# Fieldwork — Music CheatSheet

Offline tools for writing electronic music (house, techno, trance, garage) in Ableton Live:
MIDI-writing studios, playable sound and drum labs, and field guides that measure what they
argue. Every page is **one self-contained `.html` file** with its own styles, data and Web Audio
synthesis. There is no server, account, install or package manager.

## Quick start

1. Keep every file in **one folder**. Pages link to each other by file name.
2. Open **[`index.html`](index.html)**, the home page. It lists every page, the notes and the MIDI packs, with search (<kbd>/</kbd>).
3. Every page has the same top bar: **Home · Motif Studio · Arps · Pocket · Tech House · V2 Studio · Trance · X-Ray · Blueprint · Drums · Rumble · Sound design · Field guides**.

Use headphones or monitors: several labs work below 150 Hz, where laptop speakers are silent.

## What's here

### Write ideas (MIDI studios)

| Page | What it is | Notes | Built from |
|---|---|---|---|
| [`talk.html`](talk.html) | **Talk, tech house bass and hooks.** A formant bass that says wah, ow and yeah: 14 loops that never touch the kick, a generator in the same grammar, and eight moves that keep one loop alive across a 32-bar drop. Then a mic booth: say three words, get eight chart-style hooks (chopped, pitched, stuttered, thrown) that take turns with the bass. MIDI with bend and CCs, WAV stems, syllables for a Drum Rack. | [TALK.md](TALK.md) | `talk-src/` |
| [`pocket.html`](pocket.html) | **Pocket, a foundation for your riff.** Send a riff directly from Orbit with its patch and harmony intact. Riff-derived house foundations or root-led rave support, 16-bar development, bass-step edits, MIDI and WAV stems. | [POCKET.md](POCKET.md) | `pocket-src/` |
| [`orbit.html`](orbit.html) | **Orbit, the arpeggio studio (latest).** Arps, riffs and sequences for 14 genres (333 patterns: 85 tech house, 45 techno incl. sparse three-note riffs, plus the new Dub techno and Detroit techno), each tagged intro, build, break or drop and searchable that way: a note cycle turning against a step pattern, voiced through your key and progression or your own chord MIDI. A measured genre fingerprint with fixes, a cycle counter, a generator, 10 evolution lanes exported as CC, 37 sounds with Serum 2 and Ableton recipes, MIDI and WAV out, **Sounds out** for Simpler and Sampler, and the **Song sketch**: any idea rewritten for intro, build, drop, break, drop 2 and outro, each section measured, played through and exported as one arranged MIDI. | [ORBIT.md](ORBIT.md) | `arp-src/` |
| [`fieldwork-v3.html`](fieldwork-v3.html) | **Motif Studio (V3, latest).** Write a two-bar motif, then grow it into an 8- or 16-bar phrase. 69 styles, 120 artist perspectives, 59 preview voices, 19 drum kits; MIDI and WAV export. | [VERSION-3.md](VERSION-3.md) | `v3-src/` |
| [`trance.html`](trance.html) | **Trance, beyond the ordinary.** All 12 supplied melodies plus 16 studies across eight trance styles, six treatments each (168 sketches) with chords, bass and drums; 24 artist perspectives, 16 sound recipes, arrangement maps, MIDI and ZIP export. | [TRANCE.md](TRANCE.md) | `trance-src/` |
| [`studio-v2.html`](studio-v2.html) | **V2 Studio.** 1,760 recipes across 24 genres and 32 artist profiles; five coordinated parts, 48 instruments, 16 drum kits. | [VERSION-2.md](VERSION-2.md), [ARTIST-STUDIES.md](ARTIST-STUDIES.md) | `v2-src/` |
| [`melody-v2.html`](melody-v2.html) · [`chords-v2.html`](chords-v2.html) · [`bass-v2.html`](bass-v2.html) | The V2 melody, harmony and bass workbenches. | [VERSION-2.md](VERSION-2.md) | `v2-src/` |

### Listen & analyse

| Page | What it is | Notes | Built from |
|---|---|---|---|
| [`xray.html`](xray.html) | **X-Ray, look inside a reference track.** Drop in an MP3, WAV, FLAC or AAC. Get tempo, key, the arrangement in bars, drum pattern and swing, chords, kick note, LUFS and tonal balance; A/B it loudness-matched against your mix; export a skeleton MIDI for Ableton. | [XRAY.md](XRAY.md) | hand-edited (tested by `xray-tests.mjs`) |
| [`blueprint.html`](blueprint.html) | **Blueprint, the arrangement and every move in it.** Drop in a reference track. Get its arrangement drawn bar by bar, every transition move found (filter sweeps with the cutoff traced, risers, rolls, gaps, delay throws, stutters, tape stops, sidechain, width, fades) and a recipe for each in Live; export it as MIDI with CC74 automation. | [BLUEPRINT.md](BLUEPRINT.md) | `blueprint-src/` |

### Drums & low end

| Page | What it is | Notes | Built from |
|---|---|---|---|
| [`drum-library.html`](drum-library.html) | **The Kit, drum studio.** 48 style studies, 192 pattern takes, nine synthesized kits, morph lab, Splice search guidance, MIDI export. | [DRUM-STUDIO.md](DRUM-STUDIO.md) | `drum-library-src/` |
| [`rumble.html`](rumble.html) | **Rumble lab.** 24 sound studies, 10 motion modes, editable sub pattern, one-track Ableton racks, WAV stems. | [RUMBLE.md](RUMBLE.md) | hand-edited |
| [`low-end.html`](low-end.html) | Low End: kick and bass as one instrument. | [V1 guides](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md) | hand-edited |
| [`groove-cheatsheet.html`](groove-cheatsheet.html) · [`groove-vol2.html`](groove-vol2.html) | Groove (placement, length, velocity) and the Pattern Bank. | [V1 guides](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md) | hand-edited |

### Sound design

| Page | What it is | Notes | Built from |
|---|---|---|---|
| [`serum-v2.html`](serum-v2.html) | **Sound Design V2 for Serum 2.** 48 recipes, step-by-step builds, eight techno rumble studies, glossary, eight-week course. | [SOUND-DESIGN-V2.md](SOUND-DESIGN-V2.md), [handbook](Serum-2-Sound-Design-Handbook.md) | `sound-design-src/` |
| [`serum.html`](serum.html) | The original Serum 2 guide (the "90% path"). | [V1 guides](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md) | hand-edited |
| [`patch-lab.html`](patch-lab.html) · [`sampling.html`](sampling.html) | Patch (synth from scratch) and The Cut (sampling and warping). | [V1 guides](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md) | hand-edited |

### Field guides (V1)

Melody, harmony and playing: [`melody.html`](melody.html), [`chords.html`](chords.html),
[`between.html`](between.html), [`inkey.html`](inkey.html), [`keyboard.html`](keyboard.html).
Arrange and finish: [`arrangement.html`](arrangement.html), [`buildorder.html`](buildorder.html),
[`the-move.html`](the-move.html), [`disco-house-cheatsheet.html`](disco-house-cheatsheet.html).
The original V1 index, with its "I have a problem" table and reading paths, is
[`field-guides-v1.html`](field-guides-v1.html). Every guide is described in
**[FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md)**.

### MIDI packs

| File | Contents |
|---|---|
| [`Fieldwork-V3-1104-Style-Studies.zip`](Fieldwork-V3-1104-Style-Studies.zip) | 1,104 MIDI files: 552 original ideas, each as melody + full sketch |
| [`Fieldwork-V3-960-Artist-Studies.zip`](Fieldwork-V3-960-Artist-Studies.zip) | 960 MIDI files: 480 artist-perspective ideas, melody + full sketch |
| [`Fieldwork-Trance-168-Sketches.zip`](Fieldwork-Trance-168-Sketches.zip) | 168 four-part trance sketches |
| [`Fieldwork-V2-504-MIDI-Library.zip`](Fieldwork-V2-504-MIDI-Library.zip) | 480 genre clips + 24 five-part sketches |
| [`Fieldwork-V2-Artist-Studies-1312-MIDI.zip`](Fieldwork-V2-Artist-Studies-1312-MIDI.zip) | 1,280 clips + 32 five-part sketches |

## How the folder fits together

```
index.html              ← home page, generated from site/catalog.mjs
site/catalog.mjs        ← the list of every page, note and MIDI pack, plus the top-bar items
site/build.mjs          ← writes index.html and the shared top bar into every page and template
site/check.mjs          ← link check: fails on broken links or pages missing from the home page
site/hub.css            ← styles for index.html

*-src/                  ← sources for the generated pages (see table below)
material/               ← source MIDI for trance.html
*.md                    ← release notes, handbooks and the TODO list of pages to build
```

**The home page and top bar come from one list.** `site/catalog.mjs` is the only place that
says which pages exist and how they're grouped. `node site/build.mjs` turns it into
`index.html` and writes the same top bar (between `<!-- site-nav:start -->` and
`<!-- site-nav:end -->`) into every root page and every build template. The bar highlights
the current page by itself, so the block is identical everywhere. Top-bar items whose file
isn't in the folder are left out, and home-page cards for missing files show as "not in this
folder yet".

**Some pages are generated. Edit their source, not the HTML:**

| Page(s) | Source | Build |
|---|---|---|
| `studio-v2.html`, `melody-v2.html`, `chords-v2.html`, `bass-v2.html` | `v2-src/` | `node v2-src/build.mjs` (`--pack` also rebuilds the V2 zips) |
| `fieldwork-v3.html` | `v3-src/` | `node v3-src/build.mjs` (`--pack` also rebuilds the V3 zips) |
| `serum-v2.html` | `sound-design-src/` | `node sound-design-src/build.mjs` |
| `drum-library.html` | `drum-library-src/` | `node drum-library-src/build.mjs` |
| `trance.html` | `trance-src/` + `material/` | `node trance-src/build.mjs` (`node trance-src/pack.mjs` rebuilds the zip) |
| `blueprint.html` | `blueprint-src/` + X-Ray's engine from `xray.html` | `node blueprint-src/build.mjs` |
| `pocket.html` | `pocket-src/` + Orbit theory/MIDI helpers | `node pocket-src/build.mjs` |
| `talk.html` | `talk-src/` + Orbit theory/MIDI helpers | `node talk-src/build.mjs` |
| `orbit.html` | `arp-src/` | `node arp-src/build.mjs` |
| `index.html` + top bar everywhere | `site/` | `node site/build.mjs` |

Every other `.html` file is edited directly.

## Adding or changing a page

1. Add the `.html` file to the root folder (or its source folder plus a build script that writes it there).
2. Add an entry to a section in `site/catalog.mjs`. Add it to `NAV` as well if it needs a top-bar slot, and add its notes file to `DOCS`.
3. Run `node site/build.mjs`, then `node site/check.mjs`.

After any other page build, run `node site/build.mjs` again. The templates already carry the
top bar, so it's usually a no-op, but it also picks up a page that has just appeared.

## Checks and tests

All of these run with plain Node (no install):

```
node site/check.mjs              # links, top bar, every page on the home page
node v2-src/test.mjs             # V2 studios
node v3-src/test.mjs             # V3 Motif Studio engine
node drum-library-src/test.mjs   # drum studio
node rumble-tests.mjs            # rumble lab
node xray-tests.mjs              # X-Ray analysis engine against known answers
node blueprint-src/test.mjs      # Blueprint's move detectors against a planted demo and an effect-free control
node trance-src/test.mjs         # trance room
node talk-src/test.mjs           # Talk: bass grammar, moves, syllables, pitch, hooks, MIDI
node pocket-src/test.mjs         # Pocket responses, timing, import/export and session validation
node arp-src/test.mjs            # Orbit: theory, engine, bank against its genres, generator, export
```

`pocket-src/browser-check.mjs` checks Pocket with Playwright and saves QA artifacts under `/tmp/pocket-qa`. `talk-src/browser-check.mjs` does the same for Talk (`/tmp/talk-qa`), including offline renders of the mix, each part and all eight hooks.

`v3-src/browser-check.mjs`, `drum-library-src/browser-check.mjs`,
`sound-design-src/check.mjs`, `trance-src/check.mjs` and `arp-src/browser-check.mjs` (Playwright) drive a real browser and write reports into each `qa/` folder.

## Conventions

- **Offline and standalone.** Every page carries its own CSS, JavaScript and synthesis engine.
  There are no audio files: every sound is synthesized at runtime with the Web Audio API.
  Some pages request Google Fonts and fall back to system fonts when offline; Splice search
  links need a connection.
- **MIDI export** is written byte by byte in JavaScript and downloaded as a `Blob`, so it
  works from `file://`.
- **Saving.** The V2 Studio, drum studio, Rumble, Sound Design V2, Trance, Orbit and Talk keep sessions, notes or
  favourites in `localStorage`, and several studios export/import session files. The V1
  guides keep everything in memory only.
- **Browsers.** Everything works in current Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari. Audio starts
  after the first click or <kbd>space</kbd>. Web MIDI input (`keyboard.html`) needs Chrome or Edge. Talk's microphone needs HTTPS (the GitHub Pages site) or localhost.

## Release history

- **Orbit 1.3**: 333 patterns (154 before): techno from 8 to 45 with sparse drop riffs, tech house from 49 to 85, every genre at least 14, and two new genres, Dub techno and Detroit techno. The **Song sketch** turns any idea into a measured club track, short edit or long journey and exports it as one arranged MIDI. See [ORBIT.md](ORBIT.md).
- **Talk**: the tech house room. A talking formant bass with 14 loops, a generator and eight phrase moves; a mic booth that cuts your line into syllables and gives eight hook treatments; the bass makes room for the vocal, measured. See [TALK.md](TALK.md).
- **Orbit 1.2**: 18 more sounds (short hits and plucks, long pads, swells and held leads), length and section tags, a sound browser, every combo measured for intro, build, break or drop with a section-aware fingerprint, section search and sort in the bank, the generator writing for a section, and 25 new break, build and intro patterns.
- **Orbit 1.1**: Sounds out (WAV one-shots, multisamples, chord stabs, patch pack, seamless loops and stems) and new tools: Turing loops, echo cascades, feels, strum, five more scales, three new pools, Morse rhythms, riff import, live MIDI keyboard, draw on the orbit, autopilot, wild card.
- **Orbit**: the arpeggio studio, with 129 patterns across 12 genres, a measured genre fingerprint, a generator, chord MIDI import and Serum 2 / Ableton recipes. See [ORBIT.md](ORBIT.md).
- **Blueprint**: the arrangement of a reference track and every move in its transitions, validated against a planted demo and an effect-free control. See [BLUEPRINT.md](BLUEPRINT.md).
- **X-Ray**: a reference-track analyser with MP3 support, A/B against your mix and a skeleton MIDI export. See [XRAY.md](XRAY.md).
- **Trance**: a standalone trance writing room and a 168-sketch MIDI pack. See [TRANCE.md](TRANCE.md).
- **V3, Motif Studio**: motif-first phrase writing, 69 styles, 120 artist perspectives and two new MIDI packs. See [VERSION-3.md](VERSION-3.md).
- **Sound Design V2, drum studio, Rumble**: standalone labs with their own notes ([SOUND-DESIGN-V2.md](SOUND-DESIGN-V2.md), [DRUM-STUDIO.md](DRUM-STUDIO.md), [RUMBLE.md](RUMBLE.md)).
- **V2.1, Artist Studies**: 1,280 artist-inspired recipes, 48 instruments and 16 drum kits. See [ARTIST-STUDIES.md](ARTIST-STUDIES.md).
- **V2, the workbenches**: 480 recipes across 24 genres in four studios. See [VERSION-2.md](VERSION-2.md).
- **V1, field guides**: sixteen single-file reference guides with built-in labs. See [FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md](FIELD-GUIDES-V1.md).