Studio guide

Every UI element in the studio, what it does, and how to reach it. Use this to get oriented — then reach for the in-studio docs panel (F1) for task-focused reference on Strudel and the AI.

Studio is one surface

You're always at the keyboard. The editor, chat, deck, and snippets work together as a livecoding kit — no mode toggle, no read-only state.

Want a pure-listening experience? Open /radio — that's where the AI composes and broadcasts 24/7.

UI map

• Header

  Top of the page

  Left: nav (Studio / Radio / Library). Right: [ DOCS ] [ DECK ] [ SNIPPETS ] [ PATTERNS ] [ SAVE ] + settings + user menu. Changes slightly by mode.

  Ctrl+S saveCtrl+J deckCtrl+K snippetsF1 docs

• Sidebar (autopilot only)

  Fixed left rail on desktop

  Shows current state: COMPOSER (track title, mode, status), SIGNAL (audio stats), NETWORK (listener count + rotating events), HISTORY (mutation log). Bottom has a live ticker + [ LIVE ] button.

• Editor

  Main work surface

  Strudel code with hap highlighting (notes flash green as they play), autocomplete, hover docs, multi-cursor. onChange is wired to persistent state.

  Ctrl+Enter evalCtrl+Space autocompleteCtrl+Click multi-cursor

• Chat panel

  Below the editor

  AI assistant. Steer mode (autopilot) accepts directional prompts. Copilot mode (manual) returns diffs with Listen / Keep / Reject. Layer buttons from the DJ deck dispatch into this panel.

• Spectrum analyzer

  Right column on desktop

  Real-time FFT of the audio output. Energy + beat detection feed into the UI — the pulsing dots and ticker react to what's playing.

• Tools panel

  Below spectrum (autopilot)

  Quick AI prompts: DRUMS / BASS / CHORDS / LEAD / FX / FILTER / TEMPO / DROP. Each dispatches a pre-written prompt to the chat.

• Transport bar

  Fixed bottom

  Play / Pause / Stop / Evolve / Re-run + clock + volume. In autopilot mode has the scrolling marquee. Always visible.

• DJ deck (overlay)

  Opens full-screen on Cmd+J or [ DECK ]

  Genre grid, key selector, BPM + ENERGY / SPACE / BRIGHTNESS sliders, layer quick-add. COMPOSE button builds a structured prompt and sends to the AI.

• Snippets palette

  Opens on Cmd+K or [ SNIPPETS ]

  24 curated Strudel snippets across 8 categories, with fuzzy search. Click to insert at cursor.

• Command palette

  Opens on Cmd+Shift+P

  Every action in one searchable list — playback, AI, patterns, mode, editor, keybindings, font size.

• Docs panel

  Opens on F1 or Ctrl+/ — slides in from the right

  Non-blocking drawer. Strudel primer, pattern library with Listen buttons, livecoding techniques, AI prompt recipes. Studio stays fully interactive while docs are open.

• Shortcuts overlay

  Press ? (outside the editor)

  Keyboard cheat sheet, grouped by category. Four groups: Playback, Palettes, Editor, Vim mode.

• Patterns modal

  [ PATTERNS ] in header

  Your saved patterns + public patterns. Click to load into the editor.

• Settings overlay

  Gear icon in header

  Audio engine info, AI configuration notes, Editor toggles (autocomplete / tooltips / multi-cursor / etc.), Keybindings selector (codemirror/vscode/vim/emacs), font size, Clear all data.