Quick Start Guide

System Requirements

• macOS with Apple M-Series or Intel chip
• Surge XT synthesizer plugin (auto-installed by setup wizard)
• Internet connection for generation features
• Google Account for login

Installation

1. 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.

2. 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. The setup wizard will guide you through installing Surge XT and configuring everything automatically

Basic Usage

Getting Started

1. Launch Signals & Sorcery - Open the app from your Applications folder
2. Sign In - Log in with your Google account
3. Start Creating - Use the chat interface to describe sounds and generate music

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:

"create a synth sub bass"

"add a 4 on the floor kick"

"add a snare"

"add a synth padd on bars 2 and 4"

Troubleshooting

Audio Not Playing

• Check Audio Settings - Ensure your audio output device is correctly configured in the app
• Verify Surge XT Installation - The setup wizard should have installed Surge XT automatically
• Restart the App - Close and reopen Signals & Sorcery

Surge XT Not Loading

• Re-run Setup Wizard - Go to Settings and re-run the plugin installation
• Check Architecture - Ensure you installed the version matching your Mac (Apple Silicon or Intel)
• Manual Installation - See the manual installation section below

MIDI Not Generating

• Check Track Has Instrument - Ensure the track has Surge XT loaded
• Verify Track Is Not Muted - Unmute the track and check volume levels
• Check Playback - Press play to start playback
• Rate Limits - Daily token limits are set per user for the free tier

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 system understands music theory: keys, scales, chord progressions, etc.

Next Steps

• Experiment with different sound descriptions to hear how they're interpreted
• Try combining MIDI generation with FX processing for more complex productions
• Explore the Features section for advanced capabilities

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Manual Dependency Installation (Optional)

Note: The setup wizard handles dependency installation automatically. The steps below are only needed if you prefer to install dependencies manually or need to troubleshoot installation issues.

Install Surge XT

1. Download Surge XT from https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
2. Download the version matching your Mac:
   • macOS (Apple Silicon) for M-Series Macs
   • macOS (Intel) for Intel Macs
3. Run the installer - it will install the VST3 plugin to the correct location