(in-package #:cl-collider)
(in-package #:cl-patterns)

;;; so the copied from supercollider examples is
;; {
;;   var snare, bdrum, hihat;
;;   var tempo = 4;
;;   tempo = Impulse.ar(tempo); // for a drunk drummer replace Impulse with Dust !!!
;;   snare = WhiteNoise.ar(Decay2.ar(PulseDivider.ar(tempo, 4, 2), 0.005, 0.5));
;;   bdrum = SinOsc.ar(Line.ar(120,60, 1), 0, Decay2.ar(PulseDivider.ar(tempo, 4, 0), 0.005, 0.5));
;;   hihat = HPF.ar(WhiteNoise.ar(1), 10000) * Decay2.ar(tempo, 0.005, 0.5);
;;   Out.ar(0, (snare + bdrum + hihat) * 0.4 ! 2)
;; }.play


;; and that didn't work
;; (defsynth snare ()
;;   (out.ar 0 (decay2.ar (pulse-divider.ar 4 4 2) 0.005 0.5))
;;   ;; (white-noise.ar (decay2.ar (pulse-divider.ar 4 4 2) 0.005 0.5))
;;   )
;; (synth :snare)
;; (stop)

;;; advice I got:
;; As for your question about the snare synthdef, pulse-divider doesn't actually generate any triggers on its own, it just outputs a trigger every div triggers. So instead you could try something like this:
(in-package #:cl-collider)
(defsynth snare ()
  (out.ar 0 (white-noise.ar (decay2.ar (pulse-divider.ar (impulse.ar 4) 4 2) 0.005 0.5))))
;; (synth :snare)
;; (stop)
;;
;; yup. that works (in a loop)
;; now I want to figure out that :free thing

;;; continuation of advice
;; But if you just want to use snare in a pattern, I would write it like this:

(defsynth snare ((amp 0.5) (out 0))
  (out.ar out (* amp (white-noise.ar (env-gen.ar (env (list 0 1 0) (list 0.005 0.5)) :act :free)))))

;; that's a bit longer that I'd like


(in-package #:cl-patterns)
(pb :test
  :instrument :snare
  :dur 1
  ;; :amp (pwhite 0.0 0.5)
  :pfindur 4)
;; (play :test)
;; (end :test)
;;
;; ok, that works
;;
;; of the things I really should do, is go and read
;; about Envelope generators, ones that have that :act :free thing
;;
;; one other thing - is to get one or two other drums and mock up a beat

;; well, if I'm doing this in small steps, let's read about envelope
;; and make first snare synth usable in patterns
;;
;; tried to read just about EnvGen  and  Env
;; https://doc.sccode.org/Classes/EnvGen.html
;; https://doc.sccode.org/Classes/Env.html
;;
;; then got directed to the Tutorial, good idea to read it,
;; if not previous "first tutorial", then on concepts:
;; http://doc.sccode.org/Tutorials/Streams-Patterns-Events1.html