Gruber

Odd Meters (Noob Theory 6/10) - Pico-8 Music Tutorial #42

Added 2018-10-15 14:00:02 +0000 UTC

In Pico-8, I consider ‘odd-meters’ to be anything that doesn’t cycle evenly in 32-rows. This will include anything grouped in 3, 5, 6 and 7.

I take the same approach as in the previous tutorial – starting at a very high SPD, creating a simple kick/snare pattern with an odd grouping, and gradually increasing the resolution.

At some point, increasing the resolution will require more than 32 rows. You can decide to either through compose the beat, which will require using more SFX, or you can create a time keeper track.

Through composing the beat isn’t always the best option because it uses more resources. If you have a drum groove that is a grouping of seven, and is 28 rows long, you would need 224 rows and 7 SFX to loop the cycle.

A time keeper track is an empty SFX that runs slightly faster than the other tracks. If your drum grove is SPD 20 and 24 rows long, a time keeper track will complete 32 rows at SPD 15 (make sure to loop the 24 rows!). Without a time keeper track, your 24-row beat will hiccup, and play for 32 rows.

Using time keeper tracks limits you in other ways. For one, you’re likely restricted to using a 3-channel arrangement for your music. It’s difficult to get precise rhythms with SFXs that are running at a different SPDs.

You’re also limited to the SPDs you can use. It’s impossible to cycle 24 rows at SPD 19 without hiccups. SPD 16 is fairly universal, and works with most odd meters. A drum groove that’s 30-rows long, will need a time keeper track running at SPD 15. 28-rows long needs a time keeper track running at SPD 14 etc. etc.