duration

• 0 fixed

  • description: assigns a constant duration to all events
  • real-world analogy: quantized note lengths

  • notes:

    • a = fixed proportion of total unit duration (0 = short, 1 = long)
    • b = unused

• 1 linear spread

  • description: distributes durations linearly across time or index
  • real-world analogy: rallentando or expanding gestures

  • notes:

    • a = start duration
    • b = end duration
    • interpolation is based on event index

• 2 cluster decay

  • description: early events are long, later events are short
  • real-world analogy: reverb tail, percussive bursts

  • notes:

    • a = initial duration
    • b = decay sharpness (0 = linear, 1 = steep)

• 3 inverse cluster

  • description: early events are short, later events are long
  • real-world analogy: ramp-up, swelling textures

  • notes:

    • a = final duration
    • b = buildup curve (0 = slow ramp, 1 = sudden growth)

• 4 stochastic range

  • description: durations are randomly sampled from a parametric range
  • real-world analogy: free improvisation, granular textures

  • notes:

    • a = min duration
    • b = max duration
    • uniform distribution

• 5 chaotic map

  • description: durations follow a deterministic chaotic trajectory
  • real-world analogy: insect motion, natural time variation

  • notes:

    • a = chaos parameter (e.g. logistic r)
    • b = duration scaling factor

• 6 periodic pattern

  • description: repeats a small loop of durations

  • real-world analogy: rhythmic cells, tuplets

  • notes:

    • a = number of distinct values (1–8)

    • b = loop skew (0 = flat, 1 = edge-heavy)

• 0 fixed

  • a: constant duration
  • b: unused

• 1 linear spread

  • a: first event duration
  • b: last event duration

• 2 cluster decay

  • a: start duration
  • b: exponentiality of decay

• 3 inverse cluster

  • a: end duration
  • b: ramp-in shape

• 4 stochastic range

  • a: min
  • b: max

• 5 chaotic map

  • a: chaos intensity
  • b: scale

• 6 periodic pattern

  • a: pattern size

  • b: distribution skew

the selected forms allow for:

• precise and uniform event durations (fixed)
• directional shaping of timing through index-based morphing (linear, cluster, inverse)
• temporal irregularity via randomness or chaos (stochastic, chaotic)
• structured repetition through looped values (periodic) they collectively enable deterministic, expressive, and varied control of time - essential for phrase design, density shaping, and articulation.

• envelope-based release - handled by envelope, not duration
• polyphonic overlap resolution - managed by voicing and energy
• audio-reactive length modulation - non-deterministic, excluded by design

duration defines the temporal footprint of each event in a compositionally structured way. combined with loudness, voicing, and envelope, it enables expressive shaping of gesture, pacing, and layering - fully compatible with both grid-based and field-based onset logic.