Gap

A gap or hole is an object missing from a pattern that is otherwise the same as another pattern that uses more objects. In siteswap notation, a gap (a beat with an empty hand) is a 0. Patterns with gaps (e.g. 55550) can be used as exercises to prepare for the full patterns (e.g. 5).
: Video (from 0:14 to 0:42): 4440 with balls, rings, and clubs
4 ball synch fountain with a gapSiteswap: (4,4)(4,0)
4 ball wimpy pattern with a gapSiteswap: (4x,4x)(4x,0)*
5 ball cascade with a two consecutive gaps (3 ball flashes)Siteswap: 55500
5 ball cascade with a two nonconsecutive gaps (3 ball snake)Siteswap: 50505
Sometimes if an object is removed from a siteswap to make a gap pattern, the new pattern takes more beats than the original pattern before it repeats. The notation for 534 without the ball that is always thrown as a 3 (504) is a period 3 sequence like the original pattern, but removing any of the other balls results in the period 9 pattern 534034530.
==Variations==
Siteswaps similar to basic patterns with gaps but with an object held in the hand during the pause (a 2) instead of having an empty hand (a 0):
*42
*552
*6662
*(6,6)(6,2)
*(6x,6x)(6x,2)*
*77772
*888882
*(8,8)(8,8)(8,2)
*(8x,8x)(8x,8x)(8x,2)*
thumb|left|480 px|5 ball cascade with a gap by Robert Wood
Category:Patterns
Category:Siteswaps
Category:Ground state siteswaps
Category:Period 4 patterns