Or rather, it's based on the Master's drum beat... which is based on RTD's alarm clock.I particularly loved the way the Master's leit motiff was based on the same time signature as the Doctor Who theme song.![]()
I have no idea what you're referring to about RTD's alarm clock, but that drum beat has the same time signature as the Doctor Who theme song. Seems pretty obvious to me that the Master's theme was written as a sort of twisted version of the Doctor's theme -- which is appropriate, since the Master is a sick and twisted version of the Doctor.
In an interview shortly after the S3 finale arc aired, RTD denied the Master's drum beat was based on the Doctor Who theme music and said his inspiration for it was an alarm clock he had when he was younger, which apparentally sounded similar.