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DAWG Digital Audio Workstation Game
DAWG September build showing pixel-art instruments, expanded waveforms and the live mixer

A game about
making music.

Play instruments, build beats and shape their sound while the pattern plays. Play together in local Jam Mode.

Get it on itchWatch gameplay ↗
Beat sequencerBuild a beatWrite drum patterns on the step grid.Live mixerPlay and mixInstruments and mixer in one view.Sound controlsShape the soundOscillators, envelopes, filters and effects.
DAWG / LOG

Latest from the studio

All devlogs →
Sound engine update and first demo available

A recap of the DSP, instruments and effects work, plus the first demo for Windows and Android.

September development screenshot
Major sound update

Better sounds, more presets and new ways to get a pattern started.

September development screenshot
A new public beta

Updated effects, wheel menus and session saving in the August beta.

September development screenshot
Inside DAWG

Instruments, sequencing and mixing

Choose an instrument, write a pattern, then arrange and mix it with the other parts.

Instruments
9 instruments Drums, bass, synth, groove, guitar, arp, sampler, electric, vocal.
  • Drums - kick, snare, hat, perc. Multiple kits.
  • Bass - sub, synth, 808, pluck, reese, 303
  • Synth - lead, supersaw, acid, hoover, brass, digital
  • Groove - rhodes, wurli, clav, hammond, pad, vintage, piano
  • Guitar - acoustic, clean, crunch, distort, funk, nylon
  • Arp - classic, trance, acid, chip, bellish, sweep
  • Sampler - 8-slice sample playback
  • Electric - vocoder, talkbox, daft, choir, robot, whisper
  • Vocal - formant synthesis (aah, eeh, ooh, choir, robot vox)
Full instrument details →
Grid
Dual grid modes Step sequencer + piano roll. Switch freely.

Simple mode: tap cells on a grid to build patterns. Each row is a pitch or drum sound. 8, 16, 32, 64, or 128 steps. Notes can be restricted to the selected scale.

DAW mode: full piano roll with chromatic viewport. Draw notes with variable length, adjust velocity, drag to reposition. Marquee selection, quantize, snap-to-grid.

Switch between the two views to edit the same notes.

Step sequencer guide →
Mixer
Live mixer Per-channel faders, VU meters, LUFS monitoring.

Every instrument gets its own channel strip: volume fader, pan knob, mute, solo. The master bus has a real-time spectrum analyzer, VU meters, and integrated LUFS loudness monitoring.

  • Per-channel sidechain compression
  • Pattern slot switching (A/B/C/D scenes)
  • Velocity control per channel
  • Touch-friendly faders on all platforms
Under the hood →
How it works

From blank grid to finished track.

A way to start your first session.

1

Load up

Choose a drum kit or instrument preset to start with.

2

Tap it out

Add notes to the grid or record them with a MIDI controller. Play the pattern back as you edit.

3

Twist the knobs

Adjust the instrument’s filter and effects, then balance its level in the mixer.

4

Export your track

Export a WAV file to share or use in another project.

Watch

See it in action.

Videos of DAWG sessions and development.

Audio tuning and testing Testing instrument sounds and tuning controls.
DAWG in action Watch a full beat get built from scratch.
100 days of development From first prototype to 9 instruments.
Inside the engine

How DAWG shapes a sound

Digital signal processing (DSP) generates and changes the audio you hear. These controls set the waveform, its tone and how it develops during a note.

Tuning panel: sound sources, filter, envelopes and effects.
Tuning panel: sound sources, filter, envelopes and effects.
DAWG FX

Oscillators

An oscillator repeats a waveform at the note’s frequency. A sine wave gives a smooth tone; saw and pulse waves contain more harmonics. Mix sources and adjust their tuning to change the starting sound.

Envelopes

An ADSR envelope changes a level over time: attack is the rise, decay falls toward the sustain level, and release is the fade after the note ends. A short attack suits a pluck; a slower attack lets a pad swell in.

Filters

A low-pass filter removes frequencies above its cutoff, making a sound darker. A high-pass filter reduces the low end. Resonance emphasizes frequencies near the cutoff. Moving the cutoff changes the tone while the note plays.

Effects

Delay repeats the sound; reverb adds a decaying sense of space. Saturation adds harmonics, while chorus mixes in modulated copies. Balance the processed sound with the dry signal so the original note stays clear.

Ways to play

Play it your way.

Use the mouse and keyboard, a touchscreen, a MIDI controller or a gamepad.

✋
Touch Tap pads, move notes and adjust knobs on a touchscreen.
  • Single tap - toggle grid cells on/off
  • Drag across cells - fill a row quickly
  • Multi-touch - play chords in real time
  • Tilt device - modulate FX via accelerometer
  • Shake - randomize patterns

Works on Android phones, tablets, touchscreen laptops, and Steam Deck touchscreen.

Touch production guide →
⌨
Mouse & keyboard Click, drag, scroll. Full shortcut set.
  • Space - play/stop
  • 1-9 - switch instrument tabs
  • T - open tuning panel
  • C - clear current tab
  • Ctrl+Z/Y - undo/redo
  • Arrow keys - navigate grid
Full shortcut reference →
♫
MIDI Connect a MIDI controller over USB or Bluetooth.
  • Any class-compliant USB or Bluetooth controller
  • Note on/off with velocity
  • Pitch bend, mod wheel, sustain pedal
  • CC mapping for hardware knobs
  • Record performances live into patterns
MIDI details →
▶
Gamepad Play with a gamepad or Steam Deck controls.
  • A/Cross - toggle pad / confirm
  • D-Pad - navigate grid
  • LB/RB - switch tabs
  • Right Stick - FX XY pad control
  • Triggers - BPM up/down (analog)
  • Start - play/stop
Full gamepad mapping →

Also supports accelerometer and gyroscope for motion-based expression, microphone input for sampling, and USB audio interfaces (ASIO on Windows) for low-latency monitoring.

Real setups

From pocket to studio.

Every device connects to your main device. Phone, PC, or Steam Deck is always the hub.

📱
On the go Phone + headphones. Make beats anywhere.
📱
Phone
🎧
Headphones
or earbuds

Tap the grid, twist effects, export WAV. Touch-first interface means your fingers are the controller. Choose wired or wireless headphones to suit your setup.

Android guide →
🎹
Backpack studio Phone + MIDI keyboard + headphones.
🎹
MIDI
keyboard
📱
Phone
🎧
Headphones

MIDI keyboard connects to your phone via Bluetooth or USB OTG. Headphones via Bluetooth, 3.5mm, or USB-C. Use the keyboard to play and record melodies. DAWG Approved: RockJam Go 25.

Recommended gear →
💻
At the desk PC or Mac + MIDI keyboard + headphones.
🎹
MIDI
keyboard
💻
PC / Mac
🎧
Headphones

MIDI keyboard plugs in via USB or pairs over Bluetooth. Headphones via the audio jack, USB, or Bluetooth. Mouse and keyboard for the grid and mixer. The most common DAWG setup.

Keyboard shortcuts →
🎮
On the couch Steam Deck or PC + gamepad + headphones.
🎮
Gamepad
💻
PC / Steam
Deck
🎧
Headphones

Lean back with a gamepad - Xbox, PlayStation, or 8BitDo. Steam Deck has controls built in. D-pad to navigate, triggers for BPM, bumpers to switch tabs. Headphones via 3.5mm, USB, USB-C, or Bluetooth. DAWG Approved: 8BitDo Ultimate.

Steam Deck guide →
🎵
Home studio MIDI keyboard + audio interface + monitors.
🎹
MIDI
keyboard
💻
PC / Mac
🎛
Audio
interface
🔊
Studio
monitors

MIDI keyboard connects via USB or Bluetooth. If your keyboard has 5-pin DIN MIDI output, connect it to the audio interface's MIDI input instead - the USB cable carries both audio and MIDI to the PC. Monitors connect to the interface over balanced TRS or XLR. Low-latency ASIO output, proper monitoring, VU metering. This is what DAWG is developed on. DAWG Approved: RockJam Go 25 + MOTU M4.

Recommended gear →
🎤
Recording Mic + audio interface + PC. Sample real sounds.
🎤
Microphone
🎛
Audio
interface
💻
PC / Mac

XLR or 6.3mm mic into the audio interface, USB to the PC. Monitor through the interface's headphone jack with zero-latency direct monitoring. Record into the Recording Booth - build custom drum kits from real objects, or feed the Looper for auto-sliced beat loops. On mobile, your phone's built-in mic or a wireless mic like the DJI Mic 2 works too. DAWG Approved: MOTU M4.

Recording Booth →
The studio

About DAWG Tools.

DAWG Tools makes DAWG and a set of Unity development tools.

Product

DAWG

A music-making app with a step sequencer, playable instruments, effects and a mixer. See itch.io for the available builds.

Dev tools

DAWG Tools for Unity

Unity packages developed alongside DAWG, including tools for color, motion, audio and text animation.

Development

Work in progress

DAWG is made by one developer. The devlog covers new builds, changes and work still in progress.

Custom DSP DAWG’s audio engine handles instrument synthesis and effects.
Local sessions Save sessions on your device and reopen them later.
Languages The interface includes translations and fonts for multiple writing systems.
Development updates Follow the devlog for release notes and previews of upcoming changes.
Download

Try the current beta

Get the latest public build on itch.io. The store page lists the available downloads and release notes.

DAWG is in development. Some features shown on this site may be ahead of the public build.

Wishlist DAWG on Steam Get DAWG on itch.io
For Unity developers

Unity tools developed with DAWG

Browse the Unity packages, including OKLab Pro for color and Smooth Pro for motion. Each package page covers its features and usage.

Explore Unity Tools