Mix Up Your Sound with Proportional Elements

By Paul Ziino

Looking for some “unpredictability” in your clocks?  Just trying to keep things sounding fresh?  Here’s an idea…try using Proportional clock elements.

Let’s assume you have three categories: A, B, and C.  Half the time you’d like an A, and half the time you’d like a B or C.  Use a Proportional element to get just that ratio.

In the pull-down menu in the Element field in your clock, select Proportional.  Then set the ratio among the categories of your choosing.

In this example we’re using a 2:1:1 ratio of A:B:C.  Now, this doesn’t mean that you’ll always hear two A’s in this position, then a B and then a C.  Rather, over the course of time, you’ll have a 2:1:1 ratio of A:B:C in that position.  You could get five A’s before a B or C comes into that clock position.  But, over time, that requested ratio would be realized.

Here’s another idea:  Use a Proportional element to vary your gold library categories.  Just as in the example above, you can pick the categories and proportions—you’ll still get a gold, but which category will vary rather than being the same category in the same position every time.

There are lots of ways to add a layer of unpredictability to your clocks, and Proportional elements are just one of those ways.