--- key: mechanic/trackpad--family-08 type: mechanic id: trackpad--family-08 lang: en title: 'Chords, roles and sequences' summary: >- Multiple contacts receive independent roles. AudioSwift maps trackpad zones to notes, letting contacts combine into musical actions. updatedAt: '2026-10-22' status: active url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-08/' jsonUrl: >- https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-08.json markdownUrl: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/trackpad--family-08.md' aliases: [] tags: - Trackpad interactions - Mechanics catalog sourceIds: - source-80fb36760a664f26 - source-27c6b989daeb79c9 - source-fd215230c062deb7 sources: - id: source-80fb36760a664f26 title: 'AppKit: contacts and system gestures' url: >- https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html verifiedAt: null - id: source-27c6b989daeb79c9 title: 'libinput: swipe, pinch, hold' url: 'https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html' verifiedAt: null - id: source-fd215230c062deb7 title: AudioSwift url: 'https://audioswiftapp.com/' verifiedAt: null relations: [] placements: - catalogId: trackpad id: family-08 title: Trackpad interactions url: 'https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/trackpad/#family-08' categoryIds: - section-1 supersededBy: [] attributes: preview: updatedAt: '2026-10-22' title: 'Chords, roles and sequences' description: >- Multiple contacts receive independent roles. AudioSwift maps trackpad zones to notes, letting contacts combine into musical actions. image: src: images/mechanics/control-audioswift-4.webp width: 1024 height: 576 game: AudioSwift sourceUrl: 'https://audioswiftapp.com/' originalUrl: >- https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/z7hef1ztnd56mheic3wgn/05-Core-Features-Triggers-MPE.mp4?rlkey=ao0d1fw6tnmt2sa4nsc36eccx&st=zyrj4jr0&raw=1 sourceFrameSeconds: 2.8166665 credit: Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights rights: >- Imagery © Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. caption: 'AudioSwift Trigger: the note grid maps to trackpad zones' alt: 'AudioSwift Trigger: the note grid maps to trackpad zones' markers: - x: 36 'y': 74 label: The grid divides the surface into independently assigned zones tips: - Preserve contact roles as fingers join and leave the surface. examples: - title: AudioSwift url: 'https://audioswiftapp.com/' endsAt: null provenance: >- Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. license: CC-BY-4.0 codeLicense: MIT attribution: gamemechanics.pro contributors catalogKey: catalog/trackpad --- # Chords, roles and sequences id: trackpad--family-08 type: mechanic key: mechanic/trackpad--family-08 lang: en status: active url: https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/trackpad--family-08/ Multiple contacts receive independent roles. AudioSwift maps trackpad zones to notes, letting contacts combine into musical actions. ## At a glance ![AudioSwift Trigger: the note grid maps to trackpad zones](https://gamemechanics.pro/images/mechanics/control-audioswift-4.webp) [AudioSwift](https://audioswiftapp.com/) · Imagery © Nigel Ríos; host apps and instruments retain their respective rights. Developer-distributed screenshot or frame; all rights reserved. Excluded from MIT and CC BY 4.0. [Source recording](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/z7hef1ztnd56mheic3wgn/05-Core-Features-Triggers-MPE.mp4?rlkey=ao0d1fw6tnmt2sa4nsc36eccx&st=zyrj4jr0&raw=1), 2.8166665 s 1. The grid divides the surface into independently assigned zones - Preserve contact roles as fingers join and leave the surface. - [AudioSwift](https://audioswiftapp.com/) ## How it works Combinations of contacts and their order distribute roles between fingers and allow you to compose commands from several phases. ## Variants ### Variants and applications - Number of fingers as mode. Gesture: One, two or three touches enable different functions. In the interface: One contact draws, two move, three change the tool. In the game: Change the type of action without a separate button. Access level: Separate contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The OS may already use such a grammar and not give all touches to the application. - Spatial chord. Gesture: Touch a certain set of zones at the same time. In the interface: Command combinations, chord keyboard. In the game: Musical chords, rune combination, several valves. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The coordinates of several contacts are needed; The number of fingers in itself does not determine the chord. - Hold plus tap. Gesture: One contact holds the state, the other briefly touches. In the interface: Temporary modifier plus command. In the game: Shield and strike, aim and shoot. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Thumb filtering may remove the reference contact. - Hold plus movement. Gesture: The first contact fixes the mode, the second continuously moves. In the interface: Editing with a modifier, fine adjustment. In the game: Block and direction of protection, capture and rotation. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: For a regular cursor, instead of a support finger, you can use a key. - Two independent channels. Gesture: Move two contacts along two controlled values. In the interface: Two sliders, XY-control with separate roles. In the game: Two rackets, two hands, gas and brake. Access level: Separate contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: One system pointer does not turn into two. Check the panel area and hand comfort. - Alternating fingers. Gesture: Alternately touch with two tracked contacts. In the interface: Drum input, metronome, motor training. In game: Running, rowing, drumming. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Two regular clicks allow you to enter a rhythm, but do not prove the alternation of physical fingers. - Walking contacts. Gesture: Consistently rearrange fingers while maintaining at least one support. In the interface: Navigation on a surface with continuous contact. In the game: Climbing, walking of a creature, transfer of robot supports. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on a device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The role must be assigned by contact and context, and not by guessing which finger it is. - Staging order. Gesture: Count different sequences of appearance of contacts using different commands. In the interface: Gesture code, switching a tool. In the game: Lock, combination of actions, sequential activation of mechanisms. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on a device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The order of events does not always accurately reflect almost simultaneous touches. - Removal procedure. Gesture: Distinguish which of the assigned contacts is released first. In the interface: Different ways to confirm and complete. In the game: Release one grab, transfer a load, end a combination. Access level: Individual contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: Stable identifiers within the sequence and separate cancellation processing are needed. - Adding or removing a finger while moving. Gesture: Switch mode while maintaining the current trajectory. In the interface: Precision mode, change tools without stopping. In the game: Switch from walking to running, change the type of impact in the swing. Access level: Separate contacts; You need access to coordinates, phases and contact IDs. The presence of multitouch on the device does not guarantee this. Conditions: The OS recognizer can end one gesture and begin another; The transition cannot be considered continuous by default. ## Context and limits Author's working classification for designing games and interactions. Options can overlap and combine; the list is not a generally accepted standard or proven exhaustive list. Application examples are conditional unless a specific verifiable observation is indicated nearby. Sources support individual techniques and technical limitations. ## Connected materials ## Sources and provenance Original editorial design catalog consolidated from project discussions on 2026-10-20. Complete discussion item lists and contextual limitations are preserved; linked primary sources support specific techniques, not the entire classification. English translation was prepared with machine assistance and editorial review. - [AppKit: contacts and system gestures](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/Cocoa/Conceptual/EventOverview/HandlingTouchEvents/HandlingTouchEvents.html) (id: source-80fb36760a664f26) - [libinput: swipe, pinch, hold](https://wayland.freedesktop.org/libinput/doc/latest/gestures.html) (id: source-27c6b989daeb79c9) - [AudioSwift](https://audioswiftapp.com/) (id: source-fd215230c062deb7) CC-BY-4.0 · gamemechanics.pro contributors