Numbers

The Sardine Pattern Language supports the same number types as Python:

• integers: 1, 5, 50012.
• floating point numbers: 10.182, 0.18, 123.91239.

All the common mathematical operators are also available:

@swim
def number(p=0.5, i=0):
    print(P('1 1+1 1*2 1/3 1%4 1+(2+(5/2))', i))
    again(number, p=0.5, i=i+1)

Parentheses can be used for greater precision in the sequence of operations and to specify priority. The mathematical operators apply to numbers as well as to lists. You can for instance write an addition between a number and a list, between two lists, between a number and a note, between a chord and a list, etc..

@swim
def number(p=0.5, i=0):
    print(P('C5 + 12', i))
    print(P('[10 20 30] + 2', i))
    again(number, p=0.5, i=i+1)

Many things can be safely considered as numbers such as notes. Internally, a note is also a number.

Time-dependant numbers

@swim
def number(p=0.5, i=0):
    # We print time-dependant values
    print(P('$ $.p $.m', i))
    again(number, p=0.5, i=i+1)

Some number tokens are clock-time dependant (based on Sardine clock time). Depending on the moment your loop/operation takes place, you might see some values recurring because you are not polling time continuously but at predictible rhythmic moments of time. Read that sentence twice, then read it again, please!

• $: beat, the current beat, with floating point precision.
• $.p: phase, a number between 0 and 1 denoting where you are in the beat.
• $.m: measure, the measure since the clock started.

@swim
def number(p=0.5, i=0):
    print(P('$ $.m $.p', i))
    again(number, p=0.5, i=i+1)

Some other number tokens are based on absolute time. They are not dependent on the clock. Use them for long-running sequences for introducing randomization. You will notice that they are all prefixed by T. T is a symbol very often associated with time in Sardine, while $ denotes the clock time.

@swim
def wow(p=0.5, i=0):
    print(P('T.U T.Y T.M T.D T.h T.m T.s T.µ', i))
    gain(wow, p=0.5, i=i+1)

• T.U: Unix Time, the current Unix Time.
• T.Y: year, the current year.
• T.M: month, the current month.
• T.D: day, the current day.
• T.h: hour, the current hour.
• T.m: minute, the current minute.
• T.s: second, the current second.
• T.µ: microsecond, the current microsecond.

Random numbers

• You can write random numbers by using the word rand.
  • rand will return a floating point number between 0.0 and 1.0.
  • rand will be casted to an Integer depending on the context (e.g sample:r*8).
  • rand and 0.0~1.0 yield a similar result. Two ways to express the same idea.

There are multiple ways to generate randomness using Sardine. Even though rand is useful, using time tokens will yield unpredictible results.

Patterns out of time

@swim
def outof(p=0.25, i=0):
    D('cp', speed='$%10', i=i)
    again(outof, p=0.25, i=i+1)

Timed tokens make good low frequency oscillators, ramps or oscillating patterns. Playing with time tokens using modulos or the (sin x), (cos x) or (tan x) functions is a great way to get generative results out of a predictible sequence:

• fast recursions (low p) will increase the sampling rate of time.

You can start to enter into the realm of signal-like patterns that can be particularly good for generating fluid patterns. Use this to generate fluid patterns.