Polyrhythm Metronome
One of the many features that come as part of Fractal Tune Smithy

Fractal Tune Smithy is a Windows Program

You can use this polyrhythm metronome to play normal rhythms and polyrhythms to help practice them. A polyrhythm consists of two contrasting rhythms played simultaneously - one very common one for instance uses three beats and four beats played simultaneously in the same bar. They are common in African and Indian music. The Pygmies are particularly advanced in their use of polyrhythms. They are also found in compositions by modern composers such as Ligetti - and earlier, Debussy also made a lot of use of polyrhythms.

To make a new polyrhythm you enter all the simultaneous numbers of beats per bar you want to have in the Rhythms field - you can also select examples from a drop list of rhythms..

As you see from the screen shot, this one has seven, and five beats to a bar playing together, with an extra beat to mark the start of each bar. You can choose any instruments you like for the beats from the instruments on your sound card or synth - you set them in the Parts window.

If you go to More, you get advanced options to vary the timing of the beat and the volumes to make a more lively rhythm for your metronome:

7_5_1_Polyrhythm_varying

By way of example, to make a rhythm with three and four beats played together, as is common in some African music, enter 3 4 here. See the Polyrhythms web page for more examples. See the Polyrhythm Metronome help page (on-line copy) to find out more about how it works and how you use it.

You can also use your polyrhythm to make fractal tunes if you switch to the Player, or Composer views in FTS.

Navigating the pacific by stars, wind and waves. uses a 7 5 3 polyrhythm

Or for a much more complex rhythm, the African style complex polyrhythm, which has 2 3 5 7 11 13 17 19 23

If interested in the names, the inspiration for the Navigating the Pacific name is a map made by the early Polynesian voyagers showing the sea patterns - they had a kind of geography of the sea showing the wave patterns you get at various points between the islands.

Of course it isn't made of paper, but of wood and natural materials. Looks rather like a kind of cats cradle, with beads threaded on it.

As they didn't have the compass, they navigated using the stars, the patterns of the waves, the direction of the wind, and other natural signs.

As for the African style complex polyrhythm, it is inspired by recordings I've heard of African polyrhythms, but probably not in the least African sounding if you are immeresed in the traditions; but never mind...

The Make Web Page button makes a web page of polyrhythm metronomes for all the polythythms listed.

To download the program:

Download Tune Smithy

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