diff --git a/packages/core/signal.mjs b/packages/core/signal.mjs
index 8340bc9f..6c905b55 100644
--- a/packages/core/signal.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/signal.mjs
@@ -160,16 +160,19 @@ const timeToRands = (t, n) => timeToRandsPrime(timeToIntSeed(t), n);
 export const run = (n) => saw.range(0, n).floor().segment(n);
 
 /**
- * A discrete binary pattern using a decimal/hex number as input
+ * @name binaryN
+ * Creates a discrete pattern using binary representation.
+ * @param {number} n - input number to convert to binary
+ * @param {number} nBits - pattern length, defaults to 16
  * @example
- * "hh".s().struct(binary(55532))
+ * "hh".s().struct(binaryN(55532, 16))
  * // "hh".s().struct("1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0")
  */
-export const binary = (n) => {
-  const binLen = 16;
-  // Shift right and mask, with msb at the end/right-side
-  const i = run(binLen).mul(-1).add(binLen - 1)
-  return reify(n).segment(binLen).brshift(i).band(pure(1));
+export const binaryN = (n, nBits = 16) => {
+  nBits = reify(nBits);
+  // Shift and mask, putting msb on the right-side
+  const i = run(nBits).mul(-1).add(nBits.sub(1));
+  return reify(n).segment(nBits).brshift(i).band(pure(1));
 };
 
 export const randrun = (n) => {
diff --git a/packages/core/test/pattern.test.mjs b/packages/core/test/pattern.test.mjs
index 03f2c60f..7e6d8fd8 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/pattern.test.mjs
+++ b/packages/core/test/pattern.test.mjs
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ import {
   rev,
   time,
   run,
-  binary,
+  binaryN,
   pick,
   stackLeft,
   stackRight,
@@ -959,15 +959,15 @@ describe('Pattern', () => {
       expect(run(4).firstCycle()).toStrictEqual(sequence(0, 1, 2, 3).firstCycle());
     });
   });
-  describe('binary', () => {
+  describe('binaryN', () => {
     it('Can make a binary pattern from a decimal', () => {
-      expect(binary(55532).firstCycle()).toStrictEqual(
+      expect(binaryN(55532).firstCycle()).toStrictEqual(
         sequence(1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0).firstCycle(),
       );
     });
-    it('Can make a binary pattern from a numerical pattern', () => {
-      expect(binary(pure(0x1337)).firstCycle()).toStrictEqual(
-        sequence(0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1).firstCycle(),
+    it('Can make a binary pattern from patterned inputs', () => {
+      expect(binaryN(pure(0x1337), pure(14)).firstCycle()).toStrictEqual(
+        sequence(0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 1, 1, 1).firstCycle(),
       );
     });
   });
diff --git a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
index fd7169c5..6dce5739 100644
--- a/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
+++ b/test/__snapshots__/examples.test.mjs.snap
@@ -967,7 +967,8 @@ exports[`runs examples > example "begin" example index 0 1`] = `
 ]
 `;
 
-exports[`runs examples > example "binary" example index 0 1`] = `
+exports[`runs examples > example "binaryN
+Creates a discrete pattern using binary representation." example index 0 1`] = `
 [
   "[ 0/1 → 1/16 | s:hh ]",
   "[ 1/16 → 1/8 | s:hh ]",