What Is the Difference Between WebSynths Grooves, Samples, and Microtonal?

WebSynths bundles three separate browser tools with different jobs: Grooves is a beat-making tool (the site calls it "the internet beat box"), Samples is a download library of free sounds, and Microtonal is a full synthesizer for deeper sound design. Pick Grooves to build rhythms, Samples to grab audio files, and Microtonal to shape your own tones — you can use any of them on their own or combine them.

The three tools at a glance

All three live under the same WebSynths site, so you reach them from the same place rather than signing up for separate services.

WebSynths Grooves: for beats

Grooves is positioned as "the internet beat box." If your goal is to lay down a rhythm — a drum pattern, a loop, a quick beat idea — this is the tool to open. The site also provides a 5 Minute Quickstart video for Grooves, which suggests it's meant to get you making a beat quickly rather than configuring a complex instrument.

Choose Grooves when:

• You want a rhythm or beat first, not a melody or pad.
• You want something fast to start, with a short guided intro.
• You're sketching an idea and don't need to download files.

WebSynths Samples: for sound files

Samples is described as "fresh sounds, free to download." This is the resource-oriented part of the site: instead of playing an instrument in the browser, you're collecting audio to use in your own projects. The site references a specific pack, "Distorted Nines," and has a video showing how that pack was made.

Choose Samples when:

• You need audio files you can keep and use elsewhere.
• You want to browse packs rather than play a live instrument.
• You're building a sound library and want free material to start from.

Note that the site describes Samples as free to download; it doesn't state any login or payment requirement for the downloads themselves.

WebSynths Microtonal: for deep synthesis

Microtonal is described as "the deepest internet synthesizer" and is a full-featured polyphonic synthesizer. That combination — polyphonic plus microtonal — points to sound design and tuning work rather than quick beat-making. If you want to build a patch, explore non-standard tunings, or play chords with custom intervals, this is the tool.

Choose Microtonal when:

• You want to design your own sounds rather than use preset beats or files.
• You care about tuning and intervals beyond standard equal temperament.
• You want a polyphonic instrument you play live in the browser.

How to decide

Ask what you're missing:

• "I need a rhythm." → Grooves.
• "I need audio files." → Samples.
• "I need to design a sound." → Microtonal.

They aren't mutually exclusive. A common workflow is to pull sounds from Samples, build a beat in Grooves, and use Microtonal for the melodic or textural parts — each tool covers a different stage rather than competing for the same one.

Practical notes before you start

• Everything runs in the browser. The site frames itself as "a free resource for any musician with internet access," so a modern browser and a connection are the baseline requirements.
• Free, but patron-supported. WebSynths states it is free and "made possible by support from our patrons," with a Patreon link for those who want to contribute. Free access doesn't depend on donating.
• There's a chat and community side. The site lists WebSynths Chat plus Facebook, YouTube, and an email contact, useful if you get stuck or want to see what others are making.
• Start with the quickstart if you're new. The Grooves quickstart video is the shortest path to a first result; the Samples video is more about how a pack was produced than how to use the tool.