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I'm not trying to be cynical but what is special about this verses that 1000s of similar sites that came before? Here's one of google's https://www.google.com

I'm not trying to be cynical but what is special about this verses that 1000s of similar sites that came before? Here's one of google's https://www.google.com/logos/2017/fischinger/fischinger17.html https://www.google.com/logos/2017/fischinger/fischinger17.ht... Here's Ableton's https://learningmusic.ableton.com/ https://learningmusic.ableton.com/ Is there something special about this one?

renewiltord 6y ago
These are great too. Thanks for sharing!
thunderbong 6y ago
Nothing special. But I'm sure it was fun building it! I've seen the others too, but I found this to be less busy and more fun!
__max__ 6y ago
I too feel a little cynical, because I built basically exactly this back in 2012. Before Google, and before Ableton. AFAIK, it was the first grid sequencer online. The first version used the Mozilla audio API, before Web Audio was even a thing. I wish I was credited for the inspiration somewhere, but I guess it's very possible that this is an independent reinvention. I called it MusicToy: http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiaaaaaaieaaaaaiecaaaaiecbiiiiecbaeeeecbaaccccbaaabbbbaaaabbbbbbbbaaaappppaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... It's almost exactly the same, with the pattern encoded in the URL, but it also has drum samples, and it has very few dependencies (no need for node or any web frameworks). I personally prefer having time go from left to right because that's how most sequencers work, and our monitors tend to be wider than they are tall. I also made an updated, more advanced version (MusicToy 2) in 2019: https://mt2.musictools.live/ https://mt2.musictools.live/
- reitzensteinm 6y ago
  Tone Matrix predates yours by many years and was popular at the time. If you weren't aware of it, you should charitably assume OP independently built this too.
  - gregschlom 6y ago
    Yes, was going to say the same thing. I was playing with Tone Matrix way back in 2006 I think. It was built with Flash, and died with the rest of the flash web. Edit: original link to tone matrix: http://lab.andre-michelle.com/ToneMatrix http://lab.andre-michelle.com/ToneMatrix
    - maxlaumeister 6y ago
      I ported Tone Matrix to JavaScript to help keep it from dying: https://www.maxlaumeister.com/tonematrix/ https://www.maxlaumeister.com/tonematrix/
  - __max__ 6y ago
    Tone Matrix isn't a grid sequencer though, but fair enough, I should have said the first JS-based grid sequencer, not the first grid sequencer online.
    - leviathant 6y ago
      'first JS-based grid sequencer' We're all inspired by other things, and being first doesn't really count for much if you don't promote yourself. Even then, it's a roll of the dice as to if you stand out in the crowd. If you're just going by "JS-based grid sequencer' I created one in February 2011 as part of an HTML-based emulation of a Boss DR-110 drum machine (Which I later updated to use the Web Audio API to synthesize the drum voices) https://github.com/leviathant/BossDR110 https://github.com/leviathant/BossDR110 It's skeumorphic (I was challenging the popular notion "You can do everything in HTML that you can do in Flash" at the time - it wasn't true then, but we're much closer now), I never finished out 'song mode', but it is a JS-based grid sequencer that predates your timeline. As best as I can tell, it was the first click-and-drag Javascript knob done Rebirth/Reason style - it was a little clunky, but I sure as hell couldn't find any remotely similar code to base it off of - but I don't get bent out of shape whenever I see other people making Javascript knobs.
- samizdis 6y ago
  Coldcut, a Brit electronic music duo who also dabbled in audio/video mix software, made a simple online music tool for Absolut Vodka in 1998. (Absolut was targeting the youth market and set up a site called Absolut DJ.) Coldcut's thing was a simple grid on which you placed sound effects/samples sprites. A dot moving through the grid would play each in turn as it hit them. It was really good fun, but I can't find it now. Might have been made in Flash - or perhaps it was still known as Shockwave Flash back then. Here's an archive article about Absolut's campaign: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/absolut-vodka-launches-absolut-dj-website/47197 https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/absolut-vodka-launche... Coldcut's Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldcut https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldcut
- 72deluxe 6y ago
  Very enjoyable, thanks: http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#babababaaaaaaaaababababaaaahaaaeaaaiaaabaaaaaaaababababaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaefefefefaaaagaiababababaabajcbaheeeeeeeeabababab http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#babababaaaaaaaaababababa... https://mt2.musictools.live/#1259 https://mt2.musictools.live/#1259
fenomas 6y ago
Ironically that google link seems to be broken in Chrome, because it predates the time in 2018 when chrome intentionally broke most/all existing webaudio content. (Ostensibly the change was meant to prevent pages from auto-playing sounds without user input, but in practice it broke pages regardless of whether they did so.) Details: https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/11/web-audio-autoplay https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/11/web-audio-...
- gfxgirl 6y ago
  Strange, that google one works for me in Chrome and it was made after the restrictions The more embarrassing one for Google is this entire site https://www.google.com/search?q=link%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmusiclab.chromeexperiments.com%2F https://www.google.com/search?q=link%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmusicla...
  - fenomas 6y ago
    It's unpredictable; the chrome policy that breaks webaudio is partly based on your browsing behavior. When they first applied the policy (mid 2018), it broke pretty much all webaudio and they un-applied it a few days later. When they later reapplied it (late 2018) they didn't change the policy itself, but apparently added a thing where chrome ignores the policy if it remembers you having allowed audio to play at that site before. Anyhoo it looks like I was in an incognito tab when I tried it before and the audiocontext was silenced. In a regular tab it plays normally (for me, anyway).
    - moron4hire 6y ago
      What's really weird is that sometimes the audio works of you navigated to the page, but if you refresh the page it breaks. For as much as Google engineers talk about "don't break the Web", they break the fucking web all the time.
classified 6y ago
It uses Google Analytics.
rodw 6y ago
Why the Rifleman's Creed, of course: "There are many like it, but this one is mine." (To be clear, I am not the creator here.) There are many things like this, but for what it is worth, this is a pretty well executed one: simple to use, elegant UX, produces pleasing tones even when used inexpertly. Also the fact that this one expands to a large number of steps is somewhat unique I think. (BTW it seems odd to me that the lower bound on the number of steps is 10 rather than the conventional 8.) I too have seen (and played with) a large number of step-sequencer things and literally have three of them sitting next to me on my desk while I type this. But I still enjoyed playing with this one for a little while. I'm sure the OP learned something from this exercise, and there could be people for whom this is their first/best experience with a simple step sequencer, so it may "unlock" something for someone. But I think that's unnecessary "gravy" in this case. Sometimes the "joy" of creating is reason enough to do it. I may never visit Music Grid again but I'm glad OP shared it.
- irshadshalu 6y ago
  Hey, I'm the author and your comment did put a smile on my face. thanks for that :) > steps is 10 rather than the conventional 8 oops, sorry on that one as I have no idea about music theory and stuff. I just learned a lot by building it and now going through this thread learning more.
  - rodw 6y ago
    The 8-not-10 isn't a problem at all, just a little surprising and maybe a hint that the creator wasn't deeply experienced with sequencers. To be honest that's fine. I sincerely think this is a pretty elegant implementation, maybe because you're looking at it with fresh eyes. Traditionally the hardware versions of these things have a pretty clunky and awkward interface that seems designed to minimize the number of switches and dials rather than to be readily understandable. A lot of the "toy" software sequencers you'll find online are clearly modeled on the hardware sequencers - sometimes specific ones - and copy that clunky interface. The "here's a grid, toggle a button to play a sound on that beat" interface is much more intuitive and fun to play with. I think this is really well done. The only idea for improvement that jumps out at to me would be the ability to drag the cursor with the mouse down to toggle multiple buttons at once rather than independently clicking on each one.
hoorayimhelping 6y ago
>I'm not trying to be cynical Welp, you failed spectacularly at that. You came off like a bitter, cynical asshole who's mad that someone made something. >Is there something special about this one? Yeah, someone had the inspiration to make something and they did it. That's pretty fucking special. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."
- dang 6y ago
  Oof, please don't do this here. I appreciate you standing up for the OP, and of course the shallow-dismissal aspect of internet comments is a big problem, big enough that the site guidelines ask people not to do it: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html. But they also ask you to "Be kind", plus this: "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith." The best way to respond to a comment like that isn't to do to Monty Python fish slap but rather to include and expand (I almost want to say 'embrace and extend') - rodw shows how it's done: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23517644 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23517644

renewiltord 6y ago

These are great too. Thanks for sharing!

thunderbong 6y ago

Nothing special. But I'm sure it was fun building it! I've seen the others too, but I found this to be less busy and more fun!

__max__ 6y ago

I too feel a little cynical, because I built basically exactly this back in 2012. Before Google, and before Ableton. AFAIK, it was the first grid sequencer online. The first version used the Mozilla audio API, before Web Audio was even a thing. I wish I was credited for the inspiration somewhere, but I guess it's very possible that this is an independent reinvention. I called it MusicToy: http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiaaaaaaieaaaaaiecaaaaiecbiiiiecbaeeeecbaaccccbaaabbbbaaaabbbbbbbbaaaappppaaaaaaaaaaaaaaab http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... It's almost exactly the same, with the pattern encoded in the URL, but it also has drum samples, and it has very few dependencies (no need for node or any web frameworks). I personally prefer having time go from left to right because that's how most sequencers work, and our monitors tend to be wider than they are tall. I also made an updated, more advanced version (MusicToy 2) in 2019: https://mt2.musictools.live/ https://mt2.musictools.live/

reitzensteinm 6y ago
Tone Matrix predates yours by many years and was popular at the time. If you weren't aware of it, you should charitably assume OP independently built this too.
- gregschlom 6y ago
  Yes, was going to say the same thing. I was playing with Tone Matrix way back in 2006 I think. It was built with Flash, and died with the rest of the flash web. Edit: original link to tone matrix: http://lab.andre-michelle.com/ToneMatrix http://lab.andre-michelle.com/ToneMatrix
  - maxlaumeister 6y ago
    I ported Tone Matrix to JavaScript to help keep it from dying: https://www.maxlaumeister.com/tonematrix/ https://www.maxlaumeister.com/tonematrix/
- __max__ 6y ago
  Tone Matrix isn't a grid sequencer though, but fair enough, I should have said the first JS-based grid sequencer, not the first grid sequencer online.
  - leviathant 6y ago
    'first JS-based grid sequencer' We're all inspired by other things, and being first doesn't really count for much if you don't promote yourself. Even then, it's a roll of the dice as to if you stand out in the crowd. If you're just going by "JS-based grid sequencer' I created one in February 2011 as part of an HTML-based emulation of a Boss DR-110 drum machine (Which I later updated to use the Web Audio API to synthesize the drum voices) https://github.com/leviathant/BossDR110 https://github.com/leviathant/BossDR110 It's skeumorphic (I was challenging the popular notion "You can do everything in HTML that you can do in Flash" at the time - it wasn't true then, but we're much closer now), I never finished out 'song mode', but it is a JS-based grid sequencer that predates your timeline. As best as I can tell, it was the first click-and-drag Javascript knob done Rebirth/Reason style - it was a little clunky, but I sure as hell couldn't find any remotely similar code to base it off of - but I don't get bent out of shape whenever I see other people making Javascript knobs.
samizdis 6y ago
Coldcut, a Brit electronic music duo who also dabbled in audio/video mix software, made a simple online music tool for Absolut Vodka in 1998. (Absolut was targeting the youth market and set up a site called Absolut DJ.) Coldcut's thing was a simple grid on which you placed sound effects/samples sprites. A dot moving through the grid would play each in turn as it hit them. It was really good fun, but I can't find it now. Might have been made in Flash - or perhaps it was still known as Shockwave Flash back then. Here's an archive article about Absolut's campaign: https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/absolut-vodka-launches-absolut-dj-website/47197 https://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/absolut-vodka-launche... Coldcut's Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldcut https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coldcut
72deluxe 6y ago
Very enjoyable, thanks: http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#babababaaaaaaaaababababaaaahaaaeaaaiaaabaaaaaaaababababaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaefefefefaaaagaiababababaabajcbaheeeeeeeeabababab http://maximecb.github.io/MusicToy/#babababaaaaaaaaababababa... https://mt2.musictools.live/#1259 https://mt2.musictools.live/#1259

fenomas 6y ago

Ironically that google link seems to be broken in Chrome, because it predates the time in 2018 when chrome intentionally broke most/all existing webaudio content. (Ostensibly the change was meant to prevent pages from auto-playing sounds without user input, but in practice it broke pages regardless of whether they did so.) Details: https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/11/web-audio-autoplay https://developers.google.com/web/updates/2018/11/web-audio-...

gfxgirl 6y ago
Strange, that google one works for me in Chrome and it was made after the restrictions The more embarrassing one for Google is this entire site https://www.google.com/search?q=link%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmusiclab.chromeexperiments.com%2F https://www.google.com/search?q=link%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fmusicla...
- fenomas 6y ago
  It's unpredictable; the chrome policy that breaks webaudio is partly based on your browsing behavior. When they first applied the policy (mid 2018), it broke pretty much all webaudio and they un-applied it a few days later. When they later reapplied it (late 2018) they didn't change the policy itself, but apparently added a thing where chrome ignores the policy if it remembers you having allowed audio to play at that site before. Anyhoo it looks like I was in an incognito tab when I tried it before and the audiocontext was silenced. In a regular tab it plays normally (for me, anyway).
  - moron4hire 6y ago
    What's really weird is that sometimes the audio works of you navigated to the page, but if you refresh the page it breaks. For as much as Google engineers talk about "don't break the Web", they break the fucking web all the time.

classified 6y ago

It uses Google Analytics.

rodw 6y ago

Why the Rifleman's Creed, of course: "There are many like it, but this one is mine." (To be clear, I am not the creator here.) There are many things like this, but for what it is worth, this is a pretty well executed one: simple to use, elegant UX, produces pleasing tones even when used inexpertly. Also the fact that this one expands to a large number of steps is somewhat unique I think. (BTW it seems odd to me that the lower bound on the number of steps is 10 rather than the conventional 8.) I too have seen (and played with) a large number of step-sequencer things and literally have three of them sitting next to me on my desk while I type this. But I still enjoyed playing with this one for a little while. I'm sure the OP learned something from this exercise, and there could be people for whom this is their first/best experience with a simple step sequencer, so it may "unlock" something for someone. But I think that's unnecessary "gravy" in this case. Sometimes the "joy" of creating is reason enough to do it. I may never visit Music Grid again but I'm glad OP shared it.

irshadshalu 6y ago
Hey, I'm the author and your comment did put a smile on my face. thanks for that :) > steps is 10 rather than the conventional 8 oops, sorry on that one as I have no idea about music theory and stuff. I just learned a lot by building it and now going through this thread learning more.
- rodw 6y ago
  The 8-not-10 isn't a problem at all, just a little surprising and maybe a hint that the creator wasn't deeply experienced with sequencers. To be honest that's fine. I sincerely think this is a pretty elegant implementation, maybe because you're looking at it with fresh eyes. Traditionally the hardware versions of these things have a pretty clunky and awkward interface that seems designed to minimize the number of switches and dials rather than to be readily understandable. A lot of the "toy" software sequencers you'll find online are clearly modeled on the hardware sequencers - sometimes specific ones - and copy that clunky interface. The "here's a grid, toggle a button to play a sound on that beat" interface is much more intuitive and fun to play with. I think this is really well done. The only idea for improvement that jumps out at to me would be the ability to drag the cursor with the mouse down to toggle multiple buttons at once rather than independently clicking on each one.

hoorayimhelping 6y ago

>I'm not trying to be cynical Welp, you failed spectacularly at that. You came off like a bitter, cynical asshole who's mad that someone made something. >Is there something special about this one? Yeah, someone had the inspiration to make something and they did it. That's pretty fucking special. "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena... who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds... who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

dang 6y ago
Oof, please don't do this here. I appreciate you standing up for the OP, and of course the shallow-dismissal aspect of internet comments is a big problem, big enough that the site guidelines ask people not to do it: https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html. But they also ask you to "Be kind", plus this: "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize. Assume good faith." The best way to respond to a comment like that isn't to do to Monty Python fish slap but rather to include and expand (I almost want to say 'embrace and extend') - rodw shows how it's done: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23517644 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23517644