Chiptune: A Simple Composer

Chiptune is a retro 8-bit music maker and step sequencer for writing songs in the style of old game consoles. Simply tap a note, tap a cell in the grid, and it will play sounds from one of four NES-style channels. Chiptune has two pulses, a triangle and noise. Each channel is synthesized live rather than sampled.

Patterns are customizable from 4 to 64 steps and can be chained into an arrangement. This lets a piece go from just a single loop into a full song with intros, verses, choruses, etc.

WRITE
• Compose on a grid of notes with 4 to 64 steps per pattern
• Customize your track to cut notes short or let them ring
• Set the tempo by typing it or nudging it a step at a time
• Easily undo any changes
• With a hardware keyboard, play the grid like a tracker, with Ctrl shortcuts for undo, export and more
• Three sample songs to play and take apart
• A How it works guide explains the controls

SOUND
• Two pulse channels with four pulse widths, from thin and nasal to full square
• A triangle channel ideal for basslines
• Tunable noise for drums like a hi-hat or a low rumble
• Volume, decay, and arpeggio controls per channel, so one channel can fake a chord
• Sounds come with basic presets

ARRANGE
• Create sections with a named pattern and a repeat count
• Loop one pattern while editing or play the whole song
• Add multiple tracks of any sound when four channels aren't enough
• On a tablet, the sound controls sit beside the grid

SAVE AND SHARE
• Songs autosave as you work so you never lose anything
• Duplicate a song to try something slightly different
• Export any song as a WAV file with a seamless loop or with the last notes ringing out
• Export as a MIDI file to keep working on your notes in another music app
• Export a video of your song playing, as a scrolling grid or a game cartridge, to post on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube
• Share an export or save it straight to your device
• Send a song file to a friend, or open one from Files, Gmail or Drive

Chiptune works fully offline and never asks for a subscription. No account, no ads, no tracking.