Nolan was already creating short rhythmic loops, but he found it difficult to develop them into longer compositions with several connected sections. He often added new layers without defining their purpose, which caused the structure to become crowded. The section maps and explanations about changing density while preserving the central rhythmic motif were particularly useful to him.
“The section maps helped me see where a beat needed development and where it only needed more space.”

Maren had experience working with musical phrases, but she found it difficult to combine them with rhythm and low-frequency movement without excessive overlap. Several elements in her compositions often occupied the same positions and competed for attention. The diagrams separating central, supporting, and background layers, together with the exercises on open pauses, were especially useful to her. “The layer diagrams showed me that every sound does not need to be active at the same time.”