Generalised siteswap is a juggling notation system invented by Ben Beever. A pattern can be notated using this system as a matrix where each row describes a particular feature of each beat in the pattern, and each column describes the complete object-journey (from throw to catch) of the object thrown on a certain beat.
Each row of beats is written inside curly brackets, with the feature it describes labeled on the left. Siteswap Ben's Guide to Juggling Patterns lists 19 feature-rows that can be used to define a pattern. It is not necessary to use all of these rows to describe a pattern - some of these features may not be relevant to a particular pattern, and some of them can be calculated from the information in other rows.
Examples[]
Detailed description of a 3 ball cascade:
THR(Time) { 0 1 }
SS(Base) { 3 3 }
THR(Site) { R L }
THR(Pos) { m m }
CAT(Pos) { l r }
AIR(Min) { 1 1 }
This pattern repeats every two beats. The throws are labeled 0 and 1 in the throw time row. Each throw has a siteswap value of 3. Throws are made by the right hand on beat 0 and by the left hand on beat 1. The position of each throw is in the middle of the pattern. The catching position is on the left side of the pattern for right hand-throws and on the right side for left hand-throws. The last row says that each time a ball is thrown, it needs to stay in the air for a minimum of one full beat.
5 ring full reverse:
THR(Time) { 0 1 }
SS(Base) { 5 5 }
THR(Site) { R L }
THR(Pos) { r l }
CAT(Pos) { m m }
Air(Ring) { s s }
Each throw in this pattern is a siteswap 5. Right hand-throws are made on the right side of the pattern, left hand-throws are made on the left side, and all the catches are made in the middle. The last row says that every time a ring is thrown, it will spend its airtime in a side-on orientation.
4 ball synch fountain:
THR(Time) { 0 0 2 2 }
SS(Base) { 4 4 4 4 }
THR(Site) { R L R L }
This pattern repeats every four beats, but throws are only made on beats 0 and 2. The right hand and the left hand both throw on the same beat, but are notated in different columns.
3 ball Mills mess:
THR(Time) { 0 1 2 3 4 5 }
SS(Base) { 3 3 3 3 3 3 }
THR(Site) { R L R L R L }
THR(Pos) { aL o bL aR o bR }
CAT(Pos) { m bL m m bR m }
This pattern repeats every six beats. The throw positions are above the opposite arm, on the outside of the pattern, and below the opposite arm. The balls are caught in the middle of the pattern, and the ones that are thrown on the outside are caught under the arm.
Domino pattern using two hands and one foot:
THR(Time) { 0 1 2 }
SS(Base) { 4 4 4 }
THR(Site) { R L FR }
CAT(Site) { L FR R }
The objects are thrown from the right hand to the left hand, from the left hand to the right foot, and from the right foot to the right hand. Each object that is thrown will be thrown again four beats later, so every throw has a ("3-handed") siteswap value of 4.