Pocket Sequencer
by ArcadeLabA step sequencer that turns a grid into music. Each row is a note from a pentatonic scale and each column is a beat — tap cells to build a loop, press play, and a playhead sweeps the grid triggering notes through the Web Audio API. Because the scale is pentatonic, anything you tap in sounds good, which makes it a friendly first encounter with how rhythm and melody are constructed.
Frequently asked
What is a step sequencer?
A step sequencer is a grid where rows are pitches and columns are beats. Lighting up a cell schedules that note on that beat; looping the grid plays your pattern over and over. It is the core idea behind most electronic music tools.
Why does everything I tap sound good together?
The rows are tuned to a pentatonic scale — a five-note scale with no harsh intervals — so any combination of notes sounds consonant. That lets beginners experiment freely without 'wrong' notes.
How does it make sound with no audio files?
It synthesizes every note live with Web Audio oscillators and a gain envelope, scheduled with a look-ahead timer so the audio stays locked to the visual playhead. The whole instrument is one HTML file you can publish on ArcadeLab.