BeatForge

BeatForge runs as a Standalone App and as a VST3/AU Plugin. The installer handles placement automatically.

Installation

• Windows: Run the .msi installer. You can select which components to install (Standalone/VST3). The installer will automatically place plugins in the correct system folder (C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3) so your DAW can find them.
• macOS: Open the .dmg file. Drag the BeatForge app to your Applications folder. To install the plugins (VST3/AU), run the separate .pkg installer found inside the disk image.

Activation

• Free Trial: On first launch, click "Start Trial" to begin a fully functional 14-day evaluation.
• Purchase: Click the "Buy Now" button on our website. You will receive a license code via email from Lemon Squeezy immediately after purchase.
• Unlock: Copy the code from your email and paste it into the BeatForge activation screen to unlock your lifetime license.

Navigate using the large buttons at the top of the interface:

• Sequencer: The main hub. Manage tracks, sequencing, LFOs, and sound design (Mix, ADSR, FX, EQ).
• Mixer: A dedicated view for quick audio and MIDI routing. Use this to assign Audio Outputs and set MIDI Input/Output channels for all tracks side-by-side. The Volume and Pan sliders here are Master Controls that sit after the sequencer's internal mixing chain.
• Slicer: The advanced sample editor. View waveforms, detect transients, and slice standard audio loops. (Note: REX files are read-only in this view).

BeatForge integrates the advanced Beat This! AI algorithm to analyze samples instantly upon import.

• Drag & Drop: Drop any WAV, AIFF, FLAC, OGG, or REX (.rx2) file onto a track slot.
• Auto-Sync: The engine detects the sample's BPM automatically.
  • If you play the loop unsliced, BeatForge automatically applies Time Stretching to lock it to your project tempo.
  • If you Slice the loop, synchronization is handled by the sequencer triggering individual slices at the correct time, keeping your transients crisp without stretching artifacts.
• Manual Correction: In the rare case the detected BPM is incorrect, you can click to enter it manually. You can also hold Shift and drag the grid lines near the end of the loop to fine-tune the BPM for a perfect match.

Create evolving patterns using "P-Locks" and probability.

Basic Sequencing

• Step Buttons: Click to toggle steps. Right-Click a step to set Hit Chance (Probability), Flam/Rolls, or assign an Edit Group.
• Grid Size: Right-click the Track Name to toggle the track between 16 Steps (Standard) and 12 Steps (Triplets/8T).
• Polymeters: Alt + Click a step to set it as the "Bar Endpoint." That track will loop independently at that step count.

Parameter Locks (P-Locks)

Automate any knob per-step without complex menus:

• Select Step(s): Hold Shift and click a step button (or multiple) to select them. They will remain highlighted.
• Lock Parameter: With the step(s) selected, move any slider (Pitch, Filter, Decay, etc.). The slider will turn Orange to indicate a lock is set for those steps.
• Clear Lock: Right-Click any step to turn off its locks. To clear multiple steps at once, Shift-Select them first, then Right-Click.

BeatForge features two distinct slicing engines depending on your file type.

1. REX Files (.rx2)

REX files are loaded Read-Only. There is no need to open the Slicer tab for these, as the slice markers are pre-defined (use Reason Studios' ReCycle to edit them). Instead, focus on the Playback Mode (S/L/C) toggle next to the track name:

• Slice (S): Play individual slices using MIDI notes. (Tip: Ensure your track's MIDI Input Channel is set correctly in the Mixer Tab to receive notes from your DAW).
• Loop (L): The loop plays continuously, locked to the host tempo.
• Sequence (C): "Creative" mode. Allows you to select a specific start slice/sequence and trigger it using BeatForge's internal step buttons.

MIDI Export: You can drag the REX MIDI pattern directly from the track to your DAW timeline.

2. Audio Slicer (WAV/AIFF/FLAC)

For standard audio, open the Slicer Tab to access the full editor.

• Editing: Use the Sensitivity slider to auto-detect transients, or manually Move, Delete, and Lock slice markers directly on the waveform.
• MIDI Export: Drag the "Export" button (located inside the Slicer window) to your DAW to generate a matching MIDI clip.
• SFZ Export: Right-click the track to export your sliced kit as an .sfz instrument file (compatible with Plogue Sforzando and other samplers).

Every track features a dual-engine architecture (Sample or Synth) fed into a dedicated, per-track FX chain.

1. Sample Engine & Lo-Fi

• Playback Modes:
  • Standard: Chromatic mapping across the keyboard.
  • Synth Roll: A creative effect that retriggers the sample at audio rates. The MIDI note determines the retrigger speed, turning any loop into a tuned oscillator.
• Pitch Algorithms: Right-click the Pitch slider to select:
  • Resample: Vintage sampler style (Pitch affects Duration).
  • Time Stretch: Modern algorithm (Pitch changes, Duration stays locked).
• Bitcrusher & Redux: Two dedicated sliders for digital degradation. Reduce Bit Depth for vintage 12-bit grit, or lower the Sample Rate to introduce metallic aliasing and artifacts.

2. ProSynth Engine

Switch any track to "Synth" to access the internal modeling engine:

• Karplus Snare: A complex Physical Modeling algorithm simulating Coupled Drum Skins (A/B interaction) and Snare Wires for realistic acoustic response.
• FM Kick: A specialized Frequency Modulation engine designed for punchy, modern electronic kicks.
• Analog Waveforms: Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square, and White Noise.

3. Distortion & Filters

Right-click the Distortion knob to select one of 4 algorithms:

• Soft: Warm saturation with rounded peaks.
• Hard: Aggressive digital clipping.
• Foldback: Wave-folding distortion that adds metallic, resonant harmonics.
• Hardcore: Extreme high-gain drive (10x boost) with a soft-knee limiter.

Filters: Automatable High Pass and Low Pass filters to sculpt the final tone.

4. Advanced Envelope (AHDSR)

Precision transient shaping with a 5-stage envelope:

• Stages: Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, Release. The "Hold" stage keeps the volume at max before decay, essential for punchy body.
• Tension Curves: You can adjust the slope of the Attack, Decay, and Release stages independently, morphing from Logarithmic (Snappy) to Exponential (Lazy).