Play For Me: Tutorial Guide
Learn how to use all features of the Play-For-Me tool to create music using hand gestures
Getting Started
Welcome to Play For Me!
Play For Me is an innovative tool that lets you create chord progressions with hand gestures. This tutorial will guide you through all its features, from basic setup to advanced recording options.
At its core, Play For Me lets you:
- Select chords with hand gestures through your webcam
- Choose from various chord patterns and rhythms
- Customize your performance with different instruments
- Record your musical creations and download them
Quick Start:
- Enable your camera
- Select a key, chord pattern, and rhythm
- Make a closed fist gesture over a chord cell
- Listen to the generated 8-chord progression
An overview of the Play For Me interface
Camera Setup & Gesture Control
Enabling Your Camera
The camera is essential for Play For Me to detect your hand gestures. Here's how to set it up:
- Enable Camera: Click the "Enable Camera" button in the Gesture Control section. Your browser will ask for permission to access your webcam.
- Position Yourself: Make sure there's good lighting and your hand is clearly visible in the frame.
- Test Hand Detection: Move your hand in the frame and you should see it being tracked with purple outlines.
Understanding Hand Gestures
Closed Fist
Making a closed fist over a chord cell will select it as the root chord and start playing the 8-chord progression.
Hand Position
Moving your hand over different cells in the grid will highlight them, showing which chord will be selected.
The Gesture Control Panel
The Gesture Control panel with webcam feed and chord grid overlay
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Lighting: Ensure your hand is well-lit and there's good contrast with the background.
- Hand Position: Keep your hand within the frame and at a moderate distance from the camera.
- Clear View: Remove any objects between your hand and the camera for better detection.
- Gesture Clarity: Make deliberate, clear gestures rather than quick or partial ones.
Chord Grid & Music Basics
Understanding the Chord Grid
The chord grid displays a 3×3 matrix of chords based on your selected key. Each cell represents a different chord in the key.
The chord grid with Roman numeral notation and chord names
What Happens When You Select a Chord:
- The selected chord becomes the "I" chord (tonic)
- An 8-chord progression is generated based on your chosen pattern
- The progression plays with your selected rhythm and instrument
- Each chord in the progression is highlighted as it plays
Selecting Musical Key
The key determines which set of chords will be available in the grid. Different keys will create different moods and tonalities.
Circle of Fifths
The Circle of Fifths selector helps you choose a musical key
Quick Music Theory:
- Major Keys: Generally sound bright, happy, or uplifting
- Minor Keys: Often sound more melancholic, serious, or dramatic
- Roman Numerals: Represent the chord's function in the key (I is the tonic, V is the dominant, etc.)
- Uppercase (I): Major chord
- Lowercase (i): Minor chord
Instrument & Tempo Settings
Choosing Your Instrument
Play For Me offers different instrument options to change the sound of your chord progressions.
Piano
Guitar
Instrument Controls
Click on the instrument icon to select it for your progression
Setting the Tempo
The tempo (BPM - Beats Per Minute) controls how fast your progression plays. Different tempos can dramatically change the feel of the same chord progression.
Tempo Slider
Drag the slider to adjust the speed of your progression
Tempo Guidelines:
- 40-60 BPM: Very slow, ballad-like feel
- 60-80 BPM: Relaxed, chill vibe
- 80-100 BPM: Moderate, walking pace
- 100-120 BPM: Energetic, danceable
- 120+ BPM: Fast, exciting, intense
Chord & Rhythm Patterns
Chord Patterns
Chord patterns determine the sequence of chords that will play after you select a root chord. They're organized by music genre.
Genre Selection
Select a music genre to see chord patterns typical for that style
Pattern Selection
Choose a specific 8-chord pattern within your selected genre
Genre Examples:
- Pop: Includes patterns like I-V-vi-IV (the "4-chord" pop progression)
- Rock: Often uses power chord progressions and blues-influenced patterns
- Jazz: Features ii-V-I progressions and more complex harmony
- Blues: Includes 12-bar blues patterns and variations
- Latin: Features distinctive rhythmic patterns and harmonic movements
Rhythm Patterns
Rhythm patterns control how your chords are played rhythmically - whether with even timing, syncopation, or other rhythmic features.
Rhythm Genre Selection
Select a rhythm style typical of a specific music genre
Rhythm Pattern Selection
Choose a specific rhythm pattern within your selected genre
Rhythm Type Examples:
- Straight Eighths: Even, regular rhythm (common in pop)
- Syncopated: Emphasis on unexpected beats (funk, Latin)
- Shuffle/Swing: Uneven eighth notes (blues, jazz)
- Backbeat: Emphasis on beats 2 and 4 (rock, R&B)
Recording Your Music
Record-For-Me Feature
The Record-For-Me feature allows you to capture your chord progressions as audio or text files that you can save and share.
Recording Controls
Recording controls let you start, stop, and manage your recordings
Recording Process:
- Enable Camera: Make sure your camera is enabled
- Start Recording: Click the "Start Recording" button
- Play Chords: Make fist gestures to play chords that will be recorded
- Stop Recording: Click "Stop Recording" when finished
- Review & Download: Listen to your recording and download it if desired
Download Options
After recording, you can download your creation in several formats.
WAV Audio
Download the audio recording as a high-quality WAV file that you can play in any media player or import into music software.
Chord Text File
Save the sequence of chord names as a text file that you can reference later when practicing on an instrument.
Chord Sheet Music
Generate a PDF with musical notation of your chord progression. This is perfect for musicians who read sheet music or want to share their progression with others.
Example of a generated chord sheet with notation
Audio Player
Preview your recording before downloading it
Advanced Tips & Creative Ideas
Combining Genres
Try mixing chord patterns from one genre with rhythm patterns from another for unique sounds.
For example: Jazz chord patterns with Latin rhythms can create an interesting fusion sound.
Key Modulation
Create more complex compositions by changing keys mid-recording.
- Record a progression in your first key
- Stop recording but don't reset
- Change to a related key (e.g., C Major → G Major)
- Start recording again to continue in the new key
Common key changes: Move up a perfect 5th, or to the relative minor/major
Songwriting Structure
Use different chord patterns to create song sections.
Record each section separately and combine them in audio editing software
Creative Exercise Ideas
- Mood Exploration: Try creating chord progressions that express different emotions by experimenting with major/minor keys and tempos
- Genre Challenge: Attempt to recreate the feel of your favorite song using the chord and rhythm patterns available
- Storytelling: Create a musical journey by recording a series of progressions that evolve from calm to intense and back
- Collaboration: Record progressions and share them with friends who can add melodies or lyrics
Troubleshooting
No sound when playing chords?
Make sure your device volume is up and you've interacted with the page (clicked somewhere) to enable audio playback.
Hand gestures not recognized?
Ensure good lighting, a clear background, and that your hand is fully visible in the camera frame.
Recording issues?
Make sure you've allowed microphone permissions in your browser and that the camera is enabled before starting recording.
Example Chord Progressions
Here are some example chord progressions you can try with different settings to get started. These examples show how the same chord pattern can sound different in various keys and with different rhythm patterns.
Pop Examples
Classic Pop Ballad
Settings: C Major, Pop 8: I–V–vi–IV, Straight Eighths, 80 BPM
Rock Examples
Classic Rock
Settings: D Major, Rock 8: I–bVII–IV–I, Rock Eighths, 110 BPM
Jazz Examples
Jazz Progression
Settings: C Major, Jazz ii–V–I Extended, Swing Eighths, 120 BPM
Blues & Funk Examples
Blues Progression
Settings: E Major, 12-Bar Blues Condensed, Shuffle Feel, 92 BPM
Quick Reference Guide
Setup Steps
- Open the Play-For-Me page
- Select your instrument (piano/guitar)
- Set your desired tempo (BPM)
- Select a musical key
- Choose chord and rhythm patterns
- Enable your camera
- Make sure your hand is visible
Playing Steps
- Position your hand over a chord cell
- Make a closed fist gesture
- The 8-chord pattern will play
- Current chord will be highlighted
- Wait for pattern to finish or try another cell
Recording Steps
- Make sure your camera is enabled
- Click "Start Recording"
- Play chord progressions with gestures
- Click "Stop Recording" when done
- Review your recording
- Download as WAV, TXT, or PDF