Quick How To

This project is still work in progress!

This tool lets you arrange notes using a grid system. Connected notes can be grouped together into loops, by placing the "loop" symbol at the start (left side) of the chain. You can play and pause the playback by using three buttons in the toolbar, or you can use the space bar. This tool does make sound by itself but it's primarily meant to be a MIDI sequencer, connecting to something like Ableton.

To place a note, first select a cell in the palette. Then, click within the workarea. You can click and drag to adjust the duration of the note while you place it.

You can also use the keyboard to navigate the grid system, using the arrow keys to move the selection, and shift+arrow keys to select more or less cells. Selection can be copied, cut, or pasted, using the buttons in the toolbar or using keyboard shortcuts (ctrl-c to copy, ctrl-x to cut, ctrl-v to paste).

Each loop can be assigned to a specific MIDI channel, by selecting the keyboard icon in the toolbar. To change the number, select cells you'd like to change and either use ctrl-up and ctrl-down, or type the number.

The palette is where you select notes that can be placed on the grid.

The toolbar is where you can affect playback and a handful of tools that can change the mode that you're currently in.

✏ (Edit)

Edit allows you to select notes from the palate and place them into the main grid. Left click will place a note and right click will delete a note. If no notes are selected from the palette then clicking and dragging will select cells. The escape key will clear whatever cell you had selected from the palette.

⛶ (Select)

Select allows you to click and drag regions for selection.

🖑 (Pan)

Pan moves the main grid. Also achieved by the middle mouse button, or two finger drag with touch devices.

V (Velocity)

Velocity puts the the editor into mode that allows you to change the loudness of individual notes. Use ctrl-up, ctrl-down, or type a number to change the value.

O (Octave)

Octave puts the editor into a mode that allows you to change the octave of individual notes. Use ctrl-up, ctrl-down, or type a number to change the value.

🎹 (MIDI Channel)

MIDI Channel allows you to change the current midi channel of the given chain. Use ctrl-up, ctrl-down, or type a number to change the value.

🔗 (Extend Notes)

Extend allows you to hold notes and extend duration.

⧉ (Copy)

Copy will hold on to any selected cells. (ctrl-c)

📋 (Paste)

Paste will place any copied cells at the currently selected cell. (ctrl-v)

✂️ (Cut)

Cut will copy the selected cells and remove them. (ctrl-x)

🗑 (Delete)

Delete will remove the selected cells from the grid. (backspace)

MIDI

To use WebMIDI you will likely want to be on Chrome, and you will need to have some sort of virtual MIDI loopback. On Windows check out Tobias Erichsen's loopMIDI On MacOS you can use the built in IAC bus, which has to be enabled in Audio MIDI Setup. Check out this article if you have issues.

About

This tool was made by Austin Slominski (@aceslowman) in 2023. Let me know if you have any issues or suggestions! This is still a work in progress.