ScoreSeed is a music-composition workshop. Choose a style, key, tempo and form; the site then builds the score, MIDI and, when lyrics are used, the karaoke timing.
1. Compose a piece
From the home page, choose a style: classical, jazz, blues, rock, metal, western, country or dixie. Each style has its own harmony, rhythm, instrumentation and sound-rendering rules.
The Western profile uses a wide-open acoustic/electric ensemble (twang guitar, acoustic guitar, bass, fiddle and harmonica). The All’italiana option now follows a true cinematic form: solo-guitar introduction, Pan Flute reprise of the motif, galloping launch, occasional OH/AH calls, trumpet-and-bells climax, then a stripped-down coda. Unless you explicitly choose a mode, this option defaults to minor for a more cinematic colour.
Two modes are available depending on the style:
- Instrumental: the piece is generated from the musical settings you choose.
- From lyrics: the lyrics determine the structure, the melodic rhythm and part of the melodic contour.
2. Structure lyrics
A section starts with a tag placed on its own line. The main tags are [intro], [verse], [prechorus], [chorus], [bridge], [solo], [break], [outro] and [coda].
[intro]
[verse]
First verse...
[chorus]
The chorus...
[solo]
[chorus]
The chorus...
[coda]A section with no lyrics, such as [solo], is instrumental. Lyrics may be written in French or English. When a word needs an explicit syllable split, use hyphens: é-ter-nel or to-night.
3. Play and sing
The Play button renders audio locally in the browser from the MIDI and sound banks. If the piece contains lyrics, the karaoke window opens automatically. Pause freezes both music and karaoke at the same position; Back to start resets both.
When available, lyrics are also written below the melody notes in the MusicXML score.
4. Themes and imported files
Some styles allow a MIDI theme to be imported. Importing a file does not grant any rights in that content: you must have the necessary rights and permissions to use it.
5. Exports
Depending on your access rights and the type of piece, ScoreSeed can export MIDI, a MusicXML score and a WAV audio render. The WAV is rendered in your browser using the same sound banks as playback.
A compressed audio format such as MP3 may be added later; it is not required for playback or karaoke.
6. Private library
The themes and compositions saved in your library are private and attached to your account. ScoreSeed provides no public gallery, automatic publishing feature or search engine that lets other users discover your creations.
A future private audio-file transfer to another registered user may be provided. This would be an explicit transfer between two accounts, not public publication or a link accessible to everyone.
7. Copyright and licences
You remain responsible for lyrics, melodies, themes, SoundFonts and other material you provide or import. Before using, sending, publishing or exploiting a production outside ScoreSeed, make sure you hold the necessary rights and comply with all applicable licences.
Full rules are set out in the Terms of Use.
8. A few practical tips
- Start with a simple key and tempo, then refine the arrangement.
- With lyrics, let the text structure determine the piece length rather than targeting a fixed bar count.
- For a repeated chorus, keep the exact same text if you want the exact same melodic line.
- Listen before exporting: generative composition may benefit from a few adjustments to style, tempo or instrumentation.