Screenshot Window 2.0

The Quadranome® is designed as an aid to learning complex polyrhythms. Four separate metronomes or timelines are available, with up to 13 subdivisions per timeline. By entering a number of beats per measure for each timeline, Quadranome can play up to 4 subdivisions against each other, with each metronome resolving to the "1". You can easily create polyrhythms such as 7/4/3, 13/4, or 11/4/5. By repeatedly listening to these complex rhythms, you can vastly improve your rhythmic vocabulary. This type of device was reportedly used by such masters as John McLaughlin to internalize complex polyrhythms.
The subject of a multi-metronomic device called the "Trinome" came up on a drum forum I belong to. The Trinome is a metronome that incorporates a motor, a spindle onto which a series of 8 cams is molded, and some levers that can be positioned over any of the 8 cams. By selecting different cams with the levers, any 3 of the 8 subdivisions can be played against each other, with a bell, tick and tock sound. This sought-after device has long since been out of production, and even appears in the Metronome museum!