Composer

Load Existing Melody

Import MIDI File

Wave Type

Note Duration (ms)

Grid Snap

Actions

Output (game.js melody format)

Composer

Load Existing Melody

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Getting Started with Chiptune Melodies

This tool lets you compose chiptune melodies for Pixel Rugby using a piano roll editor. No music experience needed!

The Basics

Click on the grid to place a note. The row determines the pitch (shown on the piano keys to the left), and the horizontal position determines when it plays.

Drag a note left/right to move it in time.

Drag the right edge of a note to change its duration.

Double-click a note to delete it.

Press Space to play/stop. Press Delete to remove the selected note.

Understanding the Piano Roll

The vertical axis is pitch — higher notes are at the top (A5), lower notes at the bottom (C3). The bottom row is for rests (silence).

The horizontal axis is time — notes further right play later. The grid lines help you align notes to a beat.

The lighter rows are natural notes (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). The darker rows are flats/sharps (Eb, Ab, Bb).

Quick Chiptune Tips

Start simple. A good melody can be just 4-8 notes that repeat with small variations. Load the "Menu Theme" to see how it works.

Stick to a key. For a happy/heroic sound, use C major notes: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. For a darker/intense feel, use C minor: C, D, Eb, F, G, Ab, Bb.

Mix note lengths. Use short notes (80-120ms) for fast, energetic runs and longer notes (240-480ms) for emphasis. A melody that's all the same length sounds robotic.

Use rests. Small gaps between phrases (60-150ms) let the melody breathe and make it sound more musical. Don't fill every moment with notes.

End phrases on strong notes. C, E, and G are "home base" notes in C major — ending a phrase on one of these sounds resolved and satisfying.

Wave Types

Square — Classic chiptune sound, bright and punchy. Used for most game melodies.
Sawtooth — Buzzy and aggressive. Used for away themes.
Sine — Pure and soft. Good for gentle or ambient melodies.
Triangle — Mellow, slightly hollow. A softer alternative to square.

Building a Melody Step by Step

Set your note duration to 120ms and snap to 120ms for a good starting grid.
Place 4 notes going up (e.g. C4, E4, G4, C5) — that's a rising phrase.
Add 4 notes going back down with a slight variation.
Hit Space to listen. Adjust notes that sound off.
Add a short rest, then create a second phrase that's similar but ends differently.
Repeat until you have 4-8 seconds of melody. The game loops it automatically.

Workflow

Load an existing melody from the dropdown to study how the game's tunes are built.
Import MIDI — load any .mid file and pick a track. Notes are snapped to the nearest in-range pitch (C3–A5). Great for transcribing game music or studying classic tunes.
Export JSON generates code you can paste directly into game.js as a melody array.
Import from JSON lets you paste melody code back in to keep editing.

Composer ?

Load Existing Melody

Import MIDI File

Wave Type

Note Duration (ms)

Grid Snap

Actions

Output (game.js melody format)

Composer ?

Load Existing Melody

Getting Started with Chiptune Melodies

The Basics

Understanding the Piano Roll

Quick Chiptune Tips

Wave Types

Building a Melody Step by Step

Workflow

Composer

Composer