Getting Started

Get up and running with Vocal Synth Engine in under two minutes.

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18 or later
• npm (bundled with Node.js)
• A modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge) for the cockpit UI

Installation

Clone the repository and install dependencies:

git clone https://github.com/mcp-tool-shop-org/vocal-synth-engine.git
cd vocal-synth-engine
npm ci

Start the dev server

npm run dev

The server starts at http://localhost:4321. The cockpit UI is served from the same port — open it in your browser to start playing.

Production build

npm run build
npm start

This compiles the cockpit UI and server, then starts the production server.

Available scripts

Script	Purpose
npm run dev	Dev server with hot reload
npm run build	Build cockpit and server
npm start	Production server
npm run inspect	CLI preset inspector

Your first render

1. Open http://localhost:4321 in your browser
2. The Score Editor tab opens by default
3. Click and drag on the piano roll to create notes (C2 through C6)
4. Choose a voice preset from the dropdown
5. Click Render to generate a WAV file
6. The render appears in the Render Bank tab for playback

Live mode quick start

1. Switch to the Live tab in the cockpit
2. Play notes using the on-screen chromatic keyboard or your computer keyboard
3. Connect a MIDI device for hardware control
4. Use the XY pad to morph timbre (X axis) and breathiness (Y axis) in real time

Environment variables

Variable	Default	Description
AUTH_TOKEN	(unset)	Optional token to protect API endpoints
PORT	4321	Server port

When AUTH_TOKEN is not set, all API endpoints are open. Set it to require bearer token authentication on protected routes.