Switching buffers and live_loops change behaviour

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1

I’m using buffers 0 and 1 and I want to switch between them live. Each buffer plays correctly by itself (or when it is the first buffer played) but plays incorrectly when it is the second buffer played.

My strategy to switch buffers is that each buffer has a live loop with the same name :conductor. When the buffer is run, :conductor cues its live_loops, and overrides the cues from the previous buffer.

If you play buffer 0, then buffer 1, the :met2 live_loop plays for 16 beats then stops for 16 beats, then repeats that pattern. If you play buffer 1 first, it will continuously play :met2.

#buffer 0
use_bpm 120

fifths = [:a4, :e5, :b4, :fs5]

live_loop :beat1 do
  sync :conductor1
  4.times do
    play fifths.tick
    sleep 4
  end
end

live_loop :conductor do
  cue :conductor1
  sleep 16
end

# buffer 1
use_bpm 120

live_loop :met2 do
  sync :conductor2
  8.times do
    play :e3
    sleep 2
  end
end

live_loop :conductor do
  cue :conductor2
  sleep 16
end
1 Like
2

I think your observed behaviour occurs because your live_loop lengths have a total sleep of 16 before they start waiting for the next cue to retrigger them. The cue is itself generated by a livel loop (:conductor) which has a total sleep time of 16. Thus there is the possibility of an indeterminate situation which can occur. The met2 and beat1 loops must be waiting for a cue (ie at the sync line) BEFORE the cue is generated by conductor. If it isn’t the cue will be missed and it will have to wait a further 16 before it is triggered by the subsequent cue.

One solution is to effectively remove or reduce the last sleep from each of the beat1 and met2 loops. Try using:

#buffer 0
use_bpm 120

fifths = [:a4, :e5, :b4, :fs5]

live_loop :beat1 do
  sync :conductor1
  tick_reset
  3.times do
    play fifths.tick
    sleep 4
  end
  play fifths.tick
  #no sleep here so loop goes to next sync straight away
  #and is ready on time for the next cue
end

live_loop :conductor do
  cue :conductor1
  sleep 16
end

# buffer 1
use_bpm 120



live_loop :met2 do
  sync :conductor2
  7.times do
    play :e3
    sleep 2
  end
  play :e3
  #no sleep here so the loop goes to next sync straight away
  #and is ready on time for the next cue
end

live_loop :conductor do
  cue :conductor2
  sleep 16
end

In your original version the results MAY work (it did running SP4.5 on my MacbookPro) but may not.

1 Like
3

I tried what you suggested and it worked. The loops did have the same sleep so the loop starts could be muddled up. Thanks for the suggestion.

I was just thinking about the music and not the limitations of the software.