Tidal's n selects a sample by index while note pitches a sample up or down
In Tidal, n and note mean different things for samples versus synths. For synths they are identical and both set pitch (0 = C on the fifth octave, 12 = an octave up). For samples, n selects which file in the folder by index (alphabetical, zero-based), while note pitches the chosen sample up or down by that many semitones — and because transposition changes playback speed, the sample’s duration changes too. Using note on a sampled instrument turns one-shots into melodic voices. Both accept patterns.
Examples
d1 $ n "0 4 7" # sound "superpiano" -- synth: C E G
d1 $ note "0 4 7" # sound "superpiano" -- identical for a synth
d1 $ sound "bd*4" # n "<0 4>" # note "0 12 -7 -12" -- sample: pick file, transpose
Assessment
On a synth, play 0/4/7 with note. On the ‘bd’ sample set, use n to pick different files and note to transpose one file. Describe how the sound differs between selecting a file and transposing.