Getting
Started

Read this first

Boots & Cats lets you describe beats in plain language, tweak them in a step sequencer, and export MIDI for your DAW. This manual walks through each piece of the interface with interactive previews so you can practice the flow without leaving the page.

Quick start

Three moves to your first beat

Use the chat to describe the groove, fine-tune it in the sequencer grid, then export MIDI when it feels right. Each piece updates live so you can iterate fast.

  1. 1. Describe the vibe. Ask for a pattern by genre, feel, or instrumentation. The agent generates the beat and explains any changes.
  2. 2. Tweak the grid. Toggle individual steps, adjust swing via the grid mode, or request changes with another prompt.
  3. 3. Export and drop it in your DAW. Download the MIDI file, then drag it into Ableton, Logic, or any sequencer to keep arranging.
Chat

Talk to the sequencer like a collaborator

The chat input stays focused on quick iteration. Prompts run immediately and can reference instruments, fills, or tempo.

house beat 124 bpm with a tom fill at the end
Send
Prompts run instantly. Press Enter or tap Send.

Try phrases like “four-on-the-floor house beat at 124 bpm with claps on the offbeat” or “add a tom fill in the last measure.” The app keeps your last request so you can refine without retyping.

Sequencer

Shape the pattern visually

Each row represents an instrument. Sixteenth-note steps line up left to right. Filled steps play; hollow ones stay silent.

0%
Bar 1
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick
Bar 2
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick

Loading kit samples…

Stopped • 124 BPM • 1/16 grid

This is the live sequencer from the app. Click or drag to toggle steps, switch grid modes, or adjust BPM—the preview mirrors the real experience and plays audio.

Transport

Control playback and timing

These controls update live across the chat and sequencer so you always hear the latest groove.

0%
Bar 1
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick
Bar 2
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick

Loading kit samples…

Stopped124 BPM • Grid: 1/16 • Kit: 808

Play

Starts playback of the current pattern so you can hear changes in real time.

Stop

Pauses playback and resets the playhead to the top of the loop.

Clear

Wipes all active steps in the pattern—handy for restarting a groove.

Download

Exports the current beat as MIDI without leaving the page.

BPM control

Type or arrow-key the tempo to match your session. The agent and sequencer stay in sync.

Grid mode

Swap between sixteenth notes and triplet feel to audition different grooves instantly.

Tap play to audition changes instantly. Adjust BPM to match your project, and switch grid mode to explore halftime or triplet variations without losing your pattern.

Export

Take it to your DAW

When you're ready, export it as MIDI. Every track keeps its instrument lane so you can swap drum kits later.

0%
Bar 1
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick
Bar 2
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick

Loading kit samples…

Tap the download icon to export the beat instantly.

Tap the download icon (⬇) above to open the export modal shown below. Exports run faster than real time on desktop and save files with a consistent base name likebootsncats_124bpm_2025-04-14_16-09-12.

Export

Desktop-only: download the current 2-bar loop as MIDI, full mix, or per-instrument stems.

Preview only — controls are disabled for the manual.

Select content

MIDI (.mid)

Use when you want to keep arranging or swap sounds inside your DAW.

  • General MIDI percussion on channel 10 with kicks, snares, hats mapped automatically.
  • Tempo metadata matches the sequencer BPM so the clip stays locked to grid.
  • Two-bar loop length; duplicate in your DAW to extend arrangements.

Full mix (16-bit WAV)

Great for quick sharing or reference bounces without opening a DAW.

  • Stereo 44.1 kHz PCM, normalized to about −0.1 dBFS for headroom.
  • Rendered offline from the current kit so it’s consistent with playback.

Stems (WAV bundle)

Mix each drum separately or add external processing.

  • One stereo WAV per instrument that has notes, packaged into a .zip file.
  • File names match instrument labels (kick.wav, snare.wav, etc.).
  • Rendering time scales with the number of active instruments; keep the tab focused until export finishes.
Customization

Dial in your own voice

Ask for specific kits, accents, and fills. You can reference kicks, claps, percussion layers, or call out moments like a tom run before the drop.

Prompt ideas:

  • “Swap the snare for a rimshot in bars 2 and 4.”
  • “Layer a low tom every eighth note under the kick.”
  • “Add a four-beat clap build before the chorus, keep the kick pattern the same.”
Custom Kits

Bring your own samples

The sequencer can load one-shots from your browser so each lane hits exactly the sound you want. Tune each instrument ±12 semitones and reset pitch with a click. Use the demo below to see how it works before opening the full app.

Controls are for demonstration only.

Custom kits are unavailable because this browser does not support IndexedDB.

Bar 1
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick
Bar 2
Ride
Tom
Open Hat
Closed Hat
Clap
Snare
Rim
Kick

Loading kit samples…

Switch Kit to CUSTOM to unlock per-instrument samples. Click an instrument name to open the modal, browse your files, fine-tune pitch, or reset that slot. Use Reset Samples to clear every custom file. Your uploads stay in this browser only.

  1. 1. Choose CUSTOM. Pick the CUSTOM kit to enable editable instrument rows and the Reset Samples button.
  2. 2. Click an instrument name. The modal appears beside the grid so you can browse local files.
  3. 3. Upload or reset. Select a short one-shot, or press Reset to fall back to the stock 808 sample.
  4. 4. Nudge pitch. Use ± buttons to shift up to 12 semitones and Reset Pitch to snap back to 0 st.

Limits: Max 2.0 MB per file · Max length 10s · Audio stays local.

Snare

Upload short one-shot samples (max 2.0 MB / 10s). Files stay in your browser.

+3 st
File
snare-tight.wav
Size
512 KB
Format
audio/wav
Length
0.48 s

Sample updated. Stored locally. Pitch set to +3 st.

Tips

Troubleshooting & best practices

A few quick notes to keep sessions smooth.

  • If playback feels out of sync, hit Stop then Play to re-sync the transport. The sequencer obeys the last BPM you set.
  • Prompts stack—ask for changes iteratively rather than rewriting the whole beat. Mention what to keep so the agent preserves it.
  • Export often. MIDI files are lightweight and make it easy to version ideas or share with collaborators.