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diff --git a/doc/TRACKER.md b/doc/TRACKER.md index cb14755..f3a34a3 100644 --- a/doc/TRACKER.md +++ b/doc/TRACKER.md @@ -40,4 +40,85 @@ This generated code can be mixed with fixed code from the demo codebase itself (explosion predefined at a given time ,etc.) The baking is done at compile time, and the code will go in src/generated/ +## .track File Format + +### Timing System + +**Unit-less Timing Convention:** +- All time values are **unit-less** (not beats or seconds) +- Convention: **1 unit = 4 beats** +- Conversion to seconds: `seconds = units * (4 / BPM) * 60` +- At 120 BPM: 1 unit = 2 seconds + +This makes patterns independent of BPM - changing BPM only affects playback speed, not pattern structure. + +### File Structure + +``` +# Comments start with # + +BPM <tempo> # Optional, defaults to 120 BPM + +SAMPLE <name> # Define sample (asset or generated note) + +PATTERN <name> LENGTH <duration> # Define pattern with unit-less duration + <unit_time>, <sample>, <volume>, <pan> # Pattern events + +SCORE # Score section (pattern triggers) + <unit_time>, <pattern_name> +``` + +### Examples + +#### Simple 4-beat pattern (1 unit): +``` +PATTERN kick_snare LENGTH 1.0 + 0.00, ASSET_KICK_1, 1.0, 0.0 # Start of pattern (beat 0) + 0.25, ASSET_SNARE_1, 0.9, 0.0 # 1/4 through (beat 1) + 0.50, ASSET_KICK_1, 1.0, 0.0 # 1/2 through (beat 2) + 0.75, ASSET_SNARE_1, 0.9, 0.0 # 3/4 through (beat 3) +``` + +#### Score triggers: +``` +SCORE + 0.0, kick_snare # Trigger at 0 seconds (120 BPM) + 1.0, kick_snare # Trigger at 2 seconds (1 unit = 2s at 120 BPM) + 2.0, kick_snare # Trigger at 4 seconds +``` + +#### Generated note: +``` +SAMPLE NOTE_C4 # Automatically generates C4 note (261.63 Hz) +PATTERN melody LENGTH 1.0 + 0.00, NOTE_C4, 0.8, 0.0 + 0.25, NOTE_E4, 0.7, 0.0 + 0.50, NOTE_G4, 0.8, 0.0 +``` + +### Conversion Reference + +At 120 BPM (1 unit = 4 beats = 2 seconds): + +| Units | Beats | Seconds | Description | +|-------|-------|---------|-------------| +| 0.00 | 0 | 0.0 | Start | +| 0.25 | 1 | 0.5 | Quarter | +| 0.50 | 2 | 1.0 | Half | +| 0.75 | 3 | 1.5 | Three-quarter | +| 1.00 | 4 | 2.0 | Full pattern | + +### Pattern Length + +- `LENGTH` parameter is optional, defaults to 1.0 +- Can be any value (0.5 for half-length, 2.0 for double-length, etc.) +- Events must be within range `[0.0, LENGTH]` + +Example of half-length pattern: +``` +PATTERN short_fill LENGTH 0.5 # 2 beats = 1 second at 120 BPM + 0.00, ASSET_HIHAT, 0.7, 0.0 + 0.50, ASSET_HIHAT, 0.6, 0.0 # 0.50 * 0.5 = 1 beat into the pattern +``` + |