Tidal # keeps the left structure and takes the right value; |+| combines both structures and does arithmetic

Tidal’s combining operators differ in what they do to structure. # is equivalent to |>: it keeps the left pattern’s structure and takes the right pattern’s value. The combine operators |+|, |-|, || combine both structures — intersecting the two rhythms — and apply arithmetic to the values. So sound “bd4” |+| speed “1 2” layers two speeds and intersects the rhythms, changing both the values and the resulting rhythm; using # instead would keep only the left rhythm. The arrows point at the structure-winner: |> takes the right value but the right side’s structure, <| the left’s. Picking the wrong operator silently drops events you expected.

Examples

sound “bd4” # speed 2 // keep bd4 rhythm, apply speed 2 sound “bd*4” |+| speed “1 2” // intersect rhythms AND add speeds

Assessment

Contrast what # and |+| each do to structure and value in Tidal, and explain what “the arrow points at the structure-winner” means.