Well, i am glad you got it to work, but maybe, just maybe, this is not the best way to solve your problem. Me? I'd tackle it with a +200 CPAN module named Parse::RecDescent, but that's just me ...

UPDATE:
... that is, if you are doing what i think you are doing ... what are you doing? That is some of the craziest Perl code i have seen in a while, FWIIW.

I am impressed, i think ...

jeffa

L-LL-L--L-LL-L--L-LL-L--
-R--R-RR-R--R-RR-R--R-RR
B--B--B--B--B--B--B--B--
H---H---H---H---H---H---
(the triplet paradiddle with high-hat)