Install Instructions

If you are updating just replace the files with the new ones, your persistent data like recordings/exports and settings will be saved.

• Mac
  1. Download the zip file.
  2. Unzip the file.
  3. Move the application to the Applications folder.
  4. Double-click the application to run it.
• Windows
  1. Download the zip file.
  2. Unzip the file.
  3. Leave the .exe file in the folder.
  4. Double-click the .exe file to run it.
• Linux
  1. Download the zip file.
  2. Open the file manager and navigate to the Downloads folder.
  3. Right-click on the zip file and select "Extract Here".
  4. Open the extracted folder.
  5. Right-click on the main executable file and select "Properties".
  6. Go to the "Permissions" tab and check the box that says "Allow executing file as program".
  7. Close the properties window.
  8. Double-click the main executable file to run the program.

Tutorial Video

Basic Usage

Beat DJ is a command line interface music program. When in doubt type something and hit enter. If nothing happens then read what it is asking for or just hit enter again. You can't go wrong. Just have fun. If you get stuck ask the AI for help by typing `ai` followed by your question. Run `help` or `fil` and open the all commands file to see all the commands.

If you get stuck in a command and it keeps asking for the same thing just click control+c on your keyboard to exit the command.

If you have sounds in your music folder run the `s` command to load random samples! Run `s kick` to load a kick sample etc.

It pulls from the Music folder by default. Use the `src` command to change the source folder.

Run the `cs` command to load random samples from our cloud sample library! Run `cs synth` to load a synth sample etc.

Run the `help` command to learn other commands!

Beat DJ now comes with a sample database in the cloud so you can download samples on the fly. Run the `cs` (cloudSplitter) command to create sounds from the cloud. Samples will be saved in the BeatDJ application Downloads folder. Run `fil` to view them. Run the `cloud` command to manage your cloud files.

The key is tied to the BPM (beats per minute). For example to have a tonic that is equal to C you would need the BPM to be 122.637. The reason for this is to sync the harmony with the rhythm.

Scales are microtonal but can be 12TET. There is a scale building command for just intonation and equal divisions of the octave. You can also import/export .scl files.

Most number inputs go from 0 to 9. For example max volume is 9, silence is 0.

Example Commands:

• help (shows all other commands)
• s (loads random sample)
• cs (loads random sample from the cloud)
• g (generates a sound from code)
• s clap (loads a clap sample by searching the file paths)
• s hat (loads a hat sample by searching the files paths)
• cs kick (loads a kick sample from the cloud)
• bpm 180 0 (sets the bpm to 180 instantly)
• 0 d (deletes sound zero)
• 0,3,4 d (deletes sounds 0,3,4)
• a d (deletes all sounds)
• o d (deletes the oldest 3 sounds)
• ai `how does beat dj work?` (asks the AI for help)
• ai `make a techno beat` (the AI will respond with help then use the `run` command to run the suggested commands)
• snare d (deletes snares)
• kick,snare,12 d (deletes kicks, snares, and sound 12)
• h ve 900 (sets a shorter decay on high frequency sounds)
• m mel (changes the melody of mid frequency sounds)
• l,3 mut (mutes all low frequency sounds and sound 3)
• a mut off (unmutes all)
• stop (stop playback)
• play (start playback)
• sc r (create a random just intonation scale)
• sc re (create a random edo scale)
• sc j (build a just intonation scale)
• sc e (build an edo scale)
• sc scl /filepathToSclFile (imports a .scl file)
• a exp j (export all sounds joined together, effects not included)
• a exp s (export all sounds separately, effects not included)
• rec & rec stop (record and stop recording, effects included)
• tts `hello world` (speaks hello world)
• feedback (request features or improvements)
• cloud (manage cloud files)
• mic (record with the microphone)
• a hum 9 (sets the humanize level to the max for all sounds, it will sound drunk :))
• signUp (links your anonymous account to an email so you can use your account on other devices)
• added "choose->" text to make it easier to see when input is required

Live Performance

There are 4 large diamonds on Beat DJ. The bottom left one is the left headphone channel, the bottom right is the right headphone channel. The top ones represent the speakers left and right channels. When performing live you will need an audio interface and you will need to create an aggregated sound output device so you can preview the sounds on your headphones.

Mac setup instructions

Windows setup instructions

Linux setup instructions coming soon. Email us if you need help or figure it out! dev@soniare.net

How do the microtonal scales work?

We plan to make Beat DJ a super flexible solution for microtonality. Currently in the beta the tonic is always linked with the BPM and the way the microtonality works is via the scale command like so:

• when the program starts it will generate a random justly tuned microtonal scale
• run `tonic` to set the tonic (which will change the bpm)
• run the `sc p` command to play the current scale
• run `sc r` to generate a new random sca
• run `sc j` to build a just intonation scale
• run `sc e` to build an edo scale
• run `sc m 1-1.25-1.5-1.75-2` to manually enter specific ratios
• run `sc scl` to import .scl files
• run `sc exp` to export the scale
• run `sc s` to stop the playback of the scale
• run `sc pri` to print the scale
• run `sc ch r` to play a random chord
• all new sounds will be in the current scale, to modify a sound to use the current scale use the melody command `mel`
• run `help mel` or `ai how does mel work?` to learn more

Music made with Beat DJ

Change Log

Contact

You can email me at nes@soniare.net

Want a video call tutorial? Book a time

Thank you!

- Nes