Search the loop browser by ‘bongo’ and audition a few sounds. Small percussion instruments tend to be played as ‘filler’ rhythm, so hunt down one of these types of loops. We’ve also got a few MusicTech sample packs available for free download – check them out here. Nothing could be more obvious than a kick on beats 1, 2, 3 and 4, so browse the BandLab Sounds loops collection using ‘kick loop’ as a search term and find Prowler Kick Loop. To get a handle on how to program polyrhythms, begin by building a basic rhythmic foundation. Let’s dive in and see how you can spice up your own percussion parts by creating polyrhythms in BandLab, using loops and instruments as your guide.

For a beat to be a true polyrhythm, it must contain simultaneously played beat subdivisions, not just an uncommon number of beats to the bar. Tracks that aren’t in 4/4 do not necessarily feature polyrhythms. In fact, polyrhythms are common in jazz, along with some genres of metal and many types of non-Western musics, especially those of African and Indian origin.ĭon’t get polyrhythms confused with unusual time signatures. This results in rhythmic motifs that can sound lopsided, jazzy, and certainly more interesting than straight-laced 1-2-3-4 beats. What defines a polyrhythm? In simple terms, a polyrhythm is created when you combine two or more basic rhythms with different beat subdivisions. READ MORE: BandLab Sounds offers over 10,000 royalty-free samples and loops at no cost.

Now en vogue again in part thanks to the many YouTubers who make it their mission to unpack them, the polyrhythm is a popular compositional tool that’s as compelling as it is confounding. Although there’s little that can rival a four-to-the-floor dance beat, thousands of years of composition have gifted us many more experimental rhythmic combinations.

Bollywood groove loop