For those of us who don't know music theory but want to play around a bit, people of all ages seem to love Melody Maker from Chrome Music Lab.
Brought to you by Google's experimental music team, Melody Maker became popular among teachers as a way to keep their kids entertained. It's totally free and accessible through any web browser. So as long as you have an internet connection, you can freely experiment with making melodies online.
Wondering what other nifty music-making websites are out there for you to enjoy? In this article we'll cover a few of our favorite tools and let you know what it takes to get started with them.
What is Google Song Maker?
Google Song Maker is a more advanced version of their Melody Maker web app. Users can compose short chord progressions and melodies together in the piano roll. Add basic rhythm patterns with their kick and snare programming. It's free to use and you don't have to sign up to get started.
If the Google melody maker and song maker apps aren't quite what you had in mind, here are a couple more options you can explore.
Typatone - Generate Music by Typing Words
It's the simple things in life that sometimes bring us the most pleasure. That's certainly the case with Typatone. This fun little browser app from 2015 lets users create music as they type. Each keystroke will generate a corresponding note, so that words turn into melodies. You can play sentences back and a little yellow dot bounces over each letter in the word so you know where you're at in the sequence. You can even download a .WAV audio file of the notes you created.
AudioCipher - Typatone Alternative for Music Producers
For music producers who have a full digital audio workstation (DAW), check out the AudioCipher plugin. Like Typatone, the app turns words into melodies. But you'll be able to control more elements than with simple apps like Melody Maker. AudioCipher lets you choose a key signature, rhythm output, and drag it over onto any virtual instruments. Open up the piano roll and edit the notes as needed to arrive at your perfect melody. Audiocipher works on MacOS and Windows 10.
To get a better sense for how AudioCipher works, check out this quick demo video:
DopeLoop.AI - Random melody generator
Dopeloop claims to be an AI melody generator, though it's unclear whether the site actually uses artificial intelligence. If you want to spin up a melody quickly and control basic parameters like the tempo and playback instrument, this site might just do the trick. The simply text interface display details like your root note and the scale used by the melody maker.
Mini Music Machine
For a more colorful browser experience, be sure to check out the Mini Music Machine. When you press play, colorful dots will begin flying across the screen. Each one corresponds to a music note with its own pitch and speed, coming together to form a loop that repeats. Control the parameters of each track using the loop settings as shown below:
Ocean Waves - Make Melodies Online with Others
One of the closest comparisons to Melody Maker is the Ocean Waves platform. Take your melody maker chops to the next level when you start sharing your ideas with other people around the world! Ocean removes the barrier to entry with writing music. You'll be able to start making your own beats fast, exploring sounds and sharing with people in no time.
The interface on Ocean includes a similar point-and-click process for creating notes. But it introduces a new spectrum of instruments and sonic possibilities. When you arrive at something you like, the app gives you choices for inviting friends to jam with you or share the loop with a built in community. Create a profile and you can stay in touch with people long term!
Looking for other Google music maker products? Check out our article on Google Magenta to learn more about their AI music programs.