Modular Web Synthesizer

TrueGrid is an experimental modular web synthesizer which let's you create, listen and share modular synth patches.

How to use it

TrueGrid works like a real modular synth in a way that you have to wire up different modules to generate useful or not so useful sounds.
It needs some experience to get something predictable out of this synth, but thats where the whole fun starts: Discover what is possible

Start from Scratch, find playable modules

Create a new empty rack and name it "My awesome Truegrid Synth". More creative naming options will work, too.
With the search function of the module browser you can enable a checkbox Playable in TrueGrid.
This lists all available playable modules for TrueGrid.

Add some modules to your rack. As a start you should add an Oscillator, VCA, LFO and VCF to create basic subtractive building blocks.

... or copy an existing Synth

If you have found a cool TrueGrid Patch from an other user you can copy the Patch and alter it as you please. Just click Save as a new Patch in TrueGrids secondary navigation.

Wire up

Sockets of the modules are color coded.

• green for outputs
• blue for inputs
• no color == not implemented

To connect two sockets:
Drag a cable from an output to an input till the cable snaps.
To disconnect:
Drag the cable away from one socket or simply double click on the cable.

To turn the knobs, hover over a knob, click and hold the mouse and do a vertical movement.
ProTip: if you hover over a jack the corresponding jack on the other side of the cable will light up.

Authentic modules?

No, they are not. The modules are carefully modeled after their originals but since all coding is done in JavaScript they can not achieve the sound of their originals. Sorry, you still have to buy the real ones.
The intention is that you can experiment with the settings of a module and get somewhat familiar with the interface.

Record Audio

• Click on the red record button of the small tape recorder right hand side. Your patch will be recorded
• You can even twist knobs and record a whole performance
• Click again on the record button and recording stops
• Scroll down the page and you should see a web player with the option to download a .wav file of your recording

MIDI Implementation

This is even more experimental. You can play TrueGrid via MIDI!
To make this work you have to take care that your MIDI interface is connected and switched on before you start your browser.
More detailed information can be found here.

Limitations

You need a reasonable fast computer and as of today TrueGrid works best in Chrome.
Safari should also work, and since more and more Browsers implement the required WebAudio API it should be widely supported in near future.

EDITED Jun 27th 2014, 13:51

Using the planner should be self-explanatory. Just some things to point out which might be not obvious:

Keyboard shortcuts

You can use keyboard shortcuts to edit your rack.
First you have to hover with your mouse over a module until the info icon appears.
This activates Module Select Mode.

• Cursor: cycle through module selection
• d: duplicate module
• DEL: delete module
• ENTER: enter Module Move Mode
• ESC: leave keyboard mode and hide edit buttons
• c: copy
• v: paste
• x: cut.
  You can copy/paste in different browser windows!

In Module Move Mode:

• Cursor: move module
• ESC: Cancel module move, back to Module Select Mode
• ENTER: drop module on new position

Power Ratings

The power consumption per rack is calculated by the values users add to the module data.
Those ratings are error prone. Don't rely exclusively on the values when choosing your power supply! Always check manufactures specs from the manuals.

Hide Price Display

You can disable the display of your accumulated rack prices in the user settings.

I see no link to edit or upload modules

If you can not edit modules or reply to discussions or threads in this forum you most likely missed to click on the link on the confirmation email you received when you registered to MG. Probably this email is hiding somewhere in your spam folder.
You can request this confirmation email again in your user settings.

I can not write replies to discussions or threads!

See above

Miscellaneous

• You can zoom in and out with your standard browser zoom function.

EDITED Feb 27th 2018, 18:22

Features of the Forum

Typography

• big readable responsive Typography for the Generation Ponytail 40+
• The size of the Typo adapts to your monitor/device
• You can always zoom in/out with your appropriate Browser command

Optimized for Mobile Devices

• You will see a significant improvement to table based forums.
• From the Editor to Video Embeds, everything is fully HTML5
• No "pinching" and "doubletapping" neccessary to resize the posts.
• No "Apps" required

Advanced search without Advanced Settings

• no panels, checkboxes, additional searchoptions
• just type in the searchterm in the searchfield on any Forum page and the search engine will try to get the best results

It's kind of context sensitive, so if you are on the Thread Index Page of a specific Forum the search will only return results from that Forum. If you want to search all Forums go to the Forums index page first.

The entries in the search fields are preserved. If you enter a search term and you click through the forums you will always see only threads which include the search term on the index page until you reset the search field.

Markdown Syntax

The Forum uses Markdown Syntax to format text. This keeps the Database very lightweight and allows semantic representation of text.

A link Markdown Syntax below the Editor explains the most common used syntax.
If you don't care about it, just ignore and start typing right away.

Inline Preview

Before you submit your post click the Preview button below the Markdown Editor and it will render your post inline.

Emoticons

• Find them below the Markdown Editor
• Emoticons are categorized by feel and labeled as such for the autistic audience, so if you are feeling happy, click on Happy-Happy
• There is a Freddy Mercury Emoticon

Sorry, double post!

No, you can always delete your last post if there is no reply to it.

Automatic Timezone Detection

Regardless where you are in the world, publication times of postings should adapt to your current timezone. No manual settings necessary. Daylight Saving settings might not work though.

Embed Media

You can embed Media like

• YouTube
• Soundcloud
• Vimeo
• Modulargrid Racks

by simply pasting their URLs into the form.
No need to fiddle with sharing options, no embed code necessary.

The exception are album embeds from Bandcamp. You have to copy the Wordpress.com code from the Bandcamp share options and paste that in the form.

Easy Quoting

Click on the Quote Button to quote an author, you don't have to mess with any HTML or proprietary Markup code. Those missing closing tags should be a thing of the past.

You can also quote multiple authors at once if their posts are on the same page! Just click and click and click on those Quote buttons.

Reference users

To highlight a user prepend an @ to the username. A link to the users profile page will be generated.
Like in @solitud.

Avatars

Upload your Avatar in your general ModularGrid user settings. No animated gifs, sorry.
If you do not upload an Avatar your Avatar from Gravatar will be used.
If you do not have an Avatar at Gravatar a unique Retro Image will be used.

... and Signature

Also in the general ModularGrid user settings. Links will be parsed, no Media Embed like Soundcloud is allowed in the Signature.

Miscellaneous a.k.a Pro Tips

• On the Thread Index Page you can click the entire row to get to a post.

EDITED Aug 10th 2021, 15:40