A polyrhythm occurs when two or more rhythms divide the same bar into different numbers of equal parts. Famous examples include 3 over 2, 3 over 4 and 5 over 4, creating rhythmic movement that can feel natural, complex or hypnotic depending on how the patterns interact.
This free Polyrhythm Generator allows you to hear, visualise and experiment with polyrhythms in real time. Simply choose two or three rhythms and the sequencer will show exactly where each hit falls within the bar, making it easier to understand how the patterns relate to one another.
Whether you're creating techno, house, jazz, progressive, ambient or experimental music, polyrhythms can be used to add groove, tension and movement to drum patterns, melodies, basslines and percussion. Use the playback controls to hear each rhythm, explore common ratios such as 3:2 and 3:4, and compare them against traditional DAW grids.
Looking for ready-made MIDI patterns? Browse our Polyrhythm MIDI Collection. You can also experiment with rhythmic echoes using our Polyrhythm Delay Calculator, or learn more in our guide covering what polyrhythms are, why they work and how producers use them.
Polyrhythm Explorer
Two rhythms, one bar. Both tracks always start and end together — only how the bar is divided differs.