LANGUAGE REFERENCE · v1

MusicScript

A domain-specific language for music production. Write beats, melodies, vocals, and full arrangements in plain text — then run them in the studio.

Files use the .gms extension. Runs in the browser and desktop app.

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QUICK START

A beat in under 20 lines

// MusicScript — GoMeow Studio
// Drop into code and make it bang

project "My Beat" {
  bpm:   140
  key:   Dm
  time:  4/4
  swing: 0.1
}

beat main {
  kick:  [X . . . X . . . X . . . X . . .]
  snare: [. . X . . . X . . . X . . . X .]
  hihat: [X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7]
  808:   [D1:8 . . . F1:4 . . A1:2 . . . . . . . .]
}

melody hook {
  instrument: juno106
  notes: [D4:2 . F4:2 A4:4 G4:2 . F4:2 D4:8]
  fx: [reverb(0.35) delay(1/8, 0.5)]
  velocity: 0.75
}

section verse {
  bars: 8
  play: [main hook]
}

structure [
  verse x4
]

REFERENCE

Language constructs

Project

projectproject "Title" { bpm key time swing humanize bars }

Global timing and metadata. humanize is a deterministic maximum timing offset in seconds (0–0.05).

example

project "Brooklyn Nights" {
  bpm:      140
  key:      Dm
  time:     4/4
  swing:    0.12
  humanize: 0.006
}

Beat

beatbeat name { track: [steps] }

One-bar grid divided evenly by its step count. X = hit, . = rest, 0-9 = velocity, Note:len = pitched hit.

example

beat main {
  kick:  [X . . . X . . . X . . . X . . .]
  snare: [. . X . . . X . . . X . . . X .]
  hihat: [X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7 X 7]
  808:   [D1:8 . . F1:4 . . A1:2 . . . . . . . .]
}

Melody

melodymelody name { instrument notes chords arp fx velocity }

Notes use Pitch:Length:Velocity:Expression; expressions include accent, ghost, staccato, legato, tie, slide, cresc, and decresc.

example

melody hook {
  instrument: juno106
  notes: [D4:2:0.7:accent F4:2:1:slide A4:4:0.8:legato]
  arp: up rate: 1/16
  fx: [reverb(wet: 0.4) delay(time: 0.25, feedback: 0.5)]
  velocity: 0.8
}

chordschords: [Root Quality:len]

Chord progression. Quality: m m7 maj7 7 dim aug sus2 sus4

example

chords: [Dm:4 Am:4 Gm:4 Bb:4]

Vocal

vocalvocal name { text voice asset pitch timing fx }

Portable rendered vocal audio. text and voice are host generation hooks; native rendering consumes asset.

example

vocal hook_vox {
  text:  "from Marcy to the world"
  voice: hip_hop_male
  asset: "vocals/hook.wav"
  pitch: -2
  timing: bar(1)
  fx: [reverb(wet: 0.3)]
}

Sample

samplesample name { file pitch volume loop chop }

Load an audio file. chop slices it into segments (0.0–1.0).

example

sample stab {
  file:  "~/samples/horn.wav"
  pitch: +2
  chop:  [0:0.5, 0.5:1.0]
}

Section

sectionsection name { bars bpm play fx automate }

A named time block. bpm can be absolute (140) or relative (+5, -10).

example

section chorus {
  bars: 8
  bpm:  +5
  play: [main hook hook_vox]
  fx:   [reverb(0.5)]
}

Structure

structurestructure [ section xN ... ]

Song arrangement. Each item is a section name with optional repeat count.

example

structure [
  intro   x1
  verse   x2
  chorus  x2
  bridge  x1
  chorus  x4
]

LFO

lfolfo { target shape rate depth }

A free-running low-frequency oscillator that modulates a channel param around its mixed value. target is dotted: chan.volume, chan.pan, or chan.fxType.param. shape: sine | triangle | square | sawtooth. rate is a Tone time (4n) or Hz.

example

lfo {
  target: lead.filter.frequency
  shape:  sine
  rate:   4n
  depth:  600
}

Effects

reverbreverb(wet)

Room reverb.

example

reverb(0.4)

delaydelay(time, feedback)

Feedback delay.

example

delay(1/8, 0.5)

filterfilter(type, freq)

lpf | hpf | bandpass.

example

filter(lpf, 2000)

compresscompress(ratio:1, threshold)

Dynamics compression.

example

compress(4:1, -18db)

eqeq(low: Ndb, mid: Ndb, high: Ndb)

3-band EQ.

example

eq(low: +3db, mid: -2db)

distortdistort(amount)

Waveshaper distortion.

example

distort(0.4)

autotuneautotune(key)

Pitch correction.

example

autotune(Dm)

lofilofi()

BitCrusher + warmth.

example

lofi()

Mix

mixmix { channel: level(Ndb) pan(N) send(bus, Ndb) }

Stereo channel and bus mix. Define buses as bus.name; master accepts lufs(-14) and limiter(-0.3db).

example

mix {
  bus.room:   level(-3db) pan(0.2)
  main.kick:  level(-4db) pan(-0.4) send(room, -12db)
  hook:       level(-10db) pan(0.2)
  master: lufs(-14) limiter(-0.3db)
}

Instruments

instrumentsinstrument: name

Available presets for melody/theme blocks.

example

juno106  tb303  jupiter8  sh101  dx7
piano  pad  organ  bass  synth  lead

JUMP TO

Project Beat Melody Vocal Sample Section Structure LFO Effects Mix Instruments

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