Getting Started with Harmony Bloom: A Powerful and Playful MIDI Sequencer
Today, I want to give you an overview and basic tutorial of Harmony Bloom, a uniquely visual and flexible MIDI sequencer that works with any DAW. Whether you're producing electronic tracks, scoring ambient pieces, or just experimenting with new ideas, Harmony Bloom offers a fresh way to generate melodies and rhythms.
There are two versions of the software:
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A VST plugin you can load in your DAW (Ableton Live, Logic, FL Studio, etc.)
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A standalone version if you just want to tinker without launching your full music setup
Let’s walk through some of the basics to help you understand how Harmony Bloom works and how you can start making music with it.
Loading It Up: Basic Setup
In this example, I’m using Ableton Live, but any DAW will work. I have Harmony Bloom loaded on the first track, and it’s sending MIDI to a Hammond B3 organ loaded on the second track.
By default, when you load Harmony Bloom, no preset is selected—it just starts in a basic chromatic scale configuration. You can press the little play arrow to hear it immediately. If you want the DAW’s transport controls to control playback, just click the link icon in the upper interface. This syncs tempo and transport with your DAW, which is super helpful.
Understanding the Interface
On the left-hand side, you’ll find the heart of the sequencer’s creative control. Here's a quick breakdown of some core concepts:
🎼 Scale & Note Collection
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Scale locks the output to a musical scale.
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Root sets the key.
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Note Collection determines which intervals and harmonies are used.
Start with something simple like Major or Minor to hear how changes affect the harmonic structure. For a cool preset, try “Bermudas”—it sounds great right out of the gate.
Sequencer Logic: Think Music Box Meets Player Piano
Harmony Bloom is essentially a visual sequencer. Think of it like a music box or player piano:
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Each “line” across the spiral acts like a playhead.
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Notes trigger when they cross that play line.
You can activate more play lines (like adding more pins to the music box) to layer more complexity and rhythm into your sequences.
Exploring Offsets
The offset controls shift when and how notes are triggered:
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Quantize Offset controls note alignment. Try setting it to 1/1 for synchronized hits or back to 1/16 for more rhythmic variety.
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Speed Offset, Free Offset, and Even Offset change how notes are spaced and rotated around the spiral. Positive and negative values create interesting rhythmic effects.
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Global Offset moves all notes together along the timeline.
Advanced Customization
Here are a few more fun things you can experiment with:
🔀 Randomization
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Use the dice icon to randomize parameters.
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Right-click any setting to include or exclude it from global randomization.
🎲 Presets and Scale Matching
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Try loading a preset and matching the scale and note collection to keep things musical.
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For example, set both to Major and experiment from there.
⏱ Other Controls
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Note Count: Add more notes for denser patterns.
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Note Duration: Control how long notes are held.
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Loop Length: Adjust the length of the pattern.
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Probability: Add variation by reducing the chance a note will play (100% = always plays).
Final Tips
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Use the reset icon (top right) to clear the sequence while keeping your preset.
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If you’re feeling lost, zero out the parameters and build up again to understand how each affects the output.
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Use the standalone version for quick experimentation—no DAW required.
You can also download a free trial of Harmony Bloom if you want to test it before committing. Whether you’re sequencing generative ambient pads or crafting tight loops, Harmony Bloom offers a playful and deep way to create music visually.
