Strudelify
Never Let Me Down Again cover art

1987 · Music for the Masses

Never Let Me Down Again

Depeche Mode

KeyC majorTempo109 bpm
0:00/0:00
// Never Let Me Down Again — Depeche Mode
// 109 bpm, 4/4, key C major. Source: midi.
// Generated by strudelify. One cycle = one bar.
// note: ch 7 "wet synth bass" named as a bass, played on synth bass 1 (its distortion guitar patch is not one); ch 8 "flat synth bass" named as a bass, played on synth bass 1 (its distortion guitar patch is not one); ch 5 "fretless bass" named as a bass, played on fretless bass (its bassoon patch is not one)
// note: duplicate parts dropped: ch 5 "fretless bass" fretless bass (copy of ch 7 "wet synth bass" synth bass 1)
// note: Full arrangement: all 128 bars on a 16-step grid, each part at one level. Source detail keeps the original performance.
setcpm(109/4)

// Notation: c3@3 lasts 3 steps · ~ is a rest · [c3,e3] is a chord · "a, b" plays two voices at once · [...]/2 spreads a riff over 2 bars.
// A part's distinct bars are riffs (A, B, C...) played in order, A@4 for four bars: edit a riff to change every repeat.

// chords · brass section · "Synth Guitar"
const brass_section = note(`<
  A B A B A B A B C@8 D E F@2 G@2 H@2 I@2 H@2 J@2 K L G@2 H@2 D E F@2 M@4 N@2 O@2 C@4 G@2 H@2 I@2 H@2 J@2 K L G@2 H@2 D
  P@3 M@4 N@2 O@2 Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S T Q R S U
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "[g2,g3]@2 [g2,g3] ~ [g2,g3,g4] ~ [g2,g3]@2 [g2,g3,f4]@2 [g2,g3,g4] ~ [g2,g3]@2 [g2,g3,g4]@2", // G G7 G
  B: "[g2,g3] ~ [g2,g3,g4]@2 [g2,g3] ~ [g2,g3,g4] ~ [g2,g3,f4]@2 [g2,g3,g4] ~ [g2,g3,f4] ~ [g2,g3,g4]@2", // G G7 G G7 G
  C: "[~@4 d4@3 ~ c4@2 d4@2 f4 ~ d4@6 d4@3 ~ c4 ~ d4 ~ f4@2 a3@6 a3@3 ~ g3@2 a3 ~ c4@2 a3@4 a3@2 a3 ~ a3 ~ g3@2 a3 ~ g3 ~ f3@2]/4",
  D: "d3@4 d4 ~ d3 ~ c4@2 d4@4 d4@2", E: "c4@4 c5@2 c4 ~ a#4@2 c5@2 c4 ~ [b3,g4]@2",
  F: "[[b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4]@2 ~@2 [b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,g4]@2 [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4] ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~]/2", // Em Bdim Em Bdim Em Bdim Em
  G: "[a4@4 ~@4 a4@2 a4@2 g#4 ~ a4@6 a4@2 g4@2 a4@3 ~ a4@3 ~, ~@4 [d4,f4]@11 ~@5 [c4,e4]@11 ~]/2", // Dm C
  H: "[~@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~@3 [b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,g4]@2 [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4] ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~]/2", // Em Bdim Em Bdim Em Bdim Em
  I: "[a4@4 ~@2 a4@6 a4@2 a4@4 g#4@2 a4 ~ g#4@2 a4@2 g#4 ~ a4@3 ~, ~@4 [d4,f4]@11 ~@5 [c4,e4]@11 ~]/2", // Dm C
  J: "[a4@2 a4@4 a4@3 ~ a4@4 ~@4 a4@3 ~ a4@5 ~@5, [d4,f4] [c4,e4], ~@7 a4@2 ~@7]/2", // Dm C
  K: "a4@2 a4@4 a4@3 ~ a4 ~ a4@3 ~, [b3,d4]", L: "a4 ~ a4@4 a4@5 ~@5, [d4,f4]",
  M: "[~@8 c5@2 c5@4 ~@8 a#4 ~ a#4@2 a#4 ~ a#4 ~@11 a#4@2 a#4@3 ~@3 [c4,f4,a4]@6 f4@2 f4 ~ g4@2 f4 ~ g4 ~, c5@4 ~@3 a#4@4 ~@4 a#4@5 ~@3 c5@4 ~@5, ~@4 [c4,d#4,g4]@11 ~@5 [a#3,d4,f4]@11 ~@5 [a#3,d4,g4]@11 ~@17]/4", // F Cm A# Gm
  N: "[~@4 c5 ~ a#4@2 c5 ~ a#4 ~ c5@2 ~@6 a#4 ~ a4@2 a#4@2 a4 ~ a#4@2 a4@2, [c4,d#4,g4] [a#3,d4,f4], ~@7 a#4@3 ~@6]/2", // Cm A#
  O: "[a#4@4 a#4@3 ~ a#4@2 a#4 ~ a#4 ~@3 [c4,f4,a4]@6 f4@2 f4 ~ g4@2 f4 ~ g4 ~, [a#3,d4,g4] ~, ~@7 c5@4 ~@5]/2", // F Gm
  P: "[c4@4 c5 ~ c4@2 a#4 ~ c5 ~ c4@2 [b3,g4]@6 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~@3 [b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,g4]@2 [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4] ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~]/3", // Em Bdim Em Bdim Em Bdim Em
  Q: "[d4,f4,a4]@8 [a4,d5,f5]@7 ~", R: "[c4,e4,g4]@8 [c5,e5,g5]@7 ~", S: "[c4,e4,a4] [c5,e5,a5]",
  T: "[d4,g4,a#4]@8 a#4 ~ a4@2 g4 ~ a4 ~, ~@8 [d5,g5]@7 ~", U: "[d4,g4,a#4]@8 a#4@2 a4@2 g4 ~@3, ~@8 [d5,g5]@7 ~",
})).s("gm_brass_section").gain(0.35)

// chords · piano · "Synth Piano"
const piano = note(`<
  ~@16 A B@3 ~@2 C@2 ~@2 C@2 ~@6 C@2 A B@3 ~ D ~@6 E@4 ~@2 C@2 ~@2 C@2 ~@6 C@2 A B@3 ~@56
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "d3@4 d4 ~ d3 ~ c4@2 d4@4 d4@2",
  B: "[c4@4 c5@2 c4 ~ a#4@2 c5@2 c4 ~ [b3,g4]@6 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4]@2 ~@2 [b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,g4]@2 [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4] ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~]/3", // Em Bdim Em Bdim Em Bdim Em
  C: "[~@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4]@2 ~@2 [b3,g4]@4 [b3,g4]@3 ~ [b3,g4]@2 [b3,f4] ~ [b3,g4] ~ [b3,f4]@2 [b3,g4] ~]/2", // Em Bdim Em Bdim Em Bdim Em
  D: "~@6 a#4 ~ a#4@2 a#4 ~ a#4 ~ a#4@2, a#4@3 ~@5, ~@4 [a#3,d4,f4]@11 ~", // A#
  E: "[~@4 d4@3 ~ c4@2 d4@2 f4 ~ d4@6 d4@3 ~ c4 ~ d4 ~ f4@2 a3@6 a3@3 ~ g3@2 a3 ~ c4@2 a3@4 a3@2 a3 ~ a3 ~ g3@2 a3 ~ g3 ~ f3@2]/4",
})).s("gm_piano").gain(0.48)

// chords · acoustic guitar nylon · "Swells"
const acoustic_guitar_nylon = note(`<
  ~@40 A B C D E F G D ~@24 A B C H I F G H J K L M J K L N J K L N J K L N J K L N J K L N J K L N J K L N J K L N J K
  L N J K L N J K L N
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "~@4 [c4,d#4,g4]@11 ~", B: "~@4 [a#3,d4,f4]@11 ~", C: "~@4 [a#3,d4,g4]@11 ~", D: "[c4,f4,a4]@3 ~@5",
  E: "~@6 c5 ~, [c4,d#4,g4]", F: "[a#3,d4,f4]", G: "[a#3,d4,g4]", H: "[c4,f4,a4]@3 ~@4 g4", I: "[c4,d#4,g4]",
  J: "[d4,f4,a4]@8 [a4,d5,f5]@7 ~", K: "[c4,e4,g4]@8 [c5,e5,g5]@7 ~", L: "[c4,e4,a4]@8 [c5,e5,a5]@7 ~",
  M: "[d4,g4,a#4]@8 [d5,g5]@6 a4 ~", N: "[d4,g4,a#4]@8 [d5,g5]@7 ~",
})).s("gm_acoustic_guitar_nylon").gain(0.22)

// bass · synth bass 1 · "wet synth bass"
const bass = note(`<
  ~@8 A B C D A B C D A B E@2 A B E@2 A B E@2 F G H I A B E@2 A B E@2 B J K C B J K C A B C D A B E@2 A B E@2 F G H I A
  B E@2 A B E@2 B J K C B J K C L M N O L M N O L M N O L M N O L M N O L M N O ~@24
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "d2@4 d3@3 ~ d2 ~ d2@2 d3@3 ~", B: "c2@4 c3@3 ~ c2 ~ c2@2 c3@3 ~", C: "f2@4 f3@3 ~ f2@2 f2 ~ f3@3 ~",
  D: "d#2@4 d#3@3 ~ d#2@2 d#2@2 d#3@3 ~", E: "g2@2 g2 ~ g3 ~ g3@2 g2 ~ g2 ~ g3@2 g3 ~",
  F: "d2@2 d3 ~ d2@2 d3@2 d2@3 ~ d3@4", G: "c2@2 c3 ~ c2 ~ c3@2 c2 ~ c2 ~ c3@3 ~",
  H: "g1@2 g2@2 g1 ~ g2 ~ g1@3 ~ g2@3 ~", I: "a#1 ~ a#2@2 a#1@2 a#2 ~ a#1@2 a#1@2 c2@3 ~",
  J: "a#1@4 a#2@3 ~ a#1 ~ a#1@2 a#2@3 ~", K: "g2@4 g3@3 ~ g2 ~ g2@2 g3@3 ~", L: "d2@4 d3 ~ d2 ~ d2@3 ~ d3@3 ~",
  M: "c2@4 c3@2 c2 ~ c2@3 ~ c3@3 ~", N: "a2@4 a3@2 a2 ~ a2@3 ~ a3@3 ~", O: "g2@4 g3@2 g2@2 g2@3 ~ g3@3 ~",
})).s("gm_synth_bass_1").gain(0.24)

// bass · synth bass 1 · "flat synth bass"
const bass_2 = note(`<
  ~@20 A@2 ~@2 B C ~@2 D E F G A@2 ~@6 H@4 I@2 J@2 ~@4 A@2 ~@2 B C ~@2 D E F G A@2 ~@6 H@4 I@2 J@2 ~@8 K@8 L@2 M N L@2 M
  N ~@24
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "[a2@4 ~@4 a2 ~ a2@2 g#2 ~ a2@5 ~ a2@2 g2@2 a2@3 ~ a2@3 ~]/2", B: "a2@5 ~ a2@6 a2@2 a2@2",
  C: "~@2 g#2@2 a2 ~ g#2 ~ a2@2 g#2 ~ a2@3 ~", D: "a2@2 a2@4 a2@3 ~ a2@4 a2@2", E: "~@2 a2@3 ~ a2@5 ~@5",
  F: "a2@2 a2@4 a2@3 ~ a2 ~ a2@3 ~", G: "a2 ~ a2@4 a2@5 ~@5",
  H: "[c3@8 c3@2 c3@4 a#2@7 ~ a#2 ~ a#2@2 a#2@2 a#2 ~ a#2@9 ~ a#2 ~ a#2@3 ~ c3@7 ~@11]/4",
  I: "[~@4 c3 ~ a#2@2 c3 ~ a#2 ~ c3@2 a#2@5 ~ a#2 ~ a2 ~ a#2@2 a2 ~ a#2@2 a2@2]/2",
  J: "[a#2@4 a#2@3 ~ a#2@2 a#2@2 a#2 ~ c3@7 ~@11]/2", K: "[~@4 a2@2 g2@2 a2@3 ~ a2@2 a2@9 ~@9]/2",
  L: "[d3@4 c3@2 d3@5 ~ c3 ~ d3@5 ~ c3@2 d3@5 ~@5]/2", M: "~@4 a2@2 g2@2 a2@3 ~ a2@2 a2@2", N: "a#2@4 a2 ~ f2@5 ~@5",
})).s("gm_synth_bass_1").gain(0.24)

// chords · pad sweep · "final lead"
const pad_sweep = note("<~@88 A@2 B@2 A@2 C D E@2 F G E@2 F G ~@24>".pickRestart({
  A: "[~@4 a5@2 g5@2 a5@3 ~ a5@2 a5@9 ~@9]/2", B: "[~@4 a5@2 g5@2 a5@3 ~ a5@2 a5@9 ~ a#5@2 a5@2 g5 ~ a5@2]/2",
  C: "~@4 a5 ~ g5@2 a5@3 ~ a5@2 a5@2", D: "a5@8 a#5@2 a5 ~ g5@2 a5@2",
  E: "[d6@4 c6@2 ~@6 c6 ~@7 c6@2 ~@2 [e5,g5]@8, [f5,a5]@8 [f5,a5]@7 ~ [e5,g5]@8 ~@8, ~@6 d6@5 ~@3 d6@5 ~@3 d6@5 ~@5]/2", // Em F Em
  F: "~@4 a5@2 g5@2 a5@3 ~ a5@2 a5@2, [c5,e5]@8 [c5,e5]@7 ~", G: "a#5@4 a5 ~@3 [a#4,d5]@8, [a#4,d5] ~, ~@6 f5@5 ~@5",
})).s("gm_pad_sweep").gain(0.24)

// drums · kick
const kick = s("bd").struct("<A B A B A B A C A@7 B A@12 D@7 A@19 E A D A D A@4 F G H A@6 D@4 A@51 I>".pickRestart({
  A: "x!8", B: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!2", C: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!4", D: "x!3 ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~",
  E: "~ x!2 ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~", F: "x!3 ~ x ~ x ~ x!3 ~ x ~ x ~", G: "x!4 ~ x!3",
  H: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!3 ~ x ~ x ~", I: "x!7 ~",
})).gain(0.08)

// drums · snare
const snare = s("sd").struct("<~@7 A B@7 C B@12 D@8 B@18 D B D E D E B E B F G H G@2 B@4 F@4 E@4 B@47 I>".pickRestart({
  A: "~@13 x!3", B: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x!2", C: "x ~@3 x ~@3 x ~@3 x ~ x!2", D: "x!3 ~ x ~@3 x ~@3 x ~ x ~",
  E: "x!3 ~ x ~ x!2", F: "x!2 ~@2 x ~@3 x ~@3 x ~ x ~", G: "x ~ x ~ x!4", H: "x ~@3 x ~@3 x!3 ~ x ~ x ~", I: "x!4",
})).gain(0.56)

// drums · hihat
const hihat = s("hh").struct("<~@8 A@8 B@20 C@4 D@8 E@4 D@2 F D B@4 G@4 H@2 I J K@4 L@4 M@4 ~@10 N@37 O>".pickRestart({
  A: "x!3 ~ x ~@3 x!3 ~ x ~@3", B: "x!3 ~ x ~ x ~ x!3 ~ x ~ x ~", C: "x!16", D: "x!8", E: "x!3 ~ x ~@3 x ~@3 x ~@3",
  F: "x!3 ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~", G: "~@2 x!6", H: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!7 ~", I: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!3 ~",
  J: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x!5 ~", K: "x ~ x ~ x ~ x!2", L: "x!3 ~ x ~@3 x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~", M: "x!3 ~ x!4",
  N: "x ~ x!3 ~ x!2", O: "x ~ x!3 ~ x ~",
})).gain(0.56)

// drums · mid tom
const mid_tom = s("mt").struct("<~@7 A ~@7 B ~@12 C@8 ~@54 D@37 E>".pickRestart({
  A: "~@13 x!3", B: "~@12 x ~ x!2", C: "x!3 ~@13", D: "~@2 x!2 ~@2 x!2", E: "~@2 x!2 ~@2 x ~",
})).gain(0.56)

// drums · crash
const crash = s("cr").struct(`<
  ~@8 A ~@7 A@4 B C@7 D@2 E D E@2 D@2 F@4 A@12 G@2 H I G@4 J@4 A@4 G@8 K@4 G@48
>`.pickRestart({
  A: "x", B: "x!2 ~@2 x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~", C: "x!8", D: "x!3 ~ x!12", E: "x!3 ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~ x ~", F: "x!4",
  G: "x!2", H: "~ x ~ x", I: "x!3 ~ x ~ x!2", J: "x!2 ~@14", K: "x ~ x ~@5 x ~ x ~ x!3 ~",
})).gain(0.56)

stack(brass_section, piano, acoustic_guitar_nylon, bass, bass_2, pad_sweep, kick, snare, hihat, mid_tom, crash)

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