{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/rhythm-composition--t219","type":"mechanic","id":"rhythm-composition--t219","lang":"en","title":"Beat matching and timing windows","summary":"The player presses the matching button as a cue reaches a timing line. A visible rhythm and timing window connect input to the music.","updatedAt":"2026-10-21","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/rhythm-composition--t219/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/rhythm-composition--t219.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/rhythm-composition--t219.md","aliases":["Rhythm timing"],"tags":["Sound, music and rhythm","Mechanics and variants"],"sourceIds":["source-f20454367eeff3c4","source-df9ed2d1b2e7ac06"],"sources":[{"id":"source-f20454367eeff3c4","title":"Godot: Sync the gameplay with audio and music","url":"https://docs.godotengine.org/en/stable/tutorials/audio/sync_with_audio.html","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-df9ed2d1b2e7ac06","title":"Spiritfarer","url":"https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Rhythm matching compares input time with a musical reference event and translates timing error into an understandable result."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Mechanic variants\n\n<a id=\"t219-variants\"></a>\n\n- Timing windows grade input precision. <a id=\"t219-v1\"></a>\n- Held notes test both onset and duration. <a id=\"t219-v2\"></a>\n- Syncopation places actions between strong beats. <a id=\"t219-v3\"></a>\n- Calibration compensates a constant playback delay. <a id=\"t219-v4\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"A short note evaluates press timing while a long note also requires timely release.\n\nPrototype check: Test early and late presses under the chosen rule and measure audio and input latency separately."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"Musical action connects beat position, movement form and sound selection through shared feedback rules. Each overview separates player actions, state changes and alternative rules. Examples are hypothetical design scenarios, not claims about a named game. A prototype check states an observable question for the next iteration. Existing detailed references remain separately linked from the direction map."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"rhythm-composition","id":"t219","title":"Sound, music and rhythm","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/rhythm-composition/#t219","categoryIds":["mechanics"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-21","title":"Rhythm timing","description":"The player presses the matching button as a cue reaches a timing line. A visible rhythm and timing window connect input to the music.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/spiritfarer-rhythm.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"Spiritfarer","sourceUrl":"https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/","originalUrl":"https://thunderlotusgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Spiritfarer-SCREENSHOTS-09.jpg","credit":"Thunder Lotus","rights":"© Thunder Lotus. All rights reserved.","caption":"A musical action in the garden","alt":"Spiritfarer: musical lines above the garden carry X, Y and B button cues, with a green bar marking the playing position.","markers":[{"x":50,"y":42,"label":"The timing line"},{"x":63,"y":30,"label":"An approaching button cue"}]},"tips":["Allow input and audio latency calibration.","Distinguish early, accurate and late presses."],"examples":[{"title":"Spiritfarer","url":"https://thunderlotusgames.com/press-kits/spiritfarer-press-kit/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Original bilingual editorial overviews authored for gamemechanics.pro on 2026-10-20 and reviewed on 2026-10-21. Scenarios are hypothetical design examples; prototype checks describe work to perform, not completed playtests. Primary sources support the stated techniques and implementation context, not every proposed variant.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/rhythm-composition"}}