Exploring the science of rhythm and melodic percussion
Polyrhythmic Palettes was recorded at the Greenpoint, Brooklyn studio of experimental producer Tristain Arp. Instruments used included a Nord Drum percussion synthesizer, Moog Subsequent 37, and a rindik––a Balinese mallet instrument made from bamboo tree trunks. All loops were improvised, while the one-shots lent themselves to the creation of virtual Ableton instruments using “Sampler.” These instruments are also accessible to those who use Ableton 9 and its native “Simpler” device. Arp also created an Ableton session to illustrate how polyrhythms and syncopation work, as it can be helpful to developing producers to look at MIDI patterns and see where notes fall on the grid.
Regarding this pack, Arp said, “There’s an infinity of rhythmic possibilities. You can make people move in new ways and create hypnotic states through rhythmic schemes beyond kicks on the downbeats and snares on “2” and “4.” I hope the Ableton template in this pack can help illuminate not only this but also how sketches can be developed and spread across Ableton’s clip view. I’ve always found it to be a groundbreaking and speedy mode of arrangement. Although it can look intimidating at first to those more familiar with a linear timeline, clip view can allow you to be spontaneous and “perform” a track sequence with a very intuitive flow.”
Regarding the specific instruments and sounds in the pack, he said, “The rindik is the most special instrument recorded in this pack. It’s made by hand from bamboo trees and provides a beautiful, warm tone. The one played for this pack was made by a craftsman I had the honor of meeting in Indonesia. I only wish to bring my own new approach to it with the loops I recorded, in lieu of mimicking a traditional approach.”
He added, “The Nord Drum 3P is a drum pad and analog synthesizer. Unlike the Roland SPD and similar models that store samples, the Nord Drum is a synth capable of hyperreal and unearthly tones. I’ve just begun to scratch the surface of its sound design possibilities. Lastly, the Moog Subsequent 37 is an analog synth capable of truly anything.”
Arp encourages you to spend time with this pack in different environments. He said, “you’ll find that these rhythms are the underpinnings of everything from Steve Reich to “A Mili.” Rhythm goes deep—as George Clinton put it, it signaled the beginning of humanity in the form of a heartbeat—and more than any other compositional technique, it brings people together. How can we bring people together in new ways?”
