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Music Phrase Pyramids is a macOS desktop tool for learning real musical phrases through progressive chunking. This page covers installation, basic workflow, and troubleshooting.

01

System Requirements

Music Phrase Pyramids is currently available only for macOS.

  • macOS 12 or later recommended
  • Works on Mac desktops and laptops
  • Not available for iOS, iPadOS, Windows, or Android
  • Audio formats supported: WAV, AIFF, MP3

02

Installation (macOS)

Music Phrase Pyramids is distributed as a DMG file.

  1. Download the DMG
  2. Open the DMG
  3. Drag Music Phrase Pyramids into Applications
  4. Open from Applications
Install Music Phrase Pyramids

03

macOS Security Notice (Unsigned App)

Because Music Phrase Pyramids is not yet signed and notarized by Apple, macOS may show a warning when opening the app for the first time.

You may see a macOS message that Music Phrase Pyramids is from an unidentified developer.

This is expected for early-stage independent software.

To open the app:

  1. Open your Applications folder

  2. Right-click (or two-finger click) Music Phrase Pyramids

  3. Click Open

  4. Click Open again in the confirmation dialog

After this first launch, the app will open normally in the future (including from the Dock).

If macOS still blocks the app:

  1. Open System Settings → Privacy & Security

  2. Scroll to Security

  3. Click Open Anyway next to Music Phrase Pyramids

  4. Confirm Open

Apple notarization is currently in progress for future releases.

Open Unsigned App

04

Basic Workflow

Music Phrase Pyramids works by reducing a phrase into progressive chunks and practicing them incrementally.

  1. Upload audio
  2. Mark the Big Phrase
  3. Mark Chunks
  4. Pyramid steps are generated automatically
  5. Practice each step
  6. Practice the full phrase

05

Import Audio

Music Phrase Pyramids supports WAV, AIFF, and MP3 files.

To import audio:

  1. Click Upload Audio
  2. Select a supported file
  3. The waveform will appear in the player

06

Zoom Waveform

Zoom helps focus on phrase detail.

  • Zoom in to view smaller timing regions
  • Zoom out to view larger context

Use the zoom control in the waveform panel to adjust scale.

07

Playback Speed

Playback can be adjusted for learning clarity.

  • Slow down to 50%
  • Increase up to 125%

Speed changes preserve pitch.

08

Hotkeys & Shortcuts

Use these to move faster without leaving the waveform.

Playback

  • Spacebar — Play / Pause

Marking

  • P — Drop a Phrase Flag at the playhead
  • C — Drop a Chunk Flag at the playhead

Editing

  • Delete (⌫) — Delete selected marker
  • Click a marker — Select marker
  • Drag a marker — Move marker

Tip: If a hotkey doesn’t respond, click the waveform once to restore focus.

09

Mark a Musical Phrase

A phrase is the region you want to learn.

To mark a phrase:

  1. Drag across the waveform
  2. Adjust start and end boundaries
  3. Confirm the region

This region becomes the Big Phrase.

10

Adjust the Big Phrase

The Big Phrase region can be moved or resized after it has been created.

To move the Big Phrase:

  1. Turn off Mark Big Phrase
  2. Place the cursor inside the Big Phrase region
    (the cursor changes to a hand)
  3. Drag the region to the desired position

To resize the Big Phrase:

  1. Turn off Mark Big Phrase
  2. Place the cursor on the start or end edge of the Big Phrase
    (the cursor changes to a left-right resize icon)
  3. Drag to extend or shorten the region
Drag Big Phrase
Extend Big Phrase

11

Mark Chunks

Chunks are smaller connected units inside the phrase. After marking a Big Phrase, the Mark Chunks button becomes available. Click Mark Chunks to enable slicing within the phrase.

To create chunks:

  1. Place your cursor inside the Big Phrase region
  2. Click inside the Big Phrase region to slice it into chunks
  3. Repeat to create additional chunks

Chunks define the progressive learning segments used to build pyramid steps.

12

Automatic Pyramid Steps

Music Phrase Pyramids automatically builds progressive steps from chunks.

Example:

  • Chunk 1
  • Chunk 1–2
  • Chunk 1–3
  • Full phrase

This creates incremental learning layers.

13

Progressive Loop Practice

Each pyramid step can be looped.

Click any step to:

  • loop that range
  • hear transitions clearly
  • stabilize timing

Practice typically moves:

  1. small
  2. connected
  3. complete

14

SOLO Chunk Playback

SOLO mode lets you isolate and loop a single chunk inside the phrase.

This is useful when one part of the phrase is not yet clear.

To use SOLO mode:

  1. Click the SOLO button on a chunk
  2. The chunk will loop independently
  3. Click SOLO again to return to step playback

Use SOLO mode to:

  • focus on difficult transitions
  • internalize smaller units
  • then reconnect them to the full phrase

15

Session Export & Import

Sessions store phrase and chunk structure.

Export:

  1. Click Export
  2. Save file

Import:

  1. Click Import
  2. Select session file

Audio must be available on your system.

16

Troubleshooting

  • App won’t open (macOS warning)
    • Follow the Open Anyway steps in Installation above.
  • Audio won’t load
    • Check:
      • file is WAV, AIFF, or MP3
      • file is not corrupted
      • file is local (not cloud-streamed)
  • Loop feels delayed at boundary
    • A slight delay may occur at loop points in the current beta. This does not affect phrase timing and is being refined.

17

Feedback

Music Phrase Pyramids is actively refined through real practice use and musician feedback.

If you encounter issues, have suggestions, or want to share experience, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

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