Retriggering is a
tracker technique in which a
sample
Sample or samples may refer to:
* Sample (graphics), an intersection of a color channel and a pixel
* Sample (material), a specimen or small quantity of something
* Sample (signal), a digital discrete sample of a continuous analog signal
* Sample ...
is replayed a set number of times within a certain timeframe.
Basic theory of tracker time
Traditional music
trackers cut time into "ticks" based on the system clock of the hardware the
software
Software consists of computer programs that instruct the Execution (computing), execution of a computer. Software also includes design documents and specifications.
The history of software is closely tied to the development of digital comput ...
is running on. For every tick, one event can take place. This event could be a sample playing, a volume changing, an effect taking place or a sample ceasing to play. This allows the musician to visually organize time in a gridwork of cells in which to set these events into motion, and thus decide the overall tempo of the music. This "
time signature
A time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, and measure signature) is an indication in music notation that specifies how many note values of a particular type fit into each measure ( bar). The time signature indicates th ...
" can be altered programmatically throughout the piece of music, allowing tempo to rise, shift, swerve erratically or any combination of these as the musician sees fit.
The retrigger effect
For tracker musicians working at very slow speeds, the need to escape the confines of this time-grid is often apparent. For instance a musician might want to add a drum roll, but lack the time resolution to do so effectively. The retrigger effect allows this by calling an event that tells the software to replay the triggered sample at a set rate within the timeframe of the tick on which the event transpires. This ability to circumvent this one rigid limitation of the typical music tracker software has become a staple of the tracker scene, in some cases inspiring artist names and album titles based on the concept of retriggering.
See also
*
Snare rush
''Snare rush'' is a term often used in electro culture to refer to impossibly fast rolls. A snare rush can vary in tempo considerably, from 16th notes even to 2048th notes. At that sort of speed, the effect is a buzzing sound, but with a detec ...
References
Sound production
Audio trackers
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