Browser tool turns code into beats
Exploring new tools sparks creativity, so let's get started
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Let’s dive into today’s topic:
Browser tool turns code into beats
Something entirely else today: Let’s make a beat with code using Strudel, a browser-based coding platform to write dynamic music pieces.
Why it matters
Musicians work in a world shaped by algorithms—from AI-generated tracks to Spotify’s classification systems. Learning to create music with code enables artists to comprehend how AI generates music and how algorithms assess it, allowing them to navigate this field more effectively.
Industry professionals, such as marketers, gain from understanding how modern musicians utilise technology, like coding music. Exploring new tools can spark creativity and enhance the creative strategies of the artists they work with.
How it works
At first sight, Strudel makes coding music surprisingly simple:
Opening the website to find a pre-filled coding block.
Press play to hear the code play.
Change something in the code and hit update to hear the changes.
The documentation shows that Strudel’s coding language is sophisticated yet accessible for beginners with little coding experience.
For example, this is a standard drum pattern:
sound("bd hh sd oh")
This is a classic house drum pattern using a 909 drum computer:
sound("bd*4, [- cp]*2, [- hh]*4").bank("RolandTR909")
The notation is intuitive - 'bd' means bass drum, 'hh' means hi-hat - making it readable even for non-coders. For inspiration, look at this example by shadesDrawn for a multi-instrument composition. More examples in Strudel’s ‘Community Bakery’.
Yes, but..
Algorithmic music isn’t new, and many sophisticated tools exist. Strudel is the JavaScript version of Tidal Cycles, another live music coding platform. However, Strudel is ideally suited for non-coders:
It’s browser-based, so no installation is needed.
The manual is self-explanatory, and the coding language is not that hard to learn.
I’m sure everybody can get sound out of Strudel in minutes. But like any instrument, only talented musicians can make it truly shine.
Take action now
Artists could spend time with Strudel creating music and better understand how machines use these tools to generate or evaluate music.
Experiment with basic patterns, study community examples, and share your creations in the comments.
Your thoughts
Further reading
strudel (strudel)
What is strudel (strudel)
Learn strudel (strudel)
Coding is the new clubbing: on the rise and rise of algorave (Sheffield Tribune)
WORKSHOP // Coding Music With Strudel // Dan Gorelick and Viola He (Creative Code Art on YouTube)
Algorave Generation (Resident Advisor on YouTube)
How to access the Spotify Web API (The Fanbase Builder)
Retrieving catalogue data using the Spotify Web API (The Fanbase Builder)