rhythmpull

Rhythmpull is a term used in music technology and live performance to describe a method of coordinating timing by actively pulling timing information from a central clock or master scheduler, rather than pushing precomputed events to participants. In a rhythmpull setup, each component periodically queries the master time source to determine when to process, render, or transmit the next rhythmic event. This polling-based approach helps maintain alignment among distributed devices or software modules in environments where latency and jitter vary.

Origin and scope: The term arose in discussions of networked music performance, distributed sequencing, and live-coding platforms in the 2010s, where designers sought robust synchronization across multiple devices and software environments. While not standardized, rhythmpull is described in documentation and articles as an approach that complements push-based scheduling.

Implementation: Typical elements include a master clock, timestamped events, drift compensation, and latency-aware scheduling. Participants implement a polling loop or event queue that fetches the next action just before it is needed, allowing local systems to adapt to clock drift. Some implementations combine rhythmpull with predictive buffering to reduce audible artifacts.

Advantages and limitations: Rhythmpull can improve cross-device synchronization in variable networking conditions and simplify integration of heterogeneous hardware. It can also introduce added complexity and lead to increased system latency if polling intervals are too long or poorly tuned.

See also: clock synchronization, real-time audio, distributed systems, live coding.