Web simulator

Without a device, use it right in the browser: cardenza-synth.203.io (or cardenza-synth.vercel.app). It is not a look-alike but the same firmware code (the groovebox interface, the AMY engines, the sequencer, the storage protocol) compiled to WebAssembly: screen, key lights and sound are the same as on the device.

Connect your Cardenza (USB)

Plug the Cardenza into the computer with a USB cable (Chrome or Edge) and open the guide. There is no button to press: the guide's pages ask the browser whether they may use MIDI devices; allow it, and from then on the device connects as soon as it is plugged in.

• The device follows the lessons: it goes to the lesson's screen, the keys to press blink (the others dim) until you get it right, then stay lit; the page says so, try a few more keys, then press Next.
• Your own work is not touched: when a lesson starts, the device keeps your working state on the SD card and plays in a practice project; when the guide ends (you leave the lessons, close the page, unplug the cable, or 30 seconds pass without a word from the page) it comes back as it was. The guide needs an SD card in the device.
• The manual pages do not drive the device; it keeps running as usual.
• Unplug the cable to disconnect; plug it back in and it reconnects.
• It talks to the Cardenza over USB MIDI (Web MIDI, SysEx included): no driver is needed, and USB MIDI and USB audio keep working. If you blocked it before, allow MIDI devices in the site settings (left of the address bar) and reload.

Which computer key is which

The computer keyboard maps to the device's 4×14 keys by physical position; every key cap shows its computer key, and the key on the page lights up when pressed:

1. 1Number row 1 … =
2. 2The Q row
3. 3The A row
4. 4The Z row
5. 5Esc · Tab · Caps Lock / left Shift · Ctrl
6. 6Backspace · \ · Enter · Space

The computer keyboard's four rows are the device's four rows

Device	Computer
ESC TAB FN CTRL	Esc / Tab / Caps Lock or left Shift / Ctrl
↑← ↓SUB ↵OK ▶PLAY	Backspace / \ / Enter / Space
HOME side key	Home
the pads without a letter	right Shift (row 3) · left / right Alt (row 4)

• ESC is also the backquote key (left of 1). On macOS Caps Lock latches FN (press it again to release it); hold left Shift for a FN that lets go with the key.
• You can also click or touch the keys on the page, several at once on a touch screen. A right-click latches a key down (to hold ESC, FN… while you click the GRID); right-click it again to release it.

Sound

Browsers only play sound after a click on the page: the first time, click anywhere (or "Start audio"). The sound is synthesized live by the same audio engine; latency depends on the browser and computer.

Storage and samples

• Settings, projects and sounds are stored in the browser (IndexedDB) in the same folders as on the SD card (CardenzaSynth/…), and survive a reload. Clearing the site's data deletes them.
• The working state that the device keeps by itself (Your work is kept) is kept by the browser too: it is written as you go and when the page is hidden, and is still there after a reload or after closing the page, like pulling the power on the device. To keep it as a project, save with FN+S as usual.
• On the simulator page, "Load project…" copies .ccproj files from a Cardenza's card into the browser (never over an existing project, a name already taken gets a number) and opens the first one; the others are in SETUP FILES.
• "Load WAV…" puts audio files from your computer into the shared sample folder Samples/, where the SAMPLER's file list finds them. Anything that is not a mono 16-bit WAV (stereo, 24-bit, MP3…) is converted to mono 16-bit 44.1 kHz and cut to 5 seconds.