This view allows you to define some of the key properties that govern how Fixed Pattern Voices work.
Name
The name of the Voice.
Mute
The Mute parameter.
Use Percent
When Noatikl starts a new sub-pattern at the start of a bar, noatikl consults the value you have defined for Use Percent. This property determines the probably of Noatikl using the Pattern for the bar; or alternatively, compose a completely new bar (that you will hear only once!) according to the normal rules for the voice.
If Use Percent is 100, then Noatikl will always use the pattern. If Use Percent is 50, then Noatikl will instead compose a new bar every other bar or so. Note that Noatikl will never interrupt a sub-pattern that it is playing; the Use Percent property is considered only on a sub-pattern boundary, at the start of a new bar.
Mutation Factor
The mutation factor is used when a bar is considered for mutation (which can happen only if Bars Between is not zero! The Mutation Factor determines the level of mutation to apply. If set to 10.0%, then when playing from a sub-pattern, this means that each note that would be played from the pattern, has a 10% chance of having a different one composed, with subsequence pattern playbacks keeping that mutation! Note that if Mutate Rhythm? is set to Yes, then if the composed note is longer than the composed-over pattern note, this might overlap and cancel-out some other notes in the sub-pattern!
Bars Between
This property defines the number of bars that Noatikl waits between, before trying to mutate a bar in a pattern according to the Mutation Factor. If Bars Between is set to zero, the voice can never mutate. Set to 1 if you want mutation every bar, 2 if you want mutation every other bar, etc. ...
The actual number of bars used is selected randomly each time, somewhere in the range from Bars Between, to Bars Between plus Bars Range.
Bars Range
This property is used to help define the number of bars between attempts by Noatikl to mutate the current pattern. The actual number of bars used is selected randomly each time, somewhere in the range from Bars Between, to Bars Between plus Bars Range.
Mutate Rhythm?
If set to No, then the timing of the sub-pattern is preserved perfectly; only the frequency of the pattern notes will be changed when the pattern is mutated. Otherwise, the duration of each note is chosen from the rhythm rules and phrase/phrase gap rules for the voice.
Meter
Defines the Meter to be used by this Voice, such 4:4 or 3:4 or 6:8. A value of ?, which is the default, means to use the Meter defined for the Piece. A different value allows the Voice to work with a completely different meter, which can be used for interesting polyphonic effects!
Patterns
Defines the Pattern to be used by a Fixed Pattern Voice.
Tip: The pattern syntax is very complicated, and existing Koan Pro users might wish to use that tool for now to perform pattern editing, until such time as we have created a pattern editor for noatikl!
Until such time, you will be interested to hear that patterns are defined using strings, where the strings have quite a complicated syntax! The string can contain a list of sub-patterns. I'll repeat that: each Pattern is made-up of a number of Sub-Patterns.
There are 4 types of Sub-Pattern:
Note sub-pattern types:
- R - Rhythm only. Defines note durations to use, but leaves selection of the note pitches to use up to noatikl!
- F – Frequency. Defines the pitch relative to the current scale, whatever that might be but not the duration. Useful for drum riffs!
- B - Melodic, i.e. "Both". Both the above - the most common type.
Sequence sub-pattern types:
- S – sequence. Sequenced patterns allow Noatikl to use generative rules to select which sub patterns to use while playing a pattern as a generative sequence of sub-patterns.
Which sub-pattern is chosen by Noatikl, depends on a few things:
If there is at least one sequenced sub pattern, then a sequence is used to drive the sub-pattern. Which sequence to use, is based on Noatikl making a weighted random selection from the available sub-patterns. When (if!) the sequenced sub-pattern end is reached, Noatikl will make another selection as to which sequenced sub-pattern to use.
Otherwise, a sub-pattern is chosen, based on Noatikl making a weighted random selection from the available sub-patterns. This sub-pattern is played through to the end, at which point Noatikl will make another selection as to which sub-pattern to play.
A Note Sub-Pattern that is less than a whole number of bars at the Voice's current Meter, will be padded automatically with silence to ensure that it remains bar synchronised.
