Patchable 0024

POLYTIME

Polyrhythms and polymeters.

No, don’t close the page! I promise this is more fun than it sounds! 

Two often confused and conflated concepts in music. They aren’t so hard to understand though – really. They are also incredibly valuable to learn. If you get these down the complexity of your percussion will be leveled up, practically overnight. Once you understand what these concepts are, and most importantly, what is the difference between them, you’ll be ready for this month’s Patchable. Best of all, there are lots of ways to achieve them in Eurorack.

THE CHALLENGE

Create a track which liberally uses polymeters, polyrhythms, or both to seriously spice up your percussion! Learn all about both using the resources below, and avoid conflating the two concepts like many teachers, musicians, and even some manufacturers (lookin’ at you, Arturia!) have over time.

Now, on with the cheat sheet!

POLYMETERS 

Defined: 

When you have two tracks in your modular playing at two separate time signatures. They share a tempo, but the length of each phrase varies. Or, even simpler put: the number of beats in your loops are each different, but the BPM is the same. 

Some Well Known Examples:

Use Case:

Polymeters are best used to…

  • To create more interesting drum patterns
  • To extend a loop or make a loop feel less repetitive
  • To give your kick and snare (or any two drum tracks) a seemingly different beat

Getting started in Eurorack:

To get you polymetric groove going you’ll need a minimum of two sequencing lanes. Either across 2+ sequencers, or a single sequencer with multiple tracks. Simply change the number of steps in each track you’re off to the races! 

Example: Set one sequencing lane or track to 16 steps and another for 12 steps. Have them both work off the same clock. Boom! You have a 4/4 & 3/4 polymeter going. E-Z!

Some common hardware examples which can help you achieve this include 

  • A single sequencer with multiple tracks (SQ-1, Performer, Five12, etc)
  • Any 2+ single track sequencers
  • A clock divider with multiple outputs (Doepfer A160-2)
  • Beatstep Pro with 2.0 firmware installed (though they called it Polyrhythms in the release notes…)

POLYRHYTHMS

Defined:

Two tracks with the same phrase length and time signature, but the number of beats in each are different. Each group takes the same amount of time to play, and the “1’s” always align, but the number of steps in between the 1’s will vary. 

Some Well Known Examples:

Use Case:

Polyrhythms are best used to…

  • Intertwine different tempos in your music
  • Have the listener feel a “push & pull”, almost dizzying, effect of your rhythms
  • Show off

Getting Started in Eurorack:

In this case reset functionality and clock dividers/multipliers are your friend. Again, the trick is to vary your rhythms, but have your “1’s” align. Programming one sequencer to play triplets, and the other to play standard 8th or 16th notes is a path to success assuming you send a simultaneous reset into both tracks. 

A clock divider / multiplier with multiple channels of outputs and a single reset in will also do the trick (PNW, Doepfer A-160-2, etc). Try this out to start:

  • Main clock rate = 120 
  • Reset in = /8
  • /4 in sequencer A
  • /5 in sequencer B

Have fun!

TL;DR: Use PNW for this one. Or maybe a Subharmonicon. 

HOW TO PLAY

THIS PATCHABLE RUNS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH.

  1. Create an original piece of music using the framework above. For normal Patchable submissions, please detail about what times in the performance you implement each step, and what they are.
  2. Include the suffix PATCHABLE-0024 in the track title and the number of the patchable you chose. A completed track title would look like this: PolyWantASnareDrum-0024
  3. Upload your track to Soundcloud. 
  4. Include a link to your track and patch notes in the comments below.

PLAY YOUR PATCH LIVE

If you would like to play a performance on Patchable Performers using polyrhythms, polymeters, or a sample of a polymeter playing polyrhythmic (…), please contact @saddleuptherobots on Discord to apply for a time slot.

Don’t forget to press record (!) and then post your set after the show.

3 thoughts on “Patchable 0024”

  1. Response to New York Modular Society Patchable Challenge 0024 – Polytime
    https://soundcloud.com/harry-woodell/a-wrinkle-in-time-patchable-0024

    0:00 Kick in 4/4 (16/16) – Moog DFAM, Robaux SWT16+ 16/16, 2 measure pattern
    0:08 Tom in 3/16 polymeter – Nonlinear Circuits Bong0, Robaux SWT16+ 3/16 polymeter
    0:14 Hat #1 in triplet polyrhythm – Zlob entropy expander, Befaco Percall, Synthrotek MDIV clock multiplier x3
    0:29 Melody in triplet polyrhythm – Moog Mother 32 #1, RYO Penta Sequencer #1, Sonic Potions Penrose Quantizer, MDIV x3
    0:44 Hat #2 in pentuple polyrhythm – Zlob Entropy, Befaco Percall, MDIV x5
    0:54 Countermelody in pentuple polyrhythm – Moog Mother 32 #2, RYO Penta Sequencer #2, Barton Rando-Chordo Quantizer, MDIV x5
    1:07 Bass in 15/16 polymeter – Ginko Synthese Seeds, RYO Optodist, Fonotronik PS3100 Triple Vactrol Resonator, Penta #2, Rando Chordo, SWT16+ 15/16
    1:36 Sonar ping in 7/16 polymeter – AI Synthesis OTA Filter self-oscillation, Synthrotek Fold modulated by Zlob Diode Chaos, Percall, SWT16+ 7/16
    2:03 Strum in 11/16 polymeter – 2hp Pluck, decay modulated by Diode Chaos, trigger 2hp Burst modulated by Zlob Skew-Fade LFO, SWT16+ 11/16
    2:19 Mallet in 5/16 polymeter – 2hp Bell, damp modulated by Diode Chaos, SWT16+ 5/16
    2:34 and let the jam begin!

  2. El Gusano comes back to life from his tequila binge.

    3-2 clave is the heartbeat of this polyrhythmic piece. We start with a freeform intro played through a Klavis Twin Waves dual vco processed through Erica Synths DSP. 

    Drums are sequenced with the Noise Engineering Zularic Repetitor. Kick, clave, snare and high hat. 

    4 voices make up the rest of the tune. AI Synthesis VCO starts off then joined with Make Noise STO > Noise Engineering Pura Ruina filter.

    At 4:46 the third voice which is the first vco from Klavis Twin Waves > Erica Synths polivoks filter. The high repeating note is NANO Ona vco > Three sisters filter.

    Entire piece sequenced by Erica Synths Black Sequencer.

  3. https://soundcloud.com/spencer-kiss/7-against-2

     in 2: curses iterates > lpg >mild distortion backed by drum machine kick every other beat

    in 7: noise made from 100 grit with no input > distortion > hpf
    accents of a 7 rhythm provided by gate sequencer.  
    2nd 7 > mixed noise sources > hpf > bpf in series > mimeophone ( almost no feedback and fast delay) > LR4 crossover module > delay effect that is sometimes off sometimes on.

    Low drone is just the patch above with no clock/env. Just VCA bleed.

    Pad/melody thing is prophet 12.

Leave a Comment

Join the NYMS Discord

Connect with other artists, explore modular synthesis, and build skills in a welcoming community.

Accept Invitation

Join Our Email List

Subscribe to get notifications about upcoming events, new music and modular synth news.