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Variability

When you compose with DirectMusic Producer, you can choose different levels of variability in the music or other sounds you create. The content might never sound the same way twice, or it might sound the same each time it plays.

Note   Music is never repeated exactly the same way, because DirectMusic introduces minute variations in the timing of notes, to give the feeling of a live performance.

The variability of a segment is partly under your control and partly under the control of the application developer. For example, you might create a style-based segment with many patterns, but the application, by controlling the groove level, might restrict the patterns actually chosen.

The following table represents the spectrum of variability you can achieve using DirectMusic Producer components in different combinations. At the low variability level is a segment component that is used as a simple container for a MIDI sequence or a wave; this segment plays the same way each time in a linear manner. At the high variability level is a segment that is used to combine the full variability of a chordmap and a style, yielding different results each time it plays.

Scenario Low Variability Medium Variability High Variability
Music based on fixed notes Import a MIDI file as a segment. The application can make band and tempo changes. Not applicable
Wave-based sounds Import one or more wave files into a wave track and play them without variation. Create variations of the waves. Play waves as notes in a style-based segment using a custom DLS collection.
Pattern-based music Not applicable Create a segment with a pattern track, and create variations in any part of the pattern. Add more parts to the pattern. Each part can contain 32 variations.
Style-based music Not applicable Create a style containing multiple patterns. Use a segment with a fixed set of chords that plays a style with variable patterns. Use groove level changes to control which style patterns are used.
Style-based music with chordmap Not applicable Not applicable The application can recompose the segment each time it is played, giving it a different chord progression.

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