Helio Project: libre music composition software

Really cool project! I really liked the UI of this app. It feels very smooth and looks amazing.<p>Also, I went to poke around the source code:<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;helio-fm&#x2F;helio-workstation" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;helio-fm&#x2F;helio-workstation</a><p>It looks to be a really well written and maintained C++ project. It&#x27;s built on top of the JUCE framework [0]. Builds super easy on Linux with minimal dependencies. The coding style is C#-like - very easy to read.<p>I can&#x27;t say anything about the main functionality though, as I have zero understanding about music composition.<p>[0] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;juce-framework&#x2F;JUCE" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;juce-framework&#x2F;JUCE</a>

&quot;Documentation is like sex: when it is good, it is very, very good; and when it is bad, it is better than nothing. &quot;<p>Classy.

Some popular music production software are skeumorphic aberrations with practical but dated UI. They are very reliable but clunky. It is a shame that FLOSS has very a weak tradition with regard to UI.<p>Music production software looks right now like an unexplored avenue needing new residents.

Just installed it. This is great. I wish there were more instruments and built-in sample library. Like a full blown DAW. The composing experience is not as simple as fruityloops or other platforms. Also, I was wondering if I could add midi controller. Could not find much info on that.

If you are into this, you might be interested in this IDE for music composition I’ve been working on. It’s not out yet, but I’m hoping to launch soon <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ngrid.io" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;ngrid.io</a>.

It’s very refreshing to see a DAW putting the entirety of its focus on host UI and core features like microtonality support, rather than maintaining built-in banks and instruments.<p>Yes, Helio is nothing without your plugins; but it also implies that your source project is more easily portable to another platform capable of running AU&#x2F;VST. (Especially if things like tempo automation can be exported, to be confirmed.) Built-in stuff like Bitwig’s modular grid are great, but I know I can’t recreate that exact sound in another DAW.<p>I was able to connect Pianoteq and create a few seconds long, very simple arrangement using just keyboard &amp; touchpad in about 10 minutes. Helio’s editing interface and approach to patterns and arrangement seem a bit idiomatic and will take some getting used to, but its unique orchestra pit approach to managing instruments jives with me perfectly.

The sequencer looks slick, but for an amateur like me it’s hard to beat the instruments and samples that come with Logic. Maybe I can route the midi output from Helio to Logic through a virtual midi device and try it out that way. Otherwise I’d need to drop tons of cash on a plug-in and sample collection.

What a breath of fresh air, finally somebody not using Electron. Great job.

Would be nice if it can import&#x2F;export Lilypond files. Export is probably the more interesting part because of the rendering to PDF.

I actually found out about this software a couple of ways ago, when searching for sequencing software for Android, preferably with midi support. Though it seem quite capable and polished, the Android version was a bit annoying to use.

So is it just a piano roll based DAW-lite?

It can load scala tuning files, that makes it worth it for me to at least try.

Looks cool will try it out on the weekend. Interested in trying to get a microtonal sequencer&#x2F;midi output and this is that.

I see a lot of very promising ideas!<p>But frankly this is light years away form usable.<p>I wish that project luck and a lot of endurance.

Awesome project. Really nice interface work.

Whoa, it supports VSTs?<p>SOLD!