neirocca sound-first music theory

Melody & Ear

Step Sequencer

Build your own melodies by arranging scale notes on a step grid. Tap the grid to toggle notes, then loop-play your pattern at any tempo.

Key
Scale
Steps
Tap a cell to start building a melody
E5
D5
C5
A4
G4
E4
D4
C4
1
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·
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2
·
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3
·
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4
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Changing key/scale keeps your pattern positions and remaps notes to the new scale.

Sequencer
16stC Pentatonic Major100 BPM
100

What is this tool?

A grid where the vertical axis is pitch and the horizontal axis is time. Since you pick a scale first, only in-key notes appear — you can build great-sounding melodies without knowing any theory.

When it helps

  • A first step into melody writing

    Drop notes on the grid and hear them instantly. Much faster than pen-and-paper — your ear is the feedback loop.

  • Feel the difference between scales

    Switch between Pentatonic, Blues, Dorian, and more. The same pattern sounds radically different — a hands-on way to learn scales.

  • Sketch ideas before opening your DAW

    Try patterns here before committing to a full production. Save time by locking an idea in audio first.

How to use

  1. 1 Pick Key and Scale. Beginners: try C Pentatonic Major — every note will sound right.
  2. 2 Tap grid cells to place notes. Vertical = pitch, horizontal = time.
  3. 3 Press Play to loop. You can edit live while it plays.
  4. 4 Hit Random to auto-generate a pattern — editing from there is a great way to learn.
  5. 5 Use BPM for tempo and Steps for the pattern length.

Related Tools

Lessons that use this tool

The sections of the systematic curriculum where this actually comes up.

Learning courses that include this topic

Following the course in order gives you a structured foundation.

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