code-music

Code-generated music. Write Python, hear sound, export to Spotify.

Try it in your browser — no install needed.

Who are you?

What is this?

A Python library and tool set for generating music programmatically — from a single scale all the way to full multi-track songs with orchestral instruments, EDM synthesis, jazz arpeggios, and effects chains.

from code_music import Song, Track, Note, Chord, EffectsChain, scale, reverb, play

song = Song(title="My Track", bpm=120)

pad  = song.add_track(Track(instrument="pad",    volume=0.5))
lead = song.add_track(Track(instrument="piano",  volume=0.8))

pad.add(Chord("A", "min7", 3, duration=8.0))
lead.extend(scale("A", "pentatonic", octave=5))

song.effects = {"pad": EffectsChain().add(reverb, room_size=0.7, wet=0.4)}

play(song)  # hear it instantly

code-music my_track.py --flac    # → Spotify-ready FLAC

Install

pip install code-music              # from PyPI
pip install code-music[play]        # + real-time playback (sounddevice)

Or develop from source:

git clone https://github.com/Talador12/code-music
cd code-music
make dev          # creates .venv, installs deps, checks ffmpeg
make test         # full pytest suite

Requires Python 3.11+. For MP3/FLAC/OGG export: brew install ffmpeg.

What's in the box

Play something right now

# Songs
make play-trance_odyssey      # 90s uplifting trance
make play-tank_bebop          # Cowboy Bebop big-band jazz
make play-deep_space_drift    # Brian Eno ambient
make play-clarity_drive       # Zedd-style festival EDM
make play-symphony_no1        # original orchestral movement
make preview-voice_pacing_demo # narration vs rap pacing demo

# Scales and key relationships
make play-scales
make play-scales-arp          # same scales as arpeggios
make play-scales-group GROUP=world
make play-scale-circle_of_fifths # key relationship reference run

# Direct playback (no file written)
code-music songs/trance_odyssey.py --play

# Live coding: auto-render + play on every save
code-music songs/my_wip.py --watch --play

# Import and render a MIDI file
code-music dummy.py --import-midi my_track.mid -o remix.wav

# Generate a random song and play it (no script needed)
code-music --random
code-music --random jazz

# Generate a complete song from a genre template
from code_music import generate_song, detect_key, play

song = generate_song("lo_fi", bars=16, seed=42)
play(song)

# Analyze any song's key
root, mode, conf = detect_key(song)
print(f"{root} {mode} ({conf:.0%})")

Learn by example

The examples/ directory walks through the entire API step by step:

code-music examples/01_hello_world.py --play    # start here
code-music --random jazz                        # or just generate one

Export to Spotify

make spotify     # renders all songs to dist/flac/ + prints upload link

Upload at https://artists.spotify.com → Music → Upload Track. Minimum: 30s, 44100 Hz stereo. FLAC preferred.

Sheet music

make notation-all   # LilyPond (.ly), ABC (.abc), MusicXML (.xml) for every song

• LilyPond: lilypond dist/notation/lily/trance_odyssey.ly → PDF
• ABC: paste dist/notation/abc/tank_bebop.abc into https://abc.rectanglered.com
• MusicXML: open in MuseScore, Sibelius, Dorico, Finale

See docs/ for audience-specific guides.