path: root/test_demo_README.md

# test_demo - Audio/Visual Synchronization Debug Tool

## Overview

A minimal standalone tool for debugging audio/visual synchronization in the demo without the complexity of the full demo64k timeline.

## Features

- **Simple Drum Beat**: Kick-snare pattern with crash every 4th bar
- **NOTE_A4 Reference Tone**: 440 Hz tone plays at start of each bar for testing
- **Screen Flash Effect**: Visual feedback synchronized to audio peaks
- **16 Second Duration**: 8 bars at 120 BPM
- **Variable Tempo Mode**: Tests tempo scaling (1.0x ↔ 1.5x and 1.0x ↔ 0.66x)
- **Peak Logging**: Export audio peaks to file for gnuplot visualization

## Building

```bash
cmake --build build --target test_demo
```

## Usage

### Basic Usage

```bash
build/test_demo
```

### Command-Line Options

```
  --help              Show help message and exit
  --fullscreen        Run in fullscreen mode
  --resolution WxH    Set window resolution (e.g., 1024x768)
  --tempo             Enable tempo variation test mode
  --log-peaks FILE    Log audio peaks to FILE for gnuplot visualization
```

### Examples

#### Run in fullscreen
```bash
build/test_demo --fullscreen
```

#### Custom resolution with tempo testing
```bash
build/test_demo --resolution 1024x768 --tempo
```

#### Log audio peaks for analysis
```bash
build/test_demo --log-peaks peaks.txt
```

After running, visualize with gnuplot:
```bash
gnuplot -p -e "set xlabel 'Time (s)'; set ylabel 'Peak'; plot 'peaks.txt' using 1:3 with lines title 'Raw Peak'"
```

## Keyboard Controls

- **ESC**: Exit the demo
- **F**: Toggle fullscreen

## Audio Pattern

The demo plays a repeating drum pattern:

```
Bar 1-2: Kick-Snare-Kick-Snare (with A4 note)
Bar 3:   Kick+Crash-Snare-Kick-Snare (with A4 note)  ← Crash landmark
Bar 4-6: Kick-Snare-Kick-Snare (with A4 note)
Bar 7:   Kick+Crash-Snare-Kick-Snare (with A4 note)  ← Crash landmark
Bar 8:   Kick-Snare-Kick-Snare (with A4 note)
```

**Timing:**
- 120 BPM (2 beats per second)
- 1 bar = 4 beats = 2 seconds
- Total duration: 8 bars = 16 seconds

**Crash Landmarks:**
- First crash at T=4.0s (bar 3, beat 8)
- Second crash at T=12.0s (bar 7, beat 24)

## Tempo Test Mode (`--tempo`)

When enabled with `--tempo` flag, the demo alternates tempo scaling every bar:

- **Even bars (0, 2, 4, 6)**: Accelerate from 1.0x → 1.5x
- **Odd bars (1, 3, 5, 7)**: Decelerate from 1.0x → 0.66x

This tests the variable tempo system where music time advances independently of physical time:
- `music_time += dt * tempo_scale`
- Pattern triggering respects tempo scaling
- Audio samples play at normal pitch (no pitch shifting)

**Console Output with --tempo:**
```
[T=0.50, MusicT=0.56, Beat=1, Frac=0.12, Peak=0.72, Tempo=1.25x]
```

**Expected Behavior:**
- Physical time always advances at 1:1 (16 seconds = 16 seconds)
- Music time advances faster during acceleration, slower during deceleration
- By end of demo: Music time > Physical time (due to net acceleration)

## Peak Logging Format

The `--log-peaks` option writes a text file with three columns:

```
# Audio peak log from test_demo
# To plot with gnuplot:
#   gnuplot -p -e "set xlabel 'Time (s)'; set ylabel 'Peak'; plot 'peaks.txt' using 1:3 with lines title 'Raw Peak'"
# Columns: beat_number clock_time raw_peak
#
0 0.000000 0.850000
1 0.500000 0.720000
2 1.000000 0.800000
...
```

**Columns:**
1. **beat_number**: Beat index (0, 1, 2, ...)
2. **clock_time**: Physical time in seconds
3. **raw_peak**: Audio peak value (0.0-1.0+)

**Use Cases:**
- Verify audio/visual synchronization timing
- Detect clipping (peak > 1.0)
- Analyze tempo scaling effects
- Compare expected vs actual beat times

## Files

- **`src/test_demo.cc`**: Main executable (~220 lines)
- **`assets/test_demo.track`**: Drum pattern and NOTE_A4 definition
- **`assets/test_demo.seq`**: Visual timeline (FlashEffect)
- **`src/generated/test_demo_timeline.cc`**: Generated timeline (auto)
- **`src/generated/test_demo_music.cc`**: Generated music data (auto)

## Verification Checklist

### Normal Mode
- [ ] Visual flashes occur every ~0.5 seconds
- [ ] Audio plays (kick-snare drum pattern audible)
- [ ] A4 tone (440 Hz) audible at start of each bar
- [ ] Synchronization: Flash happens simultaneously with kick hit
- [ ] Crash landmark: Larger flash + cymbal crash at T=4.0s and T=12.0s
- [ ] Auto-exit: Demo stops cleanly at 16 seconds
- [ ] Console timing: Peak values spike when kicks hit (Peak > 0.7)
- [ ] No audio glitches: Smooth playback, no stuttering

### Tempo Test Mode
- [ ] Bar 0 accelerates (1.0x → 1.5x)
- [ ] Bar 1 decelerates (1.0x → 0.66x)
- [ ] Music time drifts from physical time
- [ ] Audio still syncs with flashes
- [ ] Smooth transitions at bar boundaries
- [ ] Physical time = 16s at end
- [ ] Music time > 16s at end
- [ ] Console shows tempo value

### Peak Logging
- [ ] File created when `--log-peaks` specified
- [ ] Contains beat_number, clock_time, raw_peak columns
- [ ] Gnuplot command in header comment
- [ ] One row per beat (32 rows for 16 seconds)
- [ ] Peak values match console output
- [ ] Gnuplot visualization works

## Troubleshooting

**Flash appears before audio:**
- Cause: Audio latency too high
- Fix: Reduce ring buffer size in `ring_buffer.h`

**Flash appears after audio:**
- Cause: Ring buffer under-filled
- Fix: Increase pre-fill duration in `audio_render_ahead()`

**No flash at all:**
- Cause: Peak threshold not reached
- Check: Console shows Peak > 0.7
- Fix: Increase `visual_peak` multiplier in code (currently 8.0×)

**A4 note not audible:**
- Cause: NOTE_A4 volume too low or procedural generation issue
- Check: Console shows correct sample count (4 samples)
- Fix: Increase volume in test_demo.track (currently 0.5)

**Peak log file empty:**
- Cause: Demo exited before first beat
- Check: File has header comments
- Fix: Ensure demo runs for at least 0.5 seconds

## Design Rationale

**Why separate from demo64k?**
- Isolated testing environment
- No timeline complexity
- Faster iteration cycles
- Independent verification

**Why use main demo assets?**
- Avoid asset system conflicts (AssetId enum collision)
- Reuse existing samples
- No size overhead
- Simpler CMake integration

**Why 16 seconds?**
- Long enough for verification (8 bars)
- Short enough for quick tests
- Crash landmarks at 25% and 75% for easy reference

**Why NOTE_A4?**
- Standard reference tone (440 Hz)
- Easily identifiable pitch
- Tests procedural note generation
- Minimal code impact