FAQ

No. GrooveGrid is a set of utilities — a groovebox, a sample editor, and a sample librarian — designed to work alongside your DAW, not replace it. Run it standalone or as a VST3 plugin inside your DAW. It handles sequencing, sample prep, and library management. Your DAW handles mixing, arrangement, and everything else.

Yes. The Plugin Host machine loads scanned VST3 instruments and sequences them from the step grid; Audio Unit instruments are also supported on macOS. Chord-aware pitch quantization, conditional steps, retriggers, and per-step automation all work the same as they do with the built-in sample machines. The plugin’s native editor opens in its own window and its state saves with your project. Scanned VST3 effects can also run in track, group, and master effect chains alongside GrooveGrid’s built-in effects.

GrooveGrid sequences external MIDI hardware. Retriggers, chord sequencing, conditional steps, and per-step CC automation can drive synths and drum machines. Incoming MIDI performance/recording is not routed into tracks yet, so the current support is output-focused.

No. Set a key and scale in the scene settings and the pitch faders constrain to notes that sound good together. Set the snap mode to Degree and you can only hit chord tones. The theory engine does the work — you just drag faders and place steps.

Windows 10 or later and macOS (Intel and Apple Silicon), both as a standalone app and VST3 plugin. Linux x86_64 builds are also available but experimental — Windows and macOS are the primary focus right now.

The full app is free while it is in beta. The optional Founder's Edition is $49 during beta and includes lifetime core-app updates plus founder perks. GrooveGrid will be $79 for new buyers at 1.0, when a save/export-limited demo replaces the free public build. A later $99 price will happen only after a substantial, announced product-value milestone ships.

WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, and OGG. The sample editor reads any format JUCE supports.

Yes. Point the browser at your sample folders and it indexes everything with full-text search. Tag, organize into collections, and drag samples onto tracks. Every sample is tracked by UUID and checksum — move or rename files and GrooveGrid still finds them.

GrooveGrid combines per-step sample switching, slice automation, conditional steps, retriggers, and relative polyphonic voices with a full visual grid. It also includes a recording/sample editor, searchable library, chord-aware sequencing, built-in and hosted effects, and the option to run inside your DAW.