This overview gathers four powerful approaches to rhythm for electronic music:
- Clave timelines: five‑stroke Afro‑Cuban foundations to anchor syncopation.
- Polyrhythms: contrasting subdivisions sharing a downbeat (e.g., 3:2, 5:4).
- Polymeters: different loop lengths (e.g., 4/4 vs 5/4) evolving over the LCM.
- Euclidean patterns: maximally even distributions E(k, n) with rotation and morphing.
Practical pointers
- Keep one clear pulse (kick or drone) so complexity reads as groove, not confusion.
- Use contrasting timbres and note lengths to separate layers.
- Leverage rotation/modulation to evolve patterns without increasing density.
- Add swing/micro‑timing to one layer to humanize the composite rhythm.
Next, explore each topic in detail:
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- Clave Patterns
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- Polyrhythms
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- Polymeters
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- Euclidean Rhythms