---

title: Understanding Cycles

layout: ../../layouts/MainLayout.astro

---

import { MiniRepl } from '../../docs/MiniRepl';

import { PitchSlider } from '../../components/PitchSlider';

import Box from '@components/Box.astro';

# Understanding Cycles

The concept of cycles is very central to be able to understand how Strudel works.

Strudel's mother language, TidalCycles, even has it in its name.

## Cycles and BPM

In most music software, the unit BPM (beats per minute) is used to set the tempo.

Strudel expresses tempo as CPS (cycles per second), with a default of 0.5 CPS:

<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`s("bd")`} />

Here we can hear the 0.5CPS in action: The kick repeats once every two seconds.

Let's make it 4 kicks:

<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`s("bd bd bd bd")`} />

Now we have 4 kicks per cycle, but the whole pattern still plays at 0.5CPS.

In terms of BPM, most musicians would tell you this is playing at 120bpm.

What about this one:

<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`s("bd hh bd hh")`} />

Because the second sound is now a hihat, the tempo feels slower again.

This brings us to an important realization:

<Box>

Tempo is based on perception.

The choice of sounds also has an impact on the tempo feel.

This is why the same CPS can produce different perceived tempos.

</Box>

## Setting CPM

If you're familiar with BPM, you can use the `setcpm` method to set the global tempo in cycles per minute:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110)

s("bd hh")`}

/>

If you want to add more beats per cycle, you might want to divide the cpm:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/4)

s("bd sd bd rim, hh*8")`}

/>

Or using 2 beats per cycle:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/2)

s("bd sd, hh*4")`}

/>

You can use the `setcps` method to set the global tempo in cycles per second. `setcpm(x)` is the same as `setcps(x / 60)`.

<Box>

To set a specific bpm, use `setcpm(bpm/bpc)`

- bpm: the target beats per minute

- bpc: the number of perceived beats per cycle

</Box>

## Cycles and Bars

Also in most music software, multiple beats form a bar (or measure).

The so called time signature specifies how many beats are in each bar.

In many types of music, it is common to use 4 beats per bar, also known as 4/4 time.

Many music programs use it as a default.

Strudel does not a have concept of bars or measures, there are only cycles.

How you use them is up to you. Above, we've had this example:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/4)

s("bd sd bd rim, hh*8")`}

/>

This could be interpreted as 4/4 time with a tempo of 110bpm.

We could write out multiple bars like this:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/4)

s(\`<

[bd sd bd rim, hh*8] 

[bd sd bd rim*2, hh*8]

>\`)`}

/>

Instead of writing out each bar separately, we could express this much shorter:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/2)

s("bd <sd rim*<1 2>>,hh*4")`}

/>

Here we can see that thinking in cycles rather than bars simplifies things a lot!

These types of simplifications work because of the repetitive nature of rhythm.

In computational terms, you could say the former notation has a lot of redundancy.

## Time Signatures

To get a time signature, just change the number of elements per bar. Here is a rhythm with 7 beats:

<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`s("bd ~ rim bd bd rim ~")`} />

or with 5:

<MiniRepl client:visible tune={`s("bd hh hh bd hh hh bd rim bd hh")`} />

We could also write multiple bars with different time signatures:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110*2)

s(\`<

[bd hh rim]@3

[bd hh rim sd]@4

>\`)`}

/>

Here we switch between 3/4 and 4/4, keeping the same tempo.

If we don't specify the length, we get what's called a metric modulation:

<MiniRepl

  client:visible

  tune={`setcpm(110/2)

s(\`<

[bd hh rim]

[bd hh rim sd]

>\`)`}

/>

Now the 3 elements get the same time as the 4 elements, which is why the tempo changes.