Is GrooveGrid a DAW?
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 Ableton, FL Studio, Bitwig, Reaper, or whatever you use. It handles sequencing, sample prep, and library management. Your DAW handles mixing, arrangement, and everything else.
Can I use my VST plugins?
Yes. The Plugin Host machine loads any VST3 instrument — Serum, Vital, Kontakt, whatever you use — and sequences it from the step grid. 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.
Does it work with hardware?
Yes. GrooveGrid sends and receives MIDI. Retriggers, chord sequencing, conditional steps — all of it works with external synths, drum machines, and anything else that takes MIDI. It’s not samples-only.
Do I need to know music theory?
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.
What platforms does it run on?
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.
Is it free?
Free during early access. Pricing after launch hasn’t been decided yet. Sign up for early access and you’ll be the first to know.
What sample formats does it support?
WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, and OGG. The sample editor reads any format JUCE supports.
Can I use my existing sample library?
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.
What’s the difference between this and an Octatrack?
GrooveGrid borrows heavily from the Octatrack’s workflow — per-step sample switching, slot and slice automation, conditional steps, retriggers, and poly voices defined as offsets from the root note. The difference is you get a full visual grid instead of a tiny screen, a built-in sample editor, a searchable library, and music theory automation. It also runs as a plugin inside your DAW.