WELCOME TO THE CURIOSITY LAB
A little madness.
A lot of possibility.
Playful instruments. Hidden voices. Happy accidents.
Music tools for the part of you that asks, “what if?”
SampleCat ↗
Give a sound to the cat.
See what curiosity sounds like.
SecretKeys ↗
Your piano has a secret.
Find its other voices.
SampleCat.
A sampler with purrsonality.
Your sounds. A curious cat. An instrument that feels alive. Load a sound or record your own, then shape it by exploring the cat — from the ears to the paw pads.
- 01Give the cat a sound.
Load a WAV or AIFF file, or capture a sound through your audio input.
- 02Put your paws on it.
Trim, play and shape pitch, tone, envelope, reverb and delay. Use your mouse or a MIDI keyboard.
- 03Feed your curiosity.
Click a fang to chew a sample into 16 shuffled pieces. Save the result, including its settings and chosen cat.
- 04Keep the sound. Keep the feeling.
Saved SampleCat WAV files remember the cat coat, pitch, envelope, filter, reverb and delay. Reload them and pick up where you left off.
Current project: 0.4.14 · Windows standalone · In development
FOUR COATS. ONE CURIOUS SOUL.
Stroke the free fur in the app.
Even a music tool deserves a little affection.
Your piano has a secret.
Let’s find its other voices.
SecretKeys.
A key to the secret.
There may be more to your digital piano than the sound you hear at startup. SecretKeys sends musical control messages from your browser, so you can explore the sounds and controls your instrument supports.
- 01Find another voice.
Explore programs and MIDI banks. Keep your discoveries in 64 preset slots — 12 starting sounds and 52 you can customise.
- 02A clear place for everything.
Keys, Pads, Presets, Effects and Split each have their own tab. See incoming notes on the 88-key display, and shape the preset you are playing.
- 03Go a little further.
Play 16 assignable drum pads, split the keyboard into two sounds, and use Piano test to discover what your instrument supports. Export your presets as a backup.
- 04Make it feel at home.
Cherry, black, white or pine wood: choose the look that fits your piano. Install the app after its offline files are ready, so your tools stay close at hand.
Designed around the Donner DDP-80 Pro. Requires a compatible MIDI connection and browser. Available sounds, controls and split behaviour depend on your piano. The piano makes the sound.
What does MIDI mean?
MIDI is a way for musical devices to send instructions: which note to play, which sound to choose, or which control to change. SecretKeys sends those instructions; it does not add a new sound engine to your piano.
THE METHOD BEHIND THE MADNESS
Serious about sound.
Playful about getting there.
Mad Scientist Music Tools is a home for independent music experiments by Jeroen Moonen. Tools that invite a touch, a question, a detour. Because sometimes the most interesting sound begins with a very small “what if?”
MADE FOR THE JOY OF CREATING.
A little support.
A lot of possibility.
These tools are made for the joy of creating — and they’re free for you to enjoy.
If SampleCat or SecretKeys brings something to your music, you’re welcome to leave a small contribution. It helps me keep exploring, tinkering and making new things.
No pressure. Playing, experimenting and sharing what you create is already a lovely thank-you.
Support the next experimentOpens PayPal. Choose an amount that feels right for you.
Always optional. The tools stay free.
Scan with your phone,
or use the button to open PayPal.