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First steps

Getting started

Install Patchwerk, sign in, create your first project, and make your first sound.

For musicians and producers opening Patchwerk for the first time.

Patchwerk is a desktop app for macOS that lets you build your own audio plugins — synths, effects, and MIDI tools — by patching blocks together on a canvas, designing a plugin interface, and exporting the result straight into your DAW. No coding required.

Install and first launch

  1. Download Patchwerk from the website and open the installer.
  2. Drag Patchwerk into your Applications folder and launch it.
  3. On first launch, a short setup flow walks you through a few questions: what you want to build (synth, drum machine, FX, sampler, and so on), how you'd describe yourself, and which visual styles you like. Every step has a Skip button — your answers just help tailor the experience.
  4. Sign in when prompted. Patchwerk opens your browser to authorize the device; if the browser doesn't open, visit the activation page shown on screen and enter the code displayed in the app.
  5. The flow finishes with a quick setup check that verifies the tools Patchwerk needs. You can deal with anything missing later — it's only required when you export a plugin.

Note Patchwerk uses your account for the built-in AI assistant, which runs on credits. You can check your balance any time under Usage & credits in the app menu.

Create your first project

  1. From the home screen, click New Project (or press ⌘N).
  2. Pick a template: Instrument (makes sound from MIDI notes), Effect (processes incoming audio), MIDI effect, or Blank.
  3. Give your plugin a name, optionally add a short description, and click Create.

Your project is saved as a folder in your Patchwerk projects location (by default inside Documents). Recent projects appear on the home screen so you can jump back in.

Tour the editor

The editor has three main areas:

AreaWhereWhat it's for
DSP tabTop tab barThe graph canvas — where you patch blocks together to shape sound
DESIGN tabTop tab barThe plugin UI designer — where you lay out knobs, faders, and displays
AI assistantRight sidebarA chat panel that can build and edit your patch and UI for you

A few more landmarks:

  • The left sidebar holds the Modulators panel, your project files, and an Assets panel for samples and wavetables.
  • The bottom bar shows status info and has a MIDI button that opens a floating keyboard window.
  • The tab bar also has a play button and a BPM field for tempo-synced patches.

Make your first sound

Let's hear something. In a new Instrument project:

  1. Open the DSP tab.
  2. Click the Browse blocks button in the floating toolbar at the bottom of the canvas. A searchable palette of blocks opens.
  3. Click Oscillator to drop one onto the canvas.
  4. Add an Output block the same way — it's the block with the level meter that represents your plugin's audio output.
  5. Drag a cable from the oscillator's Out port to the output's In port.
  6. The graph compiles automatically. Click the MIDI button in the bottom bar to open the keyboard window, then click some keys.

You should hear a tone — congratulations, you've built the world's smallest synth.

Tip No sound? Check the mute button in the canvas toolbar, make sure the Output block's gain is up, and check your output device under Settings → Audio / MIDI.

Where to go next