Introduction

Blending creativity with coding, EarSketch is an innovative platform that empowers learners to compose music while learning the fundamentals of programming. This guide walks you through the essentials of getting started with EarSketch—from setting up your account and navigating the interface to writing clean, organized Python code for building your own musical composition.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Set up your first EarSketch script and navigate its user interface

  • Use functions like fitMedia() and setEffect() to add and manipulate sound

  • Organize code with variables and add meaningful comments for clarity

  • Understand key concepts like code structure, camel caps notation, and keyboard shortcuts

By the end of this journey, you’ll have created your own audio composition, gaining valuable experience in both music production and Python programming in a creative, engaging environment.

Key Knowledge and Tips

  • The Keyboard icon in the Earsketch interface allows the user to reveal keyboard shortcuts on the interface
  • The yellow folder with the headphones shows the library of music and sounds in Earsketch
  • The default language of Earsketch is Python
  • The # symbol signifies a comment in the program code
  • The ‘fitMedia()’ function allows the user to add music files in Earsketch
  • camel caps is the case format for the function setEffect
  • The function setEffect() tells the program to add an effect to the composition
  • Variables store data making it easier to manage and change program code