Alternative Delay Column Usage

Tips & Tricks
1

This is just a quick note about a method which I stumbled upon and talked about in IRC a few days ago.

If you wish to emulate negative delay values in the delay column use 0x80 as a default value in all rows. I’ve been using this technique to add fine delays to add ‘groove’.

This results in all notes within that column to be delayed 1/2 line. Either do this to all tracks or just ‘resync’ individual tracks with negative track delay values.

Once this is established, reduce the value to move notes earlier and increase to move them later.

  
e.g:  
C-4 ii vv pp 80 would be a 'normal' note  
C-4 ii vv pp 70 would be an 'early' note (16/256ths = 1/16th of a row early)  
C-4 ii vv pp A0 would be a 'late' note (32/256ths = 2/16th of a row late)

Hope this makes sense

NB: Formula for resyncing delays of 0x80 to 0 with track delay:

  
track delay (in ms) = -30,000 / (BPM * LPB)

edit: wrong terminology & added formula

2

Oh, very good idea! Should save me some trouble when making those slightly off-beat hits. And thanks for the formula - doing my work for me. ;)

3

How about using the pattern iterator to reposition notes based on delay values or reposition them on the previous line (using a second notecolumn) and setting high delay values to represent the shift in negative values?

4

Yeah I think this is too much work mxb. Easier to use the Q commands (The old “D” command). So if you want a ‘pre-note’ you just put it on the line before with an appropriate Q value. The default Q stepping is done via the Song Properties ticks-per-line setting and is usually at 12. So if you want a note a third before another note you could do it this way:

  
Pre :C-4 Q8  
Main :C-4 --