Every musician knows how annoying it is to not have the right instrument at hand. If you urgently need to play a melody or two, but you don’t have a musical instrument at hand, online synthesizers for the browser can help.
Anyone who has ever felt such a musical itch can play to their heart's content with any of the programs described below. Most of them can be played on the keyboard, but not all of them. Keep in mind that they cannot completely replace a real (or even electronic) instrument, but they will give you a good idea of the instrument.
WebSID
If your childhood was in the 80s, then WebSID will bring back many memories. This is a digital version of the iconic SID sound chip, which was used in the Commodore 64. The instrument is very simple and convenient, with a straightforward interface. You can play using a computer keyboard, and on a smartphone or tablet - on a touch keyboard.
WebSID also has a built-in delay that adds variety to sound design. Just keep in mind that it was created using the WebAudio API, so it will only work in browsers that support HTML5 audio.
Sympathetic Synthesizer System Mk 1
Mk 1 — a simple synthesizer whose sound will remind you of the glorious era that video games experienced in the 80s and early 90s. Unlike WebSID, Mk 1 does not try to emulate any specific synthesizer or chip, but its sound is much more reminiscent of video games than the sound of analog "colleagues in the shop" of the same period. You can play on Sympathetic Synthesizer System Mk 1 using a physical or on-screen keyboard. The instrument is based on WebAudio API.
Patternsketch
Audio sequencer and drum machine. You can create patterns or play a drum kit in real time using your computer keyboard. Patternsketch There are several different kits to choose from, ranging from realistic-sounding Jazz and Live to electronic ones, as well as kits based on the Roland TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines. There are also several pre-made drum patterns.
You can save and share your patterns, allowing you to collaborate. You can also export them as WAV, MP3, or OGG files for offline listening, and even send them directly to Soundcloud. If you're interested in sequencers, I recommend checking out this video is on youtube, which tells about the best of them.
MZ-101
MZ-101 — is a monophonic synthesizer inspired by analog synthesizers from the 1970s and 1980s, such as the Roland SH-101. It's not particularly complex, but let's not forget that similar instruments can be heard on many hit records. MZ-101 You can download and save presets and share them on Twitter.
You can play using the on-screen or physical keyboard. Like most browser synthesizers, the MZ-101 is built on the Web Audio API and therefore will not work in browsers that do not support it.
TrueGrid
TrueGrid is clearly aimed at experimental musicians and anyone interested in modular synthesizers. In a nutshell: a modular synthesizer consists of individual modules that can be connected to each other in a variety of ways, and the signal chains can be changed.
TrueGrid is a digital version of a modular synthesizer that lets you connect modules to create a variety of sounds. It doesn't have its own keyboard, so Chrome users can play with their own MIDI keyboard.
TrueGrid is currently in beta and not fully functional yet. There aren't many modules, and you can't select them yet. Instead, you'll have to sign up for ModularGrid and use the module builder on the site to create a synthesizer.
WebModular
A much simpler modular synth that harks back to models like the ARP 2600. Like the TrueGrid, WebModular allows you to create your own signal paths, but is focused on obtaining more traditional sounds.
There's an on-screen keyboard and support for the modern "music programming" language Music Macro Language (MML), so you can simply write a melody or riff, or even an entire song, and have the synthesizer play it. To make it easier to get started, WebModular comes with several presets to load.
Audiotool
Audiotool — is an amazingly multifunctional music creation service, something more than all the previous ones. In Audiotool four synthesizers and three drum machines, as well as various sound effects such as distortion, reverb and delay. In addition, Audiotool can be used as a sequencer and compose entire tracks.
If you don't have any composer ambitions and just want to strum one of the virtual instruments, press Caps Lock and you can play any of them using your computer keyboard.