LiveCode

The LiveCode node is a text-based pattern generator inspired by TidalCycles and Strudel. Type patterns using a mini-notation syntax and hear them play back in real-time.

MINI-NOTATION BASICS

• Space-separated elements divide one cycle evenly:
• c e g -- 3 notes, each 1/3 of a cycle

• Square brackets subdivide a slot:
• c [e g] -- c gets half, e and g share the other half

• Tilde for rest:
• c ~ e ~ -- notes with rests between them

• Asterisk for repeat:
• c*4 -- c repeated 4 times

• Forward slash for stretch:
• c/2 -- c stretched over 2 cycles

OPERATORS

• <a b c> - Alternation: pick one element per cycle
• [a,b,c] - Stack: play simultaneously (chords)
• a(3,8) - Euclidean: 3 hits distributed over 8 steps
• a?0.5 - Probability: 50% chance of playing
• a|b|c - Random Choice: pick one randomly
• a:0.3 - Velocity: set velocity to 0.3 (0-1)
• a@2 - Elongation: 2 weighted time slots

PATTERN TRANSFORMATIONS

• rev - Reverse the pattern
• fast 2 - Double the speed
• slow 2 - Half the speed
• off 0.5 - Offset by half a cycle (creates echo/canon)
• degrade 0.3 - Randomly drop 30% of events
• every 4 rev - Apply reverse every 4th cycle

CONTINUOUS FUNCTIONS

• sine, saw, square, tri, rand, perlin

• These generate continuous value streams useful for modulating velocity or other parameters.

SLICER MODE

Toggle between Notes mode (MIDI pitches) and Slices mode (slice indices for triggering a connected Slicer node).

PLAYHEAD

The strip above the text shows the cycle laid out left to right: tick marks for the beat grid, a mark for every note the pattern played, and the playhead moving across them. The mark under the playhead lights up as it sounds.

The marks are the notes Noemi actually played, not a reading of the text, so a pattern using degrade, ?, or | shows the rhythm you heard rather than one of its other possible outcomes. The strip shows the cycle just completed while the next one fills, so editing a pattern takes a cycle to appear - which is also when the new pattern takes over.

MULTI-STATE

LiveCode supports up to 8 states with the State Selector. Each state stores a different pattern text. Use a Sequencer to automate state switching.

PARAMETERS

• Cycle Length - Duration of one cycle in beats (0.25-16)
• Transpose - Pitch offset in semitones (-24 to +24)
• Velocity - Velocity scale (0.0-1.0)
• Swing - Swing amount (0.0-1.0)

SNIPPET LIBRARY

Click the book icon to access 80+ categorized pattern examples that you can insert into your code.