ABOUT

I’ve been using and obsessing over hardware and software synthesizers for years, so I finally asked myself: how hard is it to just build my own?

What started as an experiment in browser-based audio quickly evolved. For this specific upgrade, I wanted to capture the hands-on, driving workflow of classic acid-house gear. The goal was to build an architecture that actually felt like a real performance instrument—one where I could sequence a gritty, rolling bassline on a grid while simultaneously playing live chords over the top, without the two sounds fighting each other.

Execution
To make that happen, I had to completely overhaul the underlying architecture to handle parallel processing. I broke the build down into three main pieces:

Two Synths in One: I engineered the system to run two independent sound engines at the same time. You can have a heavy Moog-style bass or FM lead hammering away on the sequencer, while leaving the keyboard completely free to jam with thick SuperSaw chords live.

Acid-Style Sequencer: I programmed a step sequencer that feels like the classic gear I love. Every step lets you easily dial in chromatic pitches (C2 to C3) and toggle notes on and off instantly, making it incredibly intuitive to program bouncy, driving basslines on the fly.

Dedicated Bass FX: To stop the mix from turning to mud, I wired up a completely separate, parallel FX strip just for the bass. Sitting right under the sequencer, it has its own Reverb, Saturation/Drive, and tempo-synced Delay that stays totally isolated from the live keyboard effects.

Results
Building a synth from scratch is definitely a challenge, but the payoff here was massive. The project transformed from a coding experiment into a genuinely playable, dual-layer production tool. You can dial in a filthy, saturated bass groove and play clean, expansive chords right over it, and the isolated routing keeps the mix punchy and professional. It finally feels less like a web app and more like a real piece of studio gear.