diff --git a/rust/Cargo.toml b/rust/Cargo.toml
index 78f0256..f8542e7 100644
--- a/rust/Cargo.toml
+++ b/rust/Cargo.toml
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ members = [
     "pm-ui",
     "uisim",
     "glyphgen",
+    "pm-synth",
+    "synthrender",
 ]
 # pm-kit (RP2350/thumbv8m) and pm-grid (RP2040/thumbv6m) are embedded firmware (no_std + their own
 # profile/build). Each is built on its own from its crate dir (e.g. `cargo build` inside pm-grid/,
diff --git a/rust/pm-synth/Cargo.toml b/rust/pm-synth/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cf804eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/pm-synth/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+[package]
+name = "pm-synth"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+description = "Polyphonic drum-voice synthesizer — a Rust port of engine.js's 808/909 voices. Transport-agnostic (offline render now; on-device real-time later)."
+
+# f32 reference implementation for now (host-rendered to .wav to verify the sound). The on-device
+# port (no_std + fixed-point/table osc, since the Cortex-M0+ has no FPU) comes with the audio
+# transport. Kept buildable for the host (the synthrender bin).
+[dependencies]
diff --git a/rust/pm-synth/src/lib.rs b/rust/pm-synth/src/lib.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..027266c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/pm-synth/src/lib.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,345 @@
+//! Polyphonic drum-voice synthesizer — a faithful Rust port of `src/engine.js`'s synthesized
+//! 808/909/GM voices. Transport-agnostic: a `Synth` mixes active `Voice`s sample-by-sample, which
+//! works both for offline rendering (host → .wav, to verify the sound) and real-time buffer fills
+//! on the device later.
+//!
+//! This is the f32 reference. The on-device port (no_std + fixed-point / table oscillators, since
+//! the Cortex-M0+ has no FPU) comes with the audio transport — the voice recipes are the contract.
+
+pub const SR: f32 = 48_000.0;
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+enum Wave {
+    Sine,
+    Tri,
+    Sq,
+}
+
+fn osc(w: Wave, phase: f32) -> f32 {
+    let p = phase - phase.floor();
+    match w {
+        Wave::Sine => (core::f32::consts::TAU * p).sin(),
+        Wave::Sq => {
+            if p < 0.5 {
+                1.0
+            } else {
+                -1.0
+            }
+        }
+        Wave::Tri => 4.0 * if p < 0.5 { p } else { 1.0 - p } - 1.0,
+    }
+}
+
+// ----- RBJ biquad (highpass / bandpass), the editor's BiquadFilter -----
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+struct Biquad {
+    b0: f32,
+    b1: f32,
+    b2: f32,
+    a1: f32,
+    a2: f32,
+    x1: f32,
+    x2: f32,
+    y1: f32,
+    y2: f32,
+}
+impl Biquad {
+    fn hp(freq: f32, q: f32) -> Self {
+        let w0 = core::f32::consts::TAU * freq / SR;
+        let (sw, cw) = (w0.sin(), w0.cos());
+        let alpha = sw / (2.0 * q);
+        let a0 = 1.0 + alpha;
+        Biquad::norm((1.0 + cw) / 2.0, -(1.0 + cw), (1.0 + cw) / 2.0, a0, -2.0 * cw, 1.0 - alpha)
+    }
+    fn bp(freq: f32, q: f32) -> Self {
+        let w0 = core::f32::consts::TAU * freq / SR;
+        let (sw, cw) = (w0.sin(), w0.cos());
+        let alpha = sw / (2.0 * q);
+        let a0 = 1.0 + alpha;
+        Biquad::norm(alpha, 0.0, -alpha, a0, -2.0 * cw, 1.0 - alpha)
+    }
+    fn norm(b0: f32, b1: f32, b2: f32, a0: f32, a1: f32, a2: f32) -> Self {
+        Biquad { b0: b0 / a0, b1: b1 / a0, b2: b2 / a0, a1: a1 / a0, a2: a2 / a0, x1: 0.0, x2: 0.0, y1: 0.0, y2: 0.0 }
+    }
+    fn process(&mut self, x: f32) -> f32 {
+        let y = self.b0 * x + self.b1 * self.x1 + self.b2 * self.x2 - self.a1 * self.y1 - self.a2 * self.y2;
+        self.x2 = self.x1;
+        self.x1 = x;
+        self.y2 = self.y1;
+        self.y1 = y;
+        y
+    }
+}
+
+// ----- exponential amp envelope (ampEnv): 0.0001 → peak over `attack`, → 0.0001 over the rest -----
+#[derive(Clone, Copy)]
+struct Env {
+    peak: f32,
+    dur: f32,
+    attack: f32,
+}
+impl Env {
+    fn gain(&self, e: f32) -> f32 {
+        let peak = self.peak.max(0.0003);
+        if e < self.attack {
+            0.0001 * (peak / 0.0001).powf(e / self.attack)
+        } else if e < self.dur {
+            peak * (0.0001 / peak).powf((e - self.attack) / (self.dur - self.attack).max(1e-4))
+        } else {
+            0.0
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn rng_next(s: &mut u32) -> f32 {
+    let mut x = *s;
+    x ^= x << 13;
+    x ^= x >> 17;
+    x ^= x << 5;
+    *s = x;
+    (x as f32 / u32::MAX as f32) * 2.0 - 1.0
+}
+
+enum Gen {
+    Tone { w: Wave, f0: f32, f1: f32, ramp: f32, phase: f32 },
+    Noise { rng: u32 },
+    Metal { ph: [f32; 6], bp: Biquad, hp: Biquad },
+    Squares { f: [f32; 2], ph: [f32; 2] },
+}
+const METAL_RATIOS: [f32; 6] = [2.0, 3.0, 4.16, 5.43, 6.79, 8.21];
+impl Gen {
+    fn sample(&mut self, e: f32) -> f32 {
+        match self {
+            Gen::Tone { w, f0, f1, ramp, phase } => {
+                let f = if *f1 <= 0.0 || *f1 == *f0 {
+                    *f0
+                } else if e >= *ramp {
+                    f1.max(1.0)
+                } else {
+                    *f0 * (f1.max(1.0) / *f0).powf(e / *ramp)
+                };
+                *phase += f / SR;
+                osc(*w, *phase)
+            }
+            Gen::Noise { rng } => rng_next(rng),
+            Gen::Metal { ph, bp, hp } => {
+                let mut sum = 0.0;
+                for i in 0..6 {
+                    ph[i] += (40.0 * METAL_RATIOS[i]) / SR;
+                    sum += osc(Wave::Sq, ph[i]);
+                }
+                hp.process(bp.process(sum))
+            }
+            Gen::Squares { f, ph } => {
+                let mut sum = 0.0;
+                for i in 0..2 {
+                    ph[i] += f[i] / SR;
+                    sum += osc(Wave::Sq, ph[i]);
+                }
+                sum
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+struct Part {
+    gen: Gen,
+    bp: Option<Biquad>,
+    env: Env,
+    delay: f32,
+    t: f32,
+}
+impl Part {
+    fn next(&mut self) -> f32 {
+        let e = self.t - self.delay;
+        self.t += 1.0 / SR;
+        if e < 0.0 {
+            return 0.0;
+        }
+        let mut s = self.gen.sample(e);
+        if let Some(bp) = &mut self.bp {
+            s = bp.process(s);
+        }
+        s * self.env.gain(e)
+    }
+    fn done(&self) -> bool {
+        self.t - self.delay > self.env.dur + 0.02
+    }
+}
+
+/// One triggered drum hit = a small set of parts mixed together.
+pub struct Voice {
+    parts: alloc::vec::Vec<Part>,
+}
+impl Voice {
+    fn next(&mut self) -> f32 {
+        let mut s = 0.0;
+        for p in &mut self.parts {
+            s += p.next();
+        }
+        s
+    }
+    fn done(&self) -> bool {
+        self.parts.iter().all(|p| p.done())
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct Synth {
+    voices: alloc::vec::Vec<Voice>,
+    seed: u32,
+    master: f32,
+}
+impl Default for Synth {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new()
+    }
+}
+impl Synth {
+    pub fn new() -> Self {
+        Synth { voices: alloc::vec::Vec::new(), seed: 0x2545_f491, master: 0.7 }
+    }
+    /// Trigger a voice by name at a click level (2 = accent, 1 = normal, 3 = ghost).
+    pub fn trigger(&mut self, name: &str, level: u8) {
+        let l = match level {
+            2 => 1.0,
+            1 => 0.7,
+            3 => 0.4,
+            _ => 0.7,
+        };
+        self.seed = self.seed.wrapping_mul(1_664_525).wrapping_add(1_013_904_223) | 1;
+        if let Some(v) = build(name, l, self.seed) {
+            self.voices.push(v);
+        }
+    }
+    /// One mixed mono sample, soft-limited to [-1, 1].
+    pub fn next_sample(&mut self) -> f32 {
+        let mut s = 0.0;
+        for v in &mut self.voices {
+            s += v.next();
+        }
+        self.voices.retain(|v| !v.done());
+        (s * self.master).tanh()
+    }
+    pub fn active(&self) -> usize {
+        self.voices.len()
+    }
+}
+
+// ----- voice recipes (ports of the DRUMS table in engine.js) -----
+fn tone(w: Wave, f0: f32, f1: f32, dur: f32, peak: f32, attack: f32) -> Part {
+    Part { gen: Gen::Tone { w, f0, f1, ramp: dur.min(0.09), phase: 0.0 }, bp: None, env: Env { peak, dur, attack }, delay: 0.0, t: 0.0 }
+}
+fn toned(w: Wave, f0: f32, f1: f32, dur: f32, peak: f32, attack: f32, filt: Biquad) -> Part {
+    Part { gen: Gen::Tone { w, f0, f1, ramp: dur.min(0.09), phase: 0.0 }, bp: Some(filt), env: Env { peak, dur, attack }, delay: 0.0, t: 0.0 }
+}
+fn noise(filt: Biquad, dur: f32, peak: f32, attack: f32, seed: u32) -> Part {
+    Part { gen: Gen::Noise { rng: seed | 1 }, bp: Some(filt), env: Env { peak, dur, attack }, delay: 0.0, t: 0.0 }
+}
+fn metal(dur: f32, hp_freq: f32, peak: f32) -> Part {
+    Part {
+        gen: Gen::Metal { ph: [0.0; 6], bp: Biquad::bp(10000.0, 0.8), hp: Biquad::hp(hp_freq, 1.0) },
+        bp: None,
+        env: Env { peak, dur, attack: 0.001 },
+        delay: 0.0,
+        t: 0.0,
+    }
+}
+fn delayed(mut p: Part, d: f32) -> Part {
+    p.delay = d;
+    p
+}
+fn cowbell(l: f32) -> Voice {
+    Voice {
+        parts: alloc::vec![Part {
+            gen: Gen::Squares { f: [540.0, 800.0], ph: [0.0, 0.0] },
+            bp: Some(Biquad::bp(2640.0, 1.2)),
+            env: Env { peak: 0.8 * l, dur: 0.3, attack: 0.001 },
+            delay: 0.0,
+            t: 0.0,
+        }],
+    }
+}
+
+fn build(name: &str, l: f32, seed: u32) -> Option<Voice> {
+    use Wave::*;
+    let v = |parts| Voice { parts };
+    Some(match name {
+        "beep" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sq, if l >= 1.0 { 1600.0 } else { 1100.0 }, 0.0, 0.04, 0.5 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "kick" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 150.0, 50.0, 0.18, 1.0 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "snare" => v(alloc::vec![
+            tone(Tri, 190.0, 140.0, 0.12, 0.45 * l, 0.002),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(1500.0, 1.0), 0.2, 0.8 * l, 0.001, seed),
+        ]),
+        "rim" => v(alloc::vec![toned(Sq, 1700.0, 0.0, 0.04, 0.6 * l, 0.001, Biquad::bp(1700.0, 4.0))]),
+        "clap" => v(alloc::vec![
+            noise(Biquad::bp(1200.0, 1.4), 0.06, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1200.0, 1.4), 0.06, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x9e3), 0.012),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1200.0, 1.4), 0.06, 0.85 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x1b7), 0.024),
+        ]),
+        "hatClosed" => v(alloc::vec![noise(Biquad::hp(7000.0, 1.0), 0.045, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed)]),
+        "hatOpen" => v(alloc::vec![noise(Biquad::hp(7000.0, 1.0), 0.32, 0.45 * l, 0.002, seed)]),
+        "ride" => v(alloc::vec![
+            noise(Biquad::bp(6000.0, 0.8), 0.4, 0.32 * l, 0.002, seed),
+            tone(Sq, 5200.0, 0.0, 0.1, 0.13 * l, 0.002),
+        ]),
+        "crash" => v(alloc::vec![noise(Biquad::hp(4000.0, 1.0), 0.8, 0.5 * l, 0.002, seed)]),
+        "tomLow" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 150.0, 100.0, 0.25, 0.9 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "tomMid" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 220.0, 150.0, 0.23, 0.9 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "tomHigh" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 300.0, 210.0, 0.20, 0.9 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "tambourine" => v(alloc::vec![noise(Biquad::hp(8000.0, 1.0), 0.12, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed)]),
+        "cowbell" | "cowbell808" => cowbell(l),
+        "woodblock" | "jamblock" => {
+            if name == "jamblock" {
+                v(alloc::vec![toned(Sq, 2600.0, 2000.0, 0.045, 0.8 * l, 0.001, Biquad::bp(2000.0, 6.0))])
+            } else {
+                v(alloc::vec![tone(Tri, 1800.0, 1500.0, 0.06, 0.8 * l, 0.002)])
+            }
+        }
+        "claves" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 2500.0, 0.0, 0.045, 0.85 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "kick808" => v(alloc::vec![
+            tone(Sine, 120.0, 45.0, 0.7, 1.0 * l, 0.002),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(2000.0, 1.0), 0.008, 0.4 * (l * 0.5), 0.001, seed),
+        ]),
+        "snare808" => v(alloc::vec![
+            tone(Tri, 178.0, 168.0, 0.16, 0.4 * l, 0.002),
+            tone(Tri, 331.0, 320.0, 0.12, 0.18 * l, 0.002),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(1000.0, 1.0), 0.16, 0.7 * l, 0.001, seed),
+        ]),
+        "clap808" => v(alloc::vec![
+            noise(Biquad::bp(1100.0, 1.3), 0.05, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1100.0, 1.3), 0.05, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x9e3), 0.01),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1100.0, 1.3), 0.05, 0.5 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x1b7), 0.02),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1100.0, 1.3), 0.05, 0.85 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x511), 0.032),
+        ]),
+        "hat808" => v(alloc::vec![metal(0.045, 7000.0, 0.4 * l)]),
+        "openHat808" => v(alloc::vec![metal(0.34, 7000.0, 0.38 * l)]),
+        "tom808" => v(alloc::vec![tone(Sine, 120.0, 78.0, 0.34, 0.9 * l, 0.002)]),
+        "kick909" => v(alloc::vec![
+            tone(Sine, 110.0, 46.0, 0.26, 1.0 * l, 0.002),
+            tone(Tri, 280.0, 60.0, 0.035, 0.5 * l, 0.002),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(3000.0, 1.0), 0.01, 0.5 * (l * 0.6), 0.001, seed),
+        ]),
+        "snare909" => v(alloc::vec![
+            tone(Tri, 190.0, 162.0, 0.09, 0.28 * l, 0.002),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(1200.0, 1.0), 0.2, 0.85 * l, 0.001, seed),
+        ]),
+        "clap909" => v(alloc::vec![
+            noise(Biquad::bp(1000.0, 1.0), 0.05, 0.6 * l, 0.001, seed),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1000.0, 1.0), 0.05, 0.6 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x9e3), 0.009),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1000.0, 1.0), 0.05, 0.6 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x1b7), 0.018),
+            delayed(noise(Biquad::bp(1000.0, 1.0), 0.2, 0.35 * l, 0.001, seed ^ 0x733), 0.018),
+        ]),
+        "hat909" => v(alloc::vec![metal(0.05, 9000.0, 0.4 * l)]),
+        "ride909" => v(alloc::vec![
+            metal(0.5, 6000.0, 0.3 * l),
+            noise(Biquad::bp(7000.0, 0.7), 0.18, 0.18 * l, 0.002, seed),
+        ]),
+        "crash909" => v(alloc::vec![
+            metal(0.9, 5000.0, 0.34 * l),
+            noise(Biquad::hp(4000.0, 1.0), 0.9, 0.4 * l, 0.002, seed),
+        ]),
+        _ => return None,
+    })
+}
+
+extern crate alloc;
diff --git a/rust/synthrender/.gitignore b/rust/synthrender/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a447bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/synthrender/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+/target
+*.wav
diff --git a/rust/synthrender/Cargo.toml b/rust/synthrender/Cargo.toml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1c4643b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/synthrender/Cargo.toml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+[package]
+name = "synthrender"
+version = "0.1.0"
+edition = "2021"
+description = "Host tool: render a PolyMeter groove through pm-synth to a .wav, to audition the 808/909 voices off-bench."
+
+[dependencies]
+pm-synth = { path = "../pm-synth" }
+track-format = { path = "../track-format" }
diff --git a/rust/synthrender/src/main.rs b/rust/synthrender/src/main.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..309a6a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rust/synthrender/src/main.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+//! Render PolyMeter grooves through pm-synth to 16-bit mono 48 kHz WAVs so we can audition the
+//! ported 808/909 voices on a host (no hardware). Output files are written to the current dir.
+use pm_synth::{Synth, SR};
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::io::{self, Write};
+
+/// The editor's default kit: friendly GM names point at the punchier 808/909 renders (engine.js).
+fn default_kit(s: &str) -> &str {
+    match s {
+        "kick" => "kick909",
+        "snare" => "snare909",
+        "clap" => "clap909",
+        "hatClosed" => "hat909",
+        "hatOpen" => "openHat808",
+        "ride" => "ride909",
+        "crash" => "crash909",
+        "cowbell" => "cowbell808",
+        other => other,
+    }
+}
+
+fn render(prog: &str, bars: i64) -> Vec<i16> {
+    let track = track_format::parse(prog);
+    let mbar = track_format::schedule::master_bar_ns(&track);
+    let clicks = track_format::schedule::render(&track, bars);
+    let total_ns = mbar * bars + 1_000_000_000; // + 1 s tail for decays
+    let total_samples = (total_ns as f64 / 1e9 * SR as f64) as usize;
+    let mut synth = Synth::new();
+    let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(total_samples);
+    let mut ci = 0usize;
+    for n in 0..total_samples {
+        let t_ns = (n as f64 / SR as f64 * 1e9) as i64;
+        while ci < clicks.len() && clicks[ci].time_ns <= t_ns {
+            let voice = default_kit(&track.lanes[clicks[ci].lane].sound);
+            synth.trigger(voice, clicks[ci].level);
+            ci += 1;
+        }
+        out.push((synth.next_sample() * 30000.0) as i16);
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+fn write_wav(path: &str, samples: &[i16]) -> io::Result<()> {
+    let data_len = (samples.len() * 2) as u32;
+    let sr = 48_000u32;
+    let mut f = File::create(path)?;
+    f.write_all(b"RIFF")?;
+    f.write_all(&(36 + data_len).to_le_bytes())?;
+    f.write_all(b"WAVE")?;
+    f.write_all(b"fmt ")?;
+    f.write_all(&16u32.to_le_bytes())?; // PCM fmt chunk
+    f.write_all(&1u16.to_le_bytes())?; // format = PCM
+    f.write_all(&1u16.to_le_bytes())?; // channels = mono
+    f.write_all(&sr.to_le_bytes())?;
+    f.write_all(&(sr * 2).to_le_bytes())?; // byte rate
+    f.write_all(&2u16.to_le_bytes())?; // block align
+    f.write_all(&16u16.to_le_bytes())?; // bits/sample
+    f.write_all(b"data")?;
+    f.write_all(&data_len.to_le_bytes())?;
+    for s in samples {
+        f.write_all(&s.to_le_bytes())?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    let demos: &[(&str, &str, i64)] = &[
+        ("pm-synth-909.wav", "t124;kick909:4;clap909:4=.X.X;hat909:4/2=.X.X.X.X", 4),
+        ("pm-synth-808.wav", "t90;kick808:4=X..x;snare808:4=.X.X;hat808:4/2", 4),
+        ("pm-synth-default.wav", "t120;kick:4;snare:4=.x.x;hatClosed:4/2", 4),
+        ("pm-synth-poly.wav", "t100;kick909:4;clap909:5~;hat808:4/2", 4),
+    ];
+    for (name, prog, bars) in demos {
+        let s = render(prog, *bars);
+        match write_wav(name, &s) {
+            Ok(_) => println!("wrote {} ({:.1}s, {} samples)", name, s.len() as f32 / SR, s.len()),
+            Err(e) => eprintln!("error writing {}: {}", name, e),
+        }
+    }
+}