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b statement confusion

Date1999-09-06 05:32
FromPaul Winkler
Subjectb statement confusion
Hi,

Has anyone used the "b" (clock reset) score statement for anything?
If so, do you understand it? :)

I just played with it and either it does the opposite of what the manual
suggests, or my brain is screwed on backwards.

>From the manual (version 3.53)

B STATEMENT

     b  p1



DESCRIPTION

This statement resets the clock. 

P FIELDS

    p1 Specifies how the clock is to be set.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS

If p1 is positive, the clock is reset forward by the number of beats
specibied by p1. If p1 is negative, the clock is reset
backward by the number of beats specified by p1. If p1 = 0, the clock is
returned to its original position. 
-- 

(end of manual extract)

So, to my way of thinking: If I use b -1, I have just set the clock back
by 1 beat. So if an event leaves the clock at 20, then b -1 will cause
the clock to be set to 19; subsequent events will be heard after a delay
of 1 beat while the clock counts from 19 to 20 again. Conversely, if I
use b 1, the clock will be set forward by 1 beat and any events before
"now plus 1" (in this case 21) will be skipped.

This is exactly the opposite of what seems to happen in practice.
Positive values result in pauses; negative values result in skipped
beats.


And I suppose I should point out I am currently using unofficial linux
csound version 3.53.0.1b...

Here's a score that demonstrates the confusion. (This score is for Hans
Mikelson's just-posted FM tomtom orc)




f1 0 65536 10 1

s
m kicks   ; give this section a name for use by n statements 

i15 0      .15  32000  5.05  100  1000  .3 100 .5

i15 0.125  .15  32000  5.05  100  100  .3 20

i15 0.250  .15  32000  5.05  100  100  .8 20

i15 0.5    .15  32000  5.08  100  100  .4 20 

i15 0.625  .15  32000  5.08  6000 700  .5 100 


f 0 1
s

n kicks         ; second time

n kicks        ; third time

b .5             ; results in a pause of .5 before next repeat!

n kicks

b -.5           ; results in skipping first .5 beats of next repeat!

n kicks

n kicks

----------------    paul winkler    ------------------
slinkP arts:  music, sound, illustration, design, etc.

zarmzarm@hotmail.com   --or-- slinkp AT ulster DOT net
http://www.ulster.net/~abigoo/

Date1999-09-06 15:47
Fromjpff@maths.bath.ac.uk
SubjectRe: b statement confusion
Yes I use b regularly and successfully

But then it was my idea