just for one second, and repeat this part two times, so we fill the whole cycle. Note that sample pitch isn't modified.
d1 $ s "breaks125:2!3" # cps (120/60/4) # sustain "0.4 0.2 0.4" # begin "0 0 0.4"
Event-relative
The following functions allow us to deal with sample overlaps.
cut
Type: cut :: Pattern Int -> ControlPattern
In the style of classic drum-machines, cut will stop a playing sample as soon as another sample with in same cutgroup is to be played. For example,
d1 $ fast 2 $ sound "ho:4 hc ho:4 hc" # cut 1
makes the pattern sound more realistic, by "choking" the open hi-hat when the closed one plays.
legato
Type: legato :: Pattern Double -> ControlPattern
legato modifies the note length relative to the event length. When its value is 1, is equivalent to stopping the sample when the next event (whether it is a sample or a silence), is triggered. Notice the difference between
d1 $ sound "sax ~ ~ sax ~ ~ sax ~" # legato 1
and
d1 $ sound "sax ~ ~ sax ~ ~ sax ~" # cut 1
Also, notice how these two lines are equivalent:
d1 $ sound "sax ~" # legato 1
d1 $ sound "sax" # legato 0.5
Not to be confused with sustain, which gives playback of a sample a duration in seconds.
If you come from a classical music background, these two terms will probably sound conterintuitive, as there legato indicates that notes are to be played smoothly and connected, without silences, and that's what cut does in Tidal. You could think about the number after legato as the quantity of tenuto or each sample has. However, if it really bothers you, you can change your Boot File by appending the lines tenuto = pF "legato" and legato = pI "cut" in one of the :{:} blocks.
Relative to the sample length
These functions let us trim each sample by specifying on which part Tidal begins and/or ends playing it.
begin
Type: begin :: Pattern Double -> ControlPattern
begin receives a pattern of numbers from 0 to 1. It cuts off the beginning of each sample. The numbers indicate how much of each sample will be skipped, relative to its length (0 would play the sample from the start, 1 would skip the whole sample, 0.25 would cut off the first quarter from each sample). For example:
d1 $ s "bev" # begin 0.5 # legato 1
In the above example, the sample is started from the half of its total length.
d1 $ n "0 1 2" # s "ade" # begin "<0 0.25 0.5 0.75>" # legato 1
In this other example, the first 3 ade samples are played on every cycle, but the start point from which they are played changes on each cycle.
end
Type: end :: Pattern Double -> ControlPattern
The same as begin, but cuts off the end of samples. For example, 0.75 will cut off the last quarter of each sample.
d1 $ s "bev" # begin 0.5 # end 0.65
This will play only a small part of the sample: from 50% its length to 65% its length.
d1 $ s "bev" >| begin 0.5 >| end "[0.65 0.55]"
The example above will play the sample two times for cycle, but the second time will play a shorter segment than the first time, creating some kind of canon effect.
grain
Type: grain :: Pattern Double -> Pattern Double -> ControlPattern
grain is another way to specify what part of samples we want to play. Instead of specifying the begin and end, here we write the begin and the length.
For example:
d1 $ slow 2 $ s "bev" # grain 0.2 0.1 # legato 1
is equivalent to:
d1 $ slow 2 $ s "bev" # begin 0.2 # end 0.3 # legato 1
grain'
Type: grain' :: Pattern String -> ControlPattern
grain' is simply a fast shortcut to join a begin and an end.
d1 $ slow 2 $ s "bev" # grain' "0.2:0.3" # legato 1
This example is equivalent to:
d1 $ slow 2 $ s "bev" # begin 0.2 # end 0.3 # legato 1
Here, we take advantage that sustain receives a pattern to build a different break from the original sample.