structural / Symbolic
Rhythm
A sequence of durations and rests without pitches. It can time a melody without changing its note choices.
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Edit pitch and time independently
A line combines ordered pitches with durations. Its rhythm keeps only the time pattern; its point sequence keeps relative pitch movement without a fixed register. Transposing shifts sounding notes while both abstractions stay the same.
Event 1
Event 2
Event 3
Event 4
Event 5
Timeline · 5 beats
Melody · MIDI:beats
60:1,64:1,67:2,r:0.5,72:0.5Point sequence
0:1,4:1,7:2,r:0.5,12:0.5Rhythm
1,1,2,r0.5,0.5Pitch classes
0,4,7,~,0The sequencer pattern uses duration weights: a two-beat event occupies twice the cycle span of a one-beat event.
Written forms
Ways to write this concept
Each notation describes the same underlying object. Open an example to see it in every other notation, or load it to hear one MIDI realization in the Code Sequencer.
beats
Open guideCanonical: comma-separated durations in beats (quarter = 1). Rest = 'r' + duration (e.g. r1).
note values
Open guideStaff-like note-value letters: w h q e s t ('.' = dotted). Rest = value + 'r' (e.g. qr).
Durations in milliseconds (default 120 BPM). Rest = 'r' + ms.
ticks
Open guideDurations in MIDI ticks (default 480 PPQ). Rest = 'r' + ticks.
positions
Open guideAbsolute quarter-beat start:duration per event, including rstart:duration for explicit rests. Events must be contiguous.
grid
Open guideCells per beat|cells, with x attack, = hold and . rest. Exact at the chosen resolution; adjoining rest slots merge.