Keyboard:	Transpose:    off    automatic     fixed -12-11-10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-10123456789101112		show Chords	show Melody	show Drums	☺
Sound: ▲▼	Reverb:	Chords:   Vol: Pan:	Melody:   Vol: Pan:

LT Music Sketch Player

This web app uses webaudio-tinysynth, a small JavaScript synthesizer available at https://github.com/g200kg/webaudio-tinysynth☺.

Preface:

When I was little I liked to noodle on the piano and once it happened by accident that I had found a beautiful melody. But unfortunatelly, some days later, I could not remember it anymore. It was gone forever. Because I had not written down the music notation and I also had not recorded the melody.
So I thought to myself, this should not happen again! And the next time when a melody came into my mind, I tried to write down the music notation in standard format (dots on lines). Have you ever tried to do this by hand? For me this was really difficult and took a long time.
So I thought to myself, I have to find something easier, just good enough so that I could later remember the melody and reproduce it. And so this LT Music Sketch format was born and I am using it still today. This is the music notation format which is used here.
Writing down melodies in this format is quick and easy, so melodies can later be reproduced, and the best - by writing in this format melodies (either playing in the head or somwhere outside) can even be written down in "real time" (for that I recommend to write melodies always in the key of C Major / A minor).
So here's my suggestion, whenever you have a little melody, that you want to remember later, just write it down in this format. Over time it probably will get faster and easier for you too. All you need is a text editor on a computer or a little sheet of paper and a pen. In this format you can even write the melody of an entire song just on the backside of a buisiness card! And later you can reproduce the melody by replaying it with this little tool.

This little tool might be right for you ...

• if you want to collaborate with other musicians over the internet: you could send your musical ideas directly as links in Chat or Email
• if you have a lot of short musical ideas that you want to keep track of: with this tool you can keep hundreds of short musical ideas in one single text file (searchable!) instead of hundreds of audio sniplets or hundreds of separate short DAW projects
• if you want a quick and easy way to create an original audio of you singing "Happy Birthday" (or any other song)
• if you want a quick and easy way to create a backing track for a solo rehearsal (and even record playing)
• if you want to speed up the time required for note input in a DAW: you could write the notes/chords for several tracks here in text format and export it as MIDI file and then import it in the DAW of your choice
• if you want to have a little fun making music and try something new - and send your music as direct link to a friend in Chat or Email

How it works:

Type (or copy and paste) music notation (in the simplified music sketch format which is used here) in the text area or load a text file like this sample text file lt_music_sketch_player_samples.txt (load) (view) and then choose an item from the select box and click play to hear the music.

Examples:

Try out Bach - Prelude in C Major or Bach - Air on the G-String or Bach - Badinerie here! (view)
Here is collection of public domain Christmas songs. (view)
A Happy Birthday Karaoke version is here!
See this example how to play along with chords to your favorite pop songs!
For musicoligists: Have Fun With Roman Numeral Analysis!
Here is the Official LT Music Sketch Player Hymn!

LT Music Sketch notation format:

Use lowercase letters c d e f g a h c for notes (the german note name h has to be used instead of b)
or if you prefer you can also use uppercase letters C D E F G A B C for notes.
Append b to a note for flat notes and # for sharp notes, i.e. eb or f#.
If the current note is at least half an octave away from the previous note then

• add ' to the note if it is higher, i.e. cg'c (c -> higher g -> higher c)
• add , to the note if it is lower, i.e. cgc, (c -> lower g -> lower c)

Apend _ to notes to increase the note duration and use - for rest, repeating notes can be shortened i.e. -8 for --------.
Write chords into square brackets [], i.e. [C] as C major chord and use [-] as an empty chord.
Write minor chords with lowercase letters, i.e. [a], or if you prefer use uppercase letters and add "m", i.e. [Am].
Add i or I to a chord for inversions, i.e. [C] is c-e-g, [Ci] is e-g-c (higher), [Cii] is g-c-e (even higher), [CI] is g-c-e (lower) and so on.
Add ' or , to a chord to play it one octave higher (i.e. [C']) or one octave lower (i.e. [C,]).
Use curly brackets {} for comment or Karaoke lyrics (always at the end of a line) and use - to se-pa-rate syl-la-bles in Ka-ra-o-ke text.
Text in curly brackets {} in the first line will be interpreted as title.
Further the following can be used:

• [J=...] for Harmony voice, i.e. [J=5,50,-45,0,-1] (depends on melody) or [J=5,50,-45,0,-1, 1] (depends on chord)
• [K=...] for Harmony voice, i.e. [K=5,50,30,0,-2] (depends on melody) or [K=5,50,30,0,-2, 1] (depends on chord)
• [L=...] for Harmony voice, i.e. [L=5,50,45,-12,1] (depends on melody) or [L=5,50,45,-12,1, 1] (depends on chord)
• [M=...] for Modulation, i.e. after [M=1] everything is played 1 half step higher
• [P=...] for Parameter settings (Reverb, Drums volume and panning, Chords and Melody instruments, volume and panning), i.e. [P=50,50,0,3,50,0,1,75,0]
• [R=...] for Chord Rhythm, i.e. [R=6_-6_-6-]
• [S=...] for Swing, i.e. [S=50] (straight), [S=67] (shuffle)
• [T=...] for Tempo, i.e. [T=120] or tempo change if value is smaller than 10, i.e. [T=-1]
• [Q=...] for Guitar Chordie, i.e. [Q=26,13,25,0,6_96-696-,2]
• [U=...] for Chordie (depends on chord inversion) i.e. [U=76,44,-45,0,5--1--]
• [V=...] for Chordie (independend of chord inversion) i.e. [V=35,58,-25,-12,1_17_50_02_3]
• [W=...] for Chordie (independend of chord inversion) i.e. [W=14,44,45,12,__13_52__---]
• [X=...] for Drum instruments, i.e. [X=36,38]
• [Z=...] for Drum patterns, i.e. [Z=1,0,2,0]

Harmony voices, Chordies and Drums can be defined up to nine times and later switched on and off again, i.e.
[Z=1,0,2,0][Z=1,0,3,0][Z=0]{2 drum patterns are defined and then switched off with [Z=0]}
[Z=1] {switches drum pattern 1 on: [Z=1,0,2,0]}
[Z=0] {switches drum pattern off}
[Z=2] {switches drum pattern 2 on: [Z=1,0,3,0]}

Example:

[P=50,50,0,3,50,0,1,75,0][T=150]{The wheels on the bus}
[-]     --g_  {The}
[C] c_ccc_e_  {wheels on the bus go}
[C] g_e_c__-  {round and round,}
[G] d_h_g__-  {round and round,}
[C] g'_e_c_g_ {round and round. The}
[C] c_ccc_e_  {wheels on the bus go}
[C] g_e_c__-  {round and round,}
[G] d___g,__g {all through the}
[C] c___      {town.}

or with notes as uppercase letters

[P=50,50,0,3,50,0,1,75,0][T=150]{The wheels on the bus}
[-]     --G_  {The}
[C] C_CCC_E_  {wheels on the bus go}
[C] G_E_C__-  {round and round,}
[G] D_B_G__-  {round and round,}
[C] G'_E_C_G_ {round and round. The}
[C] C_CCC_E_  {wheels on the bus go}
[C] G_E_C__-  {round and round,}
[G] D___G,__G {all through the}
[C] C___      {town.}

or reformatted for better Karaoke experience (here with additional instrumentation):

[P=50,50,0,3,40,0,1,75,0][T=180][M=0] {The wheels on the bus}
[J=5,50,-45,-12,1][K=5,50,15,0,-1][L=5,50,45,0,-2]
[X=36,40,54][Z=1,0,4,0,2,0,4,0][Z=0][V=35,75,0,-12,1__-0__-1__-0_1_][V=0][Q=25,55,-15,0,1_9-][Q=0]
[-]-g_[R=6_6-][Z=1][V=1][Q=1][Ci]c_ccc_e_[Ci]g_e_c__{The wheels on the bus go round and round,}
-[G7I]d_h_g__-[Ci]g'_e_c{round and round, round and round.}
_g_[Ci]c_ccc_e_[Ci]g_e_c__{The wheels on the bus go round and round,}
-[G7I]d__-g,__g[Ci]c___-{all through the town.}

Chord notes and Rhythm patterns for Chordies

Meaning of numbers for Guitar Chordie Q, i.e. [Q=26,13,25,0,6_96-696-,2]:

• 0: 2 lowest strings of the chord (strummed downward)
• 1: lowest string of the chord
• 2: 2nd lowest string of the chord
• 3: 3rd highest string of the chord
• 4: 2nd highest string of the chord
• 5: highest string of the chord
• 6: full chord (strummed downward)
• 7: 3 lowest strings of the chord (strummed downward)
• 8: 2 highest strings of the chord (strummed upward)
• 9: 3 highest strings of the chord (strummed upward)

Meaning of numbers for Chord Rhythm R and Chordie U (depends on actual chord inversion), i.e. [U=35,50,0,-12,1_-11_--]:

• 0: 5 half steps below lowest note of the chord
• 1: lowest note of the chord
• 2: lowest note of the chord + note one octave higher
• 3: 2nd lowest note of the chord
• 4: lowest note of the chord + note 7 half steps higher
• 5: 3rd lowest note of the chord (or note 7 half steps higher than lowest note for chords with less than 3 notes)
• 6: entire chord (for R) / lowest note of the chord (for U, use 1 instead of 6, implementation might change in the future)
• 7: 4th lowest note of the chord (or note 7 half steps higher than lowest note + note 1 octave above lowest note for chords with less than 4 notes)
• 8: 1 octave above lowest note of the chord
• 9: entire chord one octave higher (for R) / lowest note of the chord (for U, use 1 instead of 9, implementation might change in the future)

Meaning of numbers for Chordie V and W (independend of chord inversion), i.e. [V=35,50,0,-12,1061_578][W=1,50,0,12,13589853]:

• 0: 1 octave below 5th scale degree of the chord
• 1: 1st scale degree (root note) of the chord
• 2: 2nd scale degree of the chord
• 3: 3rd scale degree of the chord
• 4: 4th scale degree of the chord
• 5: 5th scale degree of the chord
• 6: 1 octave below 6th (major) or 7th (minor) scale degree of the chord
• 7: 6th (major) or 7th (minor) scale degree of the chord
• 8: 1 octave above 1st scale degree of the chord
• 9: 1 octave above 3rd scale degree of the chord

Both standard notation and short notation can be used for chords, i.e. [Am] or [a] as an A minor chord.

iii	IV	V	vi	vii°	I	ii	iii	IV	V	vi	vii°	I	ii	iii	Roman Numerals (RN) for chords built on the major scale
[Em,]	[F,]	[G,]	[Am,]	[B°,]	[C]	[Dm]	[Em]	[F]	[G]	[Am]	[B°]	[C']	[Dm']	[Em']	Chords built on the C major scale in standard notation
		0	6		1	2	3	4	5	7		8		9	Chordie numbers for notes when a C major chord is played
✔	✖	✔	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔	✖	✔	✔	✖	✔	✔	✔	Pentatonic scale notes of the C major / A natural minor scale
0		6	1	2	3	4	5		7	8		9			Chordie numbers for notes when an A minor chord is played
[e,]	[F,]	[G,]	[a,]	[h-,]	[C]	[d]	[e]	[F]	[G]	[a]	[h-]	[C']	[d']	[e']	Chords built on the A natural minor scale in short notation
v	VI	VII	i	ii°	III	iv	v	VI	VII	i	ii°	III	iv	v	RN for chords built on the natural minor scale in classical notation
v	♭VI	♭VII	i	ii°	♭III	iv	v	♭VI	♭VII	i	ii°	♭III	iv	v	RN for chords built on the natural minor scale in modern notation

Good practice recommendation for chord construction definitions is to use first the inversion, then the octave shift, i.e. [Ci'] (not [C'i]).
Any arbitrary chords can be created:

• Adding '7' at the end of any chord will add a new note 3 half steps higher than the current last note of the chord.
• Adding '+' at the end of any chord will increase the current last note by 1 half step.
• Adding '-' at the end of any chord will decrease the current last note by 1 half step.
• Adding '0' or '5' at the end of any chord will delete the current second note of the chord.

Sometimes (for a difficult extended chord) there may not exist a chord construction definition which is also descriptive. In such a case it is recommended to add an exclamation mark at the end of the chord, i.e. [E+i+i+II!] (descriptive would be [F]). If possible, then a descriptive chord construction definition should always be used.

When saving as MIDI file in order to import it into a notation software and the notes are not recognized correctly then it is recommended before saving as MIDI to make the following changes in the editor:

• start with a full measure (no pickup measure)
• set tempo at start to [T=60], [T=120] or [T=240] and remove later tempo changes ([T=...])
• remove swing if it is used ([S=...])
• set the strum duration to 0 if the guitar chordie is used ([Q=...,0])

You can save this web app on your computer and use it offline, everything should work there as well.

Recommended hashtag for social media posts about music made with this tool is #LTMusicSketchPlayer      ► YouTube 

If this web app is useful for you please support the development of this software here:   Donate with PayPal  

Lutz Tautenhahn - 2022, 2023