The work is executed in the page through browser workers, WebAssembly, Web Audio, or WebGPU as stated.
GRAIN / AVAILABLE NOW
Granular Synthesizer
Explore a sample one grain at a time. Resynthesize a local sample with grain size, density, position, spray, pitch, reverse, filter, and reverb controls.
GRAIN / local workbenchReal-time Web Audio grains
GUIDE / granular synthesizer online
What does granular synthesizer do?
Granular synthesis divides a source into many short windowed fragments and overlaps them into a new texture. SoundTools exposes grain duration, events per second, source position, randomized spray, semitone rate, reverse probability, and render length, then calculates a deterministic local WAV.
RELATED USES
- granular synth browser
- granular audio effect
- sample grain generator
- granular synthesis tool
FIELD NOTES / 01
A real local processor, not a decorative upload box
Windowed overlap-add granular DSP runs after you choose a source and explicitly start the operation. The audio samples remain in browser memory; SoundTools does not send the selected media to an application endpoint.
Choose a short sample, start with 60–120 ms grains, move position through the source, then raise density and spray gradually. Pitch changes grain read rate, while reverse probability flips selected grains. Results remain available for preview and download only in the current tab. Closing or refreshing the page releases those temporary objects.
PROCESS / THREE STEPS
How to use granular synthesizer
- 01
Choose the local source
Open a compatible file in the dedicated workbench at the top of this page. The browser validates and decodes it without an upload step.
- 02
Set the useful controls
Choose a short sample, start with 60–120 ms grains, move position through the source, then raise density and spray gradually. Pitch changes grain read rate, while reverse probability flips selected grains.
- 03
Process, check, and export
Run the local processor, inspect the status and preview, then save 2–20 second WAV performance when the result is ready.
SIGNAL NOTES / VERIFIED BEHAVIOR
What this tool actually does
Clear limits are part of a useful tool. These values describe the processor currently running in this page.
Runtime and model assets may be downloaded, but the selected file is not attached to those requests.
The dedicated workbench exposes only formats it can actually produce in the current browser.
USE CASES / 02
Useful reasons to open granular synthesizer
- Ambient cloud
Stretch a small authorized recording into a longer evolving bed.
- Glitch material
Use short grains, high density, wide spray, and reversal for fragmented detail.
- Sample exploration
Hear small regions of a field recording or instrument in a new order.
QUESTIONS / PRACTICAL ANSWERS
Questions about this tool
Answers based on the current browser processor—not promises about a future version.
01Is my audio uploaded for processing?
No. Audio samples stay in browser memory. The page may download a codec or model asset, but it does not send the selected file with that request.
02Why can the first run take longer?
This tool uses Windowed overlap-add granular DSP. A browser may need to download and initialize that runtime before the first operation; later runs can reuse cached assets.
03Can I preview the result before saving?
Yes. Audio-producing tools expose local result players, while analysis and transcription tools show their detected data before download.
04What happens when the browser is unsupported?
The workbench reports the missing capability instead of uploading the media or pretending that processing is still running.
05Do I need an account or install?
No. The tool opens directly in a compatible browser, requires no SoundTools account, and creates its temporary working state on the current device.
06What is grain size?
It is the duration of each source fragment. Short grains sound more fragmented; longer grains preserve more recognizable detail.
07Why is the same setting repeatable?
The renderer uses seeded randomness so a chosen control state produces a stable export for comparison.