Experimental Polyrhythm
Genre: Experimental · Tempo: 128 BPM · Time signature: 4/4 · Length: 32 steps · Style: 3-against-4 cross-rhythm programming
Open this pattern in the interactive Patchpad (with playback)
The pattern
| Instrument | Steps (1 = start of the bar) | Velocity | Timing and chance |
|---|
| kick | 1, 5, 9, 13, 17, 21, 25, 29 | 108 | on the grid, always plays |
| hat-closed | 3, 7, 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31 | 55 | on the grid, always plays |
| perc1 | 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 | 65 | on the grid, always plays |
| snare | 13, 29 | 95 | on the grid, always plays |
Digitakt II
Tracks
- T1: kick
- T2: hat-closed
- T3: perc1
- T4: snare
Settings
- Perc1 (T3) hits land on steps 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 — every 3rd sixteenth — while kick (T1) and hat-closed (T2) hold the straight 4-feel; TRIG PARAMETERS microTiming stays at exactly 0 on every hit across all tracks so the polyrhythm reads purely from placement
- Step 13 and step 29 (snare, T4): TRIG PARAMETERS VEL locked to 95 and AMP page VOL p-locked around 5 above the pattern's base level — the audible realignment point where the 3-pulse and 4-pulse nearly coincide
- Perc1 (T3): FLTR page 1 machine LEGACY with TYPE Highpass (2-pole), FREQ around 70 to give it a distinct, cutting timbre separate from hat-closed's broadband click
Digitone II
Tracks
- T1: kick (ALGO 4 plain carrier)
- T2: hat-closed (high-FDBK FM noise)
- T3: perc1 (ALGO 1 plain carrier, distinct pitch from hat-closed)
- T4: snare (moderate-FDBK FM noise)
Settings
- Perc1 (T3) hits land on steps 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31 — every 3rd sixteenth — while kick (T1) and hat-closed (T2) hold the straight 4-feel; TRIG PARAMETERS microTiming stays at exactly 0 on every hit across all tracks so the polyrhythm reads purely from placement, not timing humanization
- Kick (T1) base sound: SYN page 1 ALGO 4, RATIO C 0.50 (plain carrier, envelope-affected). AMP page ATK 0, DEC 60, REL 30
- Hat-closed (T2) base sound: SYN page 1 FDBK 95, FLTR page 1 TYPE toward HP (~90), AMP page DEC 18 for a short, dry click
- Perc1 (T3) base sound: SYN page 1 ALGO 1, RATIO C 3.00 (a higher, cutting ratio) with FLTR page 1 TYPE set to HP, FREQ 70 — a distinct timbre separate from hat-closed's broadband FM noise, so the ear can track the two competing pulses independently
- Step 13 and step 29 (snare, T4): TRIG PARAMETERS VEL locked to 95 and AMP page VOL p-locked ~5 above the pattern's base level — the audible realignment point where the 3-pulse and 4-pulse nearly coincide. SYN page 1 FDBK 80 for the base snare sound
Syntakt
Tracks
- T9: kick (BD CLASSIC)
- T10: snare (SD CLASSIC)
- T12: hat-closed (CH METALLIC)
- T1: perc1 (SY CHIP)
Settings
- Perc1 (T1, SY CHIP) hits land every 3rd sixteenth (steps 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31) against kick (T9)/hat-closed (T12)'s straight 4-feel; TRIG PARAMETERS microTiming stays at exactly 0 across every track so the cross-rhythm reads from placement alone
- Step 13 and step 29 (snare, T10, SD CLASSIC): AMP page VOL p-locked around 5 above the pattern's base level — the audible realignment point where the two pulses nearly coincide
- Perc1 (T1, SY CHIP): SYN page WAV1/WAV2 set to Square/Saw with NLEV near 0, so its timbre stays clearly separable from the analog kick/hat-closed layers
- Hat-closed (T12, CH METALLIC) is this pattern's only Analog Cymbal voice — the TRIG PARAMETERS COND parameter (e.g. an A:B condition) could be added here later for further metric experiments without needing a second cymbal track
Notes
A literal 3-against-4 polyrhythm: kick and hat hold a straight 4/4 pulse while perc1 repeats every 3 sixteenth-notes, so the two layers drift in and out of phase across the 2-bar loop and briefly realign at each beat-4 snare hit. An original, deliberately mechanical pattern for exploring cross-rhythm.
Patchpad is a free reference of drum patterns and synth patches written for real hardware: Digitakt II, Digitone II, Syntakt, Novation Summit, Arturia MiniFreak, Dreadbox Typhon and ASM Hydrasynth Desktop.