🥁 Polyrhythm Metronome with Complex Time Signatures
Professional polyrhythm metronome for musicians studying complex rhythms. Features dual rhythm tracks, visual beat indicators, Web Audio API precision, and support for common polyrhythmic patterns like 3:2, 4:3, and 5:4 ratios.
Polyrhythm Metronome:
4:3 Polyrhythm at 120 BPM
4 beats against 3 beats • Example pattern
Primary (4)
Secondary (3)
📊 Example Polyrhythm Analysis
Least Common Multiple
Rhythm Ratio
Full Pattern Time
💡 Example Pattern:
This 4:3 polyrhythm creates a 12-beat cycle where the primary rhythm completes 3 full cycles while the secondary rhythm completes 4 cycles. Perfect for developing rhythmic independence.
How to Use This Polyrhythm Metronome with Complex Time Signatures
How to Use the Polyrhythm Metronome
🎵 Quick Start Guide
- Select your polyrhythm pattern: Choose primary and secondary rhythm counts (e.g., 4 and 3 for a 4:3 polyrhythm)
- Set the tempo: Start with a slower BPM (80-100) for learning, increase speed as you improve
- Choose distinct sounds: Use different tones for each rhythm track to distinguish them clearly
- Enable visual feedback: Watch the beat indicators to understand the pattern visually
- Click "Create Metronome": Generate your interactive polyrhythm player
Practice Techniques
Start by simply listening to the polyrhythm without trying to play along. Focus on hearing how the two rhythms interact and where they align. Use the visual indicators to understand the mathematical relationship between the patterns.
Once you can hear the pattern clearly, try clapping along with just one rhythm while listening to the other. This develops rhythmic independence - a crucial skill for advanced musical performance.
Common Polyrhythm Patterns
- 3:2 (Three against Two): Most basic polyrhythm, common in folk music and classical pieces
- 4:3 (Four against Three): Popular in jazz and contemporary music, moderate difficulty
- 5:4 (Five against Four): Advanced pattern used in progressive music and complex compositions
- 7:4 (Seven against Four): Very advanced, creates long cycles with complex interactions
Advanced Features
The accent downbeats option emphasizes the first beat of each cycle, helping you track when patterns align. The auto-stop feature lets you practice specific numbers of complete cycles, useful for memorizing complex patterns.
Use different sound combinations to train your ear to distinguish rhythm layers. High/low pitch contrasts work well, as do different timbres like clicks versus beeps.
How It Works
How the Polyrhythm Engine Works
- Mathematical Analysis: The system calculates the Least Common Multiple (LCM) of your chosen rhythms to determine the complete cycle length. For example, 4:3 has an LCM of 12, meaning the pattern repeats every 12 beats.
- High-Precision Scheduling: Using the Web Audio API, each beat is scheduled against the audio context's sample-accurate timeline. This provides sub-millisecond timing precision that surpasses mechanical metronomes.
- Independent Track Generation: Two separate rhythm tracks are created with distinct audio characteristics. Each track follows its own timing divisions while maintaining synchronization to the master tempo.
- Visual Synchronization: Beat indicators use requestAnimationFrame for smooth 60fps visual feedback, synchronized to the audio timeline. Active beats are highlighted while maintaining the complete pattern visualization.
- Dynamic Audio Synthesis: Each sound type (click, beep, tick, bell) is generated using oscillators with specific frequency and envelope characteristics. Downbeat accents use increased amplitude for clear pattern recognition.
- Cycle Management: The system tracks complete polyrhythm cycles and can automatically stop after a specified number of repetitions, helping with focused practice sessions.
🔧 Technical Precision
The Web Audio API's scheduling system ensures that polyrhythmic relationships maintain mathematical accuracy even during extended practice sessions. This precision is crucial for developing accurate internal timing and rhythmic independence.
When You Might Need This
- • Practice 3 against 2 polyrhythms for jazz piano independence training
- • Master complex drum patterns with 4:3 and 5:4 rhythm combinations
- • Develop rhythmic precision for classical compositions with mixed meters
- • Train polyrhythmic coordination for advanced percussion ensemble pieces
- • Study African polyrhythmic patterns and cross-rhythms for world music
- • Practice Bach inventions with independent left and right hand rhythms
- • Develop Latin music polyrhythmic skills like clave patterns and montunos
- • Master Steve Reich minimalist compositions with shifting rhythm phases
- • Practice polyrhythmic improvisation for contemporary jazz performance
- • Study odd meter compositions and complex time signature transitions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a polyrhythm and how does this metronome help practice it?
A polyrhythm is the simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms that are not readily perceived as deriving from one another. This metronome plays two independent rhythm tracks simultaneously - for example, 4 beats against 3 beats - helping you hear and feel how they interact. The visual indicators show when each rhythm hits, making it easier to understand the mathematical relationship between the patterns.
How do I practice common polyrhythms like 3 against 2 or 4 against 3?
Start with simple patterns like 3:2 at a slow tempo (around 80 BPM). Listen to how the rhythms align and diverge throughout the cycle. Use the visual indicators to see the pattern, then try to clap along with one rhythm while listening to the other. Once comfortable, try 4:3 patterns. The key is patience - polyrhythms take time to internalize and feel natural.
Can I use this for complex time signatures beyond basic polyrhythms?
Yes! While this tool focuses on polyrhythmic relationships, you can use it to practice complex time signatures by setting asymmetrical patterns. For example, set 7 against 4 to practice septuple meter, or 5 against 4 for quintuple patterns. The mathematical precision of the Web Audio API ensures accurate timing for advanced rhythmic study.
Why do some polyrhythm combinations sound more consonant than others?
The consonance of polyrhythms depends on their mathematical relationship and how often the rhythms align. Simple ratios like 2:1 or 3:2 align more frequently and sound more stable, while complex ratios like 7:5 create longer cycles before repeating and sound more dissonant. The tool shows the complete cycle length (LCM) to help you understand these relationships mathematically.
How accurate is the timing compared to hardware metronomes?
The Web Audio API provides sub-millisecond precision timing that often exceeds mechanical metronomes. Audio events are scheduled against the audio context's sample-accurate timeline rather than JavaScript timers, ensuring consistent rhythmic accuracy even during high CPU load. This precision is essential for polyrhythmic practice where timing discrepancies would be immediately noticeable.