Exercise 3: Complex Patterns with Rests

This final exercise introduces rests and faster tempo. You’ll master both rhythm and sound mapping for the most complex pattern yet.

Prerequisites

This tutorial assumes you have completed:

• Exercise 1 - Basic rhythm capture and sound mapping
• Exercise 2 - Advanced rhythm with subsequences
• First Sounds ↗ - Basic Strudel syntax and sound playback
• First Notes ↗ - Understanding patterns, cycles, and tempo

Beatbox Sounds Used in This Exercise

This exercise uses these beatbox sounds. If you haven’t seen them yet, check the landing page sounds section to hear each sound:

• B (bass/kick) → bd - Deep foundation beat
• K (outward snare) → sd - Classic snare sound (outward breath)
• ^K (inward snare) → sd - Different snare texture (inward breath)

Step 1: Listen & Analyze

Watch the beatbox clip below. Listen carefully for:

• What’s the fastest tempo we’ve encountered?
• Do you hear any silent moments or rests?
• Are there any double hits or subsequences?
• How many different sounds are used?
• Do you hear different textures or variations of similar sounds?

Video Credit: Clip from TylaDubya’s beatbox tutorial.

Step 2: Get the Rhythm First

Start by recreating the timing using just one sound. Don’t worry about the different tones yet.

Strudel basics:

• setcpm() sets the cycles per minute - how many times your pattern repeats per minute
• One cycle = all the sounds in your s("...") (unless using angle brackets s("<...>")
• Use ~ or - for silence (both work the same way)
• Use [sound1 sound2] to put multiple sounds in one beat position (subsequence)
• Subsequences and rests can create interesting rhythmic interactions
• You can write math like setcpm(160/8) and Strudel calculates it automatically

Step 3: Add the Real Sounds

Now that you have the rhythm, replace the bd sounds with the actual beatbox sounds. The pattern is: B K B K B ^K B ^K at 160 BPM.

Try different combinations and listen to how close it sounds to the original beatbox!

What We Learned

• Start with rhythm, then add sounds (same approach as previous exercises)
• Use the target audio to guide your ear training
• Rests (~) create silence and syncopation in patterns
• Subsequences with multiple sounds like [bd sd] add rhythmic complexity
• Fast tempos (160 BPM) require precise timing and practice
• CPM calculation: For 160 BPM with 8 beats: setcpm(160/8) = 20 cycles per minute
• Math in Strudel: Write 160/8 and Strudel calculates it automatically
• Sound mapping for complex patterns:
  • B (kick/beat) → bd (same as previous exercises)
  • K (outward snare) → sd (same as Exercise 1)
  • ^K (inward snare) → different snare texture using sample variations
  • ~ (rest/silence) → ~ (creates syncopation)
• Sample variations (colon notation) create different textures from the same instrument
• Patterns can mix single hits, subsequences, rests, and sample variations seamlessly

Congratulations!

You’ve completed the Strudel Beatbox Tutorial! You now know how to:

• Identify rhythm patterns by ear
• Map real-world sounds to Strudel samples
• Handle rests and subsequences
• Work with different tempos (80, 90, 160 BPM)
• Build complex patterns from simple elements

Where to Go Next

• Explore more sounds at strudel.cc ↗
• Try the Strudel Workshop ↗
• Experiment with effects like .lpf(), .delay(), .room()