Definition: Rhythm Pad - a musical scratchpad web page used to audition, invent and record rhythms for composition or performance. This page requires the installation of the Jazz Midi Plug-in to hear the Rhythm Pad's rhythm performances.
Click on a button to hear a rhythm. Click outside of a button to stop a rhythm performance at that instant. Shift-click a button to add its pattern the 'Invent A Rhythm' field. Press the 'Play Rhythm' button to audition your invention.
The first two lines of buttons of this Rhythm Pad present the 16 rhythm patterns that can be played within the interval of a single beat when its time is subdivided into 4 equal duration slices.
The patterns listed on lines one and two are grouped into 6 related families. When more than one family of patterns is listed on a line, it is separated from its neighbors by a small red dash.
The 'all or none' family (buttons 1 and 2) are opposites of one another. Button 1 makes a sound in every subdivision of the beat. Button 2 declines to make a sound in any of the subdivisions.
The 'on and off combs' (buttons 3 and 4) divide the beat into two groups of two hits. Button 3 makes a sound on the first hits in each pair. Button 4 makes it sounds on the second hit of each of the hit pairs.
The 'launch on 1' patterns (buttons 5, 6, and 7) you'll likely hear as related because one or more adjacent hits in the subdivisions start on subdivision 1 of the beat, followed by rests to fill the beat.
The 'launch on 2' patterns (buttons 8, 9, and 10) are hit sequences that all start on subdivision 2 of the beat, followed by rests to fill the beat.
The 'launch on 3' patterns (buttons 11, 12, and 13) are hit sequences that all start on subdivision 3 of the beat, followed by rests to fill the beat.
The 'launch on 4 ' patterns (buttons 14, 15, and 16) are hit sequences that all start on subdivision 4 of the beat, followed by rests to fill the beat.
Rows 3 through 6 demonstrate patterns that have been built using the pattern vocabulary provided by the' beat subdivided by 4' patterns
If you invent a rhythm you's like to keep, press the "Add A Rhythm" button and a fresh Rhythm Pad will be created for you that inherits all of the patterns listed here with your addition added to the end. You can use that copied Rhythm Pad for your own use. No one else will see what you invent unless you care to share or publish it's URL.