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Join WebSynths today!
It’s FREE.
It’s FREE.
Already have an account? Please sign in.
(If you created an account before Feb. 2022, you may need to create a new account.)
(If you created an account before Feb. 2022, you may need to create a new account.)
WebSynths is a free resource for any musician with internet access! But, it is made possible by support from our patrons. Please consider helping if you can: patreon.com/WebSynths
- You can use your QWERTY keyboard, mouse, mobile touch or MIDI keyboard to play the sounds.
- You can change the tuning of the keys, or select a scale, by clicking the tuning button.
- MIDI is a way to use an external physical instrument to play it. If you have a MIDI keyboard that you wish to use, hit the MIDI button to set it up.
- If a note gets stuck, hit the panic button, it will stop all voices from playing.
- You can use the arrows on your computer keyboard to scroll through the presets.
A simple explanation of Subtractive Synthesis:
- Subtractive Synthesis works by taking one or more oscillators, setting the pitch of their oscillation (usually to the note of the key being pressed,) setting the shape of their oscillation to the desired timbre (Sine, Saw, Square or more complex shapes,) mixing them together and running them through a filter to change their EQ (usually filtering out the highest or lowest frequencies... this is why it is called "subtractive"), then running them through an envelope so the note can be heard on when a key is pressed down and is silenced when the key is released. In the case of WebSynths Microtonal, the sound is then sent through effects like delay, chorus and reverb and out to your speakers.
- Oscillators are the voices. This synth has 3 of them in the left column. You can change the character of each voice by changing the parameters of them. The 'Shape' menu allows you to choose from different styles of voice for each oscillator. You can turn each voice on or off and mix them together.
- The filter section applies equalization to your oscillators via the cutoff and emphasis controls. You can change the equalization filter type to 'low pass / high pass' and many more. You can use the LFOs and/or Envelopes to change how the filtration changes over time. An LFO is just a slow oscillator that is uses to automatically move a parameter over time.
- The amplitude envelope changes how your sound is played, volume-wise, when you hit a note. For example, having a long release time will mean that once you let go of the note you are playing it will tail off until fading out. Having a slow attack will mean that your note will fade in instead of playing at full volume straight away.
- The effects section allows you to add various effects to your overall sound. You can change the effects, mix them together and toggle them on or off too.
Some links:
VIDEO: Introduction to synthesis by Beat Theory Music Ed. featuring the WebSynths Microtonal instrument
WebSynths Microtonal Flowchart (PDF)
WebSynths Chat for comments, updates, music and patch sharing
WebSynths.org: Resources and Peers
master volume
save patch
patch name
save patch
tuning
patch type
If you load or save a patch, it will appear here.
Patch list goes here
bpm
beats per minute
oscillator 1
shape
waveform
pulse width
pulse width
lfo
settings
shape
legato time (%)
bpm-based frequency
frequency (Hz)
width
width envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
super size
oscillators
detune (%)
stereo width (%)
frequency modifiers
shift (%)
shift (octave)
lfo
settings
shape
legato time (%)
bpm-based frequency
frequency (Hz)
width
width envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
envelope
attack
initial shift (%)
delay attack start
bpm-based
seconds
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
terminal shift (%)
bpm-based
seconds
frequency follow filter
type
emphasis
mix (%)
amplitude modifiers
scale (%)
lfo
settings
shape
legato time (%)
bpm-based frequency
frequency (Hz)
width
width envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
pan
position
auto pan
rate (Hz)
depth (%)
convolver
type
gain (%)
mix (%)
eq
high cut
hertz
parametric
amplitude (dB)
frequency (Hz)
low cut
hertz
filters
filter matrix
preset
from oscillators
to filter 1 (%)
to filter 2 (%)
to filters out (%)
from filter 1
to filter 2 (%)
to filters out (%)
from filter 2
to filters out (%)
filter 1
type
cutoff (Hz)
frequency follow
amount (%)
cutoff lfo
settings
shape
legato time (%)
bpm-based frequency
frequency (Hz)
width
width envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
cutoff envelope
attack
initial cutoff (Hz)
attack (bpm-based)
attack (seconds)
release
sustain
release (bpm-based)
release (seconds)
terminal cutoff (Hz)
emphasis
filter 2
type
cutoff (Hz)
frequency follow
amount (%)
cutoff lfo
settings
shape
legato time (%)
bpm-based frequency
frequency (Hz)
width
width envelope
delay
bpm-based
seconds
attack
bpm-based
seconds
release
sustain
bpm-based
seconds
cutoff envelope
attack
initial cutoff (Hz)
attack (bpm-based)
attack (seconds)
release
sustain
release (bpm-based)
release (seconds)
terminal cutoff (Hz)
emphasis
amplitude envelope
settings
attack
bpm-based
seconds
attack part 1
bpm-based
seconds
target (%)
attack part 2
bpm-based
seconds
target (%)
decay
bpm-based
seconds
target (%)
release
sustain
maximum sustain time
bpm-based
seconds
hold
bpm-based
seconds
release part 1
bpm-based
seconds
target (%)
release part 2
bpm-based
seconds
target (%)
release part 3
bpm-based
seconds
bpm-based
seconds
effects
compressor
threshold (dB)
ratio (dB)
make-up gain (%)
add dry (%)
distortion
type
drive (0 to 1)
gain (0 to 1)
amount
eq
high cut (Hz)
high cut emphasis
low cut (Hz)
low cut emphasis
level (%)
mix (%)
modulators
chorus
color (ms)
rate (Hz)
depth (%)
stereo invert
low cut (Hz)
mix (%)
tremolo
shape (triangle to square)
bpm-based
rate (Hz)
depth (%)
stereo invert
stereo width (%)
mix (%)
delays
single delay
bpm-based
seconds
feedback (%)
eq
high cut (Hz)
low cut (Hz)
mix (%)
dual delay
input to delay A (%)
input to delay B (%)
delay A time from bpm
delay A time (seconds)
delay B time from bpm
delay B time (seconds)
feedback A to A (%)
feedback B to B (%)
feedback A to B (%)
feedback B to A (%)
delay A pan (%)
delay B pan (%)
delay A to output (%)
delay B to output (%)
eq
high cut A (Hz)
high cut B (Hz)
low cut A (Hz)
low cut B (Hz)
mix (%)
reverb
reverb delay
bpm-based
delay (seconds)
reverb type
reverb eq
high cut (Hz)
low cut (Hz)
reverb mix (%)
eq
high cut
hertz
high shelf (12kHz)
amplitude (dB)
parametric 1
amplitude (dB)
frequency (Hz)
parametric 2
amplitude (dB)
frequency (Hz)
low shelf (80Hz)
amplitude (dB)
low cut
hertz
volume
gain
scale (%)
limiter
threshold (dB)
meter
keyboard layout
If you are reading this, WebSynths was unable to activate midi. The following steps may fix that:
- Use the latest version of Google Chrome.
- Quit Chrome. Connect your MIDI device and relaunch Chrome.
lowest midi trigger
midi channel
INCOMING MIDI DATA
pitch system
number of pads
left pitch
right pitch
left pitch (Hz)
key
start note
fundamental
pitch system
Stopping all oscillators and feedback loops
panic
tuning
midi •
keyboard
X
About WebSynths
The web audio api is still an experiment
- WebSynths does crash — I encourage you to save and record your work regularly
- If you are getting unwanted clicks or distortion:
- hit the panic button to clear voices
- save your patch, reload the website into your browser, then load your saved patch back in
- shut down all applications except your browser
- close all websites except WebSynths in your browser
- the super saw may be overwhelming your CPU, use a different oscillator waveform
- try turning down the volume attenuator and turning on the volume limiter
- try turning off effects as they may be overwhelming your CPU
- Most parameter changes impact the next note played — if you hold a note and change a variable, the held note will likely not be impacted
- The Web MIDI API is still an experiment. It stops working at random, and you may need to reload the page to start it up again.
- The same WebSynths patch will sound different on different machines, operating systems and browsers — and a patch that will break a weaker machine (resulting in audible clicks and stutters) may work fine on a stronger machine
- If a sound gets stuck, hit the panic button to stop all sound
- There is a rare chance that a crash will emit a sustained high-pitched squeal — be prepared to close the browser window to save your ears and speakers from damage
- As of today, the latest version of Chrome seems to work best
Specs
- Browser-based, mobile-first, responsive interface
- Unique microtonal tuning system
- Unique nested-module patch creation paradigm
- Preset patch library with over 130 patches
- Save and load user created patches
- Ability to load one patch's microtonal tuning system into another
- Trigger sounds via MIDI (with velocity), touch, (QWERTY, AZERTY, or QWERTZ) computer keyboard, or mouse clicks
- 3 oscillators, each with
- sine, square, sawtooth, pulse, and triangle waveform types
- pulse width with dedicated lfo
- super size with up to 15 voices, with adjustable detune and stereo width
- white, pink, and brown noise waveforms
- frequency-follow filter
- pitch and amplitude envelopes
- pitch and amplitude LFOs with dedicated envelopes
- pan position with auto-pan
- convolver with drum samples
- high cut, low cut and parametric eq
- 2 filters, each with 8 filter modes and dedicated frequency envelopes and frequency LFOs
- Filter matrix with presets
- All LFOs have basic and extended functions, 5 wave shapes, dedicated envelope, and are BPM syncable
- Random and hold LFO oscillator waveform with legato
- All envelopes are BPM syncable
- 7 segment amplitude envelope
- Effects: compressor, distortion with eq, single and dual BPM syncable delays with eq, stereo chorus, stereo tremolo, reverb (18 models), eq (6 bands), and limiter
- Visual audio meter
- Polyphonic
- Panic button
X
instructions
These are preliminary, to help out those new to synths. I'm working on tutorial videos that should be available soon.
iOS 9 Fix
touch here
Chrome 2018 Fix
begin session
