Ways to play
Play drums and synths with your computer keyboard or a MIDI controller
In EASY RAVE you can play any machine from your computer keyboard. Press LIVE on a machine and the number keys 1 to 8 play its drum sounds, notes, chords or samples. ● REC records what you play after a one bar count-in, and STEP enters notes one at a time. In Chrome or Edge, a MIDI keyboard or pad controller works too, and LEARN KNOBS maps its knobs to any control.
How do you play EASY RAVE with your computer keyboard?
Every machine has a LIVE key on its header. Press it and that machine is armed: the number keys play it.
| Armed machine | Keys 1 to 8 play |
|---|---|
| HOUSE 909, DEEP 808, LinnBeats | Its drum sounds, one per key |
| AC 303 (BASS) | Notes of the current scale |
| POLY-6 (CHORDS) | Keys 1 to 7 play the 7 chords of the key |
| THERE LEAD | Notes of the current scale |
| SAMPLE KING | The 8 sample slots |
Use − and + to move the armed instrument an octave down or up. (You can even skip the keys for the bass: hum a bassline and SING writes it for you.) Because bass, chords and lead play scale notes, you cannot hit a note that is out of key.
How do you record what you play?
Press ● REC on the machine's header. You get a one bar count-in, then everything you play is written into the machine's sequencer while the song loops.
- Drums, bass and sampler snap what you play to the 16th-note grid.
- Chords are remembered exactly as long as you hold each one.
- The lead records your performance freely, then the Q button can snap it to a grid if you want it tighter.
On the drums, the bass and the sampler, REC starts a fresh take: the old pattern is cleared first. If you want to keep it, save it with ＋ SET before you record.
If you need a beat to play against, switch on the metronome in the transport: it clicks on every beat while the song plays.
What is STEP recording?
STEP is the slow, careful way in. With the song stopped, press STEP on a machine's tag line. Every key you press lands on the next step and the cursor moves on, so you can enter a pattern at your own pace without worrying about timing. On the AC 303 bass, the arrow keys move the cursor, and → on its own leaves a rest.
Which other keys are useful?
| Key | Does |
|---|---|
| Space | Play and stop |
| Tab | Switch between the EDIT and MIX views |
| Ctrl + Z / Ctrl + Y | Undo and redo |
| Ctrl + S | Save the song |
| Z X C V (hold) + mouse wheel | Sweep the cutoff of bass, chords, lead or sampler |
| B (hold) + mouse wheel | The echo over the whole mix |
| A (hold) | Play the LEAD ribbon at your mouse |
| S D F G H (hold) | STUTTER, LOOP, CRUSH, LO PASS, HI PASS |
| ? | The full keyboard map |
Most of these can be changed: open the keyboard map with ?, click an action under EDIT SHORTCUTS and press the new key.
How do you connect a MIDI keyboard or controller?
MIDI works in Chrome and Edge on a computer.
- Plug in your MIDI keyboard or pad controller.
- Open the settings (the gear icon at the top right) and press CONNECT MIDI.
- Press LIVE on the machine you want to play. Notes from your controller now play that machine, the same way the number keys do.
To control knobs from hardware, press LEARN KNOBS in the same panel, touch a knob on screen, then turn a knob on your controller: the two now move together. Repeat for as many knobs as you like, and FORGET clears the mappings.
The CLOCK setting syncs EASY RAVE with other gear over MIDI: with FOLLOW, another device leads and EASY RAVE follows its tempo, start and stop; with SEND, EASY RAVE leads and sends its tempo, start and stop; OFF ignores both.
What if the keys feel late?
Browsers add a little delay between a key press and the sound. In the settings, under AUDIO, EASY RAVE shows the current latency in milliseconds and offers 3 buffer sizes: FAST (lowest delay), BALANCED and STABLE (fewest crackles on a busy computer). The change applies the next time you open EASY RAVE. If you hear crackles, choose STABLE; if playing feels sluggish, try FAST.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play drums with my computer keyboard online?
Yes. In EASY RAVE, press LIVE on any of the 3 drum machines and the number keys 1 to 8 play its drum sounds. Press REC to record what you play onto the step grid. It is free and runs in your browser.
Does EASY RAVE work with a MIDI keyboard?
Yes, in Chrome and Edge on a computer. Open the settings, press CONNECT MIDI, then press LIVE on the machine you want to play. LEARN KNOBS lets you map your controller's knobs to any control on screen.
How do I change the keyboard shortcuts?
Press ? to open the keyboard map, click an action in the EDIT SHORTCUTS list, then press the key you want. The number keys are reserved for playing notes, so they cannot be reassigned.