Quick Start Guide

System Requirements

• macOS with Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) or Intel chip
• REAPER 6.0 or later
• Surge XT synthesizer plugin
• Internet connection for AI features
• OpenAI API Key (required)

Installation

1. Install Dependencies

Before installing Signals & Sorcery, you'll need to install the required dependencies:

Install REAPER

1. Download REAPER from https://www.reaper.fm/download.php
2. Download the version matching your Mac:
   • macOS (ARM64) for Apple Silicon Macs (M1/M2/M3/M4)
   • macOS (x64) for Intel Macs
3. Open the downloaded DMG and drag REAPER to your Applications folder
4. Launch REAPER at least once to complete initial setup

Install Surge XT

1. Download Surge XT from https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
2. Download the version matching your Mac:
   • macOS (Apple Silicon) for M1/M2/M3/M4 Macs
   • macOS (Intel) for Intel Macs
3. Run the installer - it will install the VST3 plugin to the correct location
4. Verify installation: Open REAPER → Insert a new track → Click FX button → Search for "Surge XT" in the plugin list

Get OpenAI API Key

1. Create an account at https://platform.openai.com/
2. Navigate to API Keys: https://platform.openai.com/api-keys
3. Click "Create new secret key"
4. Copy the key (you'll need this later)
5. Note: You'll need to add credits to your OpenAI account for API usage

2. Download Signals & Sorcery

Choose the version for your system:

• Apple Silicon Mac (M1/M2/M3/M4) - Download for Apple Silicon Macs
• Intel Mac (x64) - Download for Intel Macs

Note: The app is signed and notarized by Apple for security.

3. Install and Launch

1. Double-click the downloaded DMG file to open it
2. Drag Signals & Sorcery to your Applications folder
3. Launch the app from Applications
4. On first launch, the REAPER bridge will auto-install to your REAPER Scripts folder

4. Configure Settings

1. In Signals & Sorcery, click the Settings icon
2. Enter your OpenAI API key
3. Verify the connection shows as active

Basic Usage

Getting Started

1. Open REAPER - Launch REAPER first (the bridge script will auto-start)
2. Launch Signals & Sorcery - Open the app from your Applications folder
3. Verify Connection - Check that the app shows "Connected" status

Creating Music with MIDI

The core workflow is describing the sound you want for each track, and the AI will generate MIDI and configure the appropriate synth patches:

You: Create 4 tracks - drums, bass, lead synth, and pad

AI: Created 4 tracks with Surge XT loaded on each

You: For the drums, create a driving techno beat at 128 BPM with punchy kicks

AI: Generated MIDI drum pattern and configured Surge XT with a punchy kick preset

You: Add a deep rolling bassline that follows a minor progression

AI: Generated bassline MIDI in A minor and configured Surge XT bass preset

You: Create an arpeggiated lead melody that's bright and energetic

AI: Generated arpeggio MIDI pattern and configured Surge XT lead preset

You: Add ambient pad chords that wash in the background

AI: Generated chord progression and configured Surge XT pad preset

Common Workflows

Track Management:

• "Create 3 new tracks for drums, bass, and melody"
• "Rename track 2 to Bass"
• "Delete the last track"
• "Mute all tracks except track 1"

MIDI Generation:

• "Generate a 4-bar drum pattern in 4/4 time"
• "Create a bassline that follows a C minor scale"
• "Add a melody on track 3 with eighth notes"
• "Generate chord progression in the key of G major"

FX Processing:

• "Add reverb to track 2"
• "Shuffle FX on the bass track for a new sound"
• "Add EQ and compression to the drum bus"
• "Clear all FX from track 3"

Transport Control:

• "Start playback"
• "Set tempo to 140 BPM"
• "Loop from bar 1 to bar 8"
• "Stop recording"

Troubleshooting

Bridge Not Connecting

• Make sure REAPER is running - The bridge only loads when REAPER starts
• Check REAPER Console - Go to View → ReaScript Console to see bridge status messages
• Verify Bridge Installation - Look for __startup.lua in ~/Library/Application Support/REAPER/Scripts/
• Restart Both Apps - Close REAPER and Signals & Sorcery, then reopen REAPER first

Surge XT Not Loading

• Verify Plugin Installation - Open REAPER → Insert FX → Search for "Surge XT"
• Re-scan Plugins - REAPER → Preferences → Plug-ins → VST → "Re-scan"
• Check Architecture - Ensure you installed the version matching your Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel)

MIDI Not Generating

• Check Track Has Instrument - Ensure the track has Surge XT or another synth loaded
• Verify Track Is Not Muted - Unmute the track and check volume levels
• Check Playback - Press spacebar in REAPER to start playback

OpenAI API Issues

• Verify API Key - Check that your key is entered correctly in Settings
• Check Credits - Log into platform.openai.com to verify you have available credits
• Rate Limits - If you see errors, you may be hitting rate limits (wait and retry)

Tips for Best Results

• Be Specific - Describe sounds in detail: "punchy techno kick" works better than just "drums"
• One Task at a Time - Break complex requests into steps
• Iterate - Generate MIDI, listen, then ask for adjustments
• Use Musical Terms - The AI understands music theory: keys, scales, chord progressions, etc.

Next Steps

• Experiment with different sound descriptions to hear how the AI interprets them
• Try combining MIDI generation with FX processing for more complex productions
• Explore the Features section for advanced capabilities