MOTION · Playing guide
MOTION: Your Hands Are the Instrument
MOTION is a free webcam music instrument in your browser. Turn hand shapes and movement into chords, melody, rhythm, and expressive synth sound, with no MIDI controller or account required. Start with the camera, or choose Play without camera to explore using touch, clicks, and keyboard controls.
Start with one chord
Hold a clear hand shape and wait for the chord label to settle. MOTION keeps the harmony stable while you prepare the next shape. The on-screen chord controls also work without a camera.
Sculpt richer harmony
Chord Sculpt turns two-hand movement into contextual sevenths, ninths, inversions, dynamics, and smooth voice leading. Learn a simple chord first, then add the second hand.
Move through melody
Air Melody maps the melody hand’s height to notes in the selected scale while the other hand holds the harmony. Point one finger and move slowly enough to hear each step.
Bring in rhythm
Add a beat, arpeggiator, fill, metronome, drum groove, or polyrhythm from the performance surface. Beat Challenge offers a short chord sequence with separate chord and timing feedback.
Keep a performance
Cover Studio combines camera video, instrument audio, optional microphone, and overlays into a take you can review and download. Start recording explicitly when you are ready.
Private camera tracking
Hand tracking processes camera frames on your device. A local take stays in your browser unless you choose to publish it; publishing uploads the take and creates a share link.
How to begin
- Open MOTION: Use a current browser with Web Audio support. For camera play, find an evenly lit space with room for both hands.
- Choose your input: Start the camera and allow access when asked, or select Play without camera for the on-screen instrument.
- Make the first sound: Hold a clear chord shape or tap a chord control, then listen before changing it.
- Shape the music: Add the other hand for tone, melody, rhythm, or Chord Sculpt once the first chord feels predictable.
- Keep a take: Open Cover Studio to record, review, and download a performance. Publish only when you want a share link.
Tips for playing
- Use front light and keep the whole hand, including fingertips, inside the camera frame. On a phone, prop the device securely at hand height.
- Begin with slow, deliberate shapes. If tracking is unstable, improve the light and framing before trying faster gestures.
- Use headphones when recording with a microphone or backing track to reduce speaker spill.
- Camera access and recording formats depend on the device and browser. If camera startup fails, check permission and try the on-screen controls; contact support if the problem continues.
MOTION questions
- What is MOTION?
- MOTION is a free browser instrument that turns live hand shapes and movement into chords, melody, rhythm, and expressive sound. It also provides touch, click, and keyboard controls for playing without a camera.
- Does MOTION upload my camera video?
- Live hand tracking runs on your device. Recording starts only when you explicitly start a take in Cover Studio. Reviewing or downloading a local take does not publish it; choosing Publish uploads the take to create a share link.
- Do I need a MIDI keyboard or special controller?
- No. Use a supported browser and your device’s camera for live gestures, or try the on-screen controls without camera permission. Headphones are useful for recording but are not required to begin.
- Can I save what I play?
- Yes. Cover Studio can create a local camera-and-audio take for review and download in supported browsers. You can separately choose to publish the take when you want to share it.