Show HN: ÆTHRA – Writing Music as Code https://ift.tt/m9W0x8g

Show HN: ÆTHRA – Writing Music as Code Hi HN I’m building ÆTHRA — a programming language designed specifically for composing music and emotional soundscapes. Instead of focusing on general-purpose programming, ÆTHRA is a pure DSL where code directly represents musical intent: tempo, mood, chords, progression, dynamics, and instruments. The goal is to make music composition feel closer to writing a story or emotion, rather than manipulating low-level audio APIs. Key ideas: - Text-based music composition - Chords and progressions as first-class concepts - Time, tempo, and structure handled by the language - Designed for ambient, cinematic, emotional, and minimal music - Interpreter written in C# (.NET) Example ÆTHRA code (simplified): tempo 60 instrument guitar chord Am for 4 chord F for 4 chord C for 4 chord G for 4 This generates a slow, melancholic progression suitable for ambient or cinematic scenes. ÆTHRA currently: - Generates WAV audio - Supports notes, chords, tempo, duration, velocity - Uses a simple interpreter (no external DAWs or MIDI tools) - Is intentionally minimal and readable What it is NOT: - Not a DAW replacement - Not MIDI-focused Why I made it: I wanted a language where music is the primary output — not an afterthought. Something between code, emotion, and sound design. The project is open-source and early-stage (v0.8). I’m mainly looking for: - Feedback on the language design - Ideas for musical features worth adding - Thoughts from people into PL design, audio, or generative art Repo: < https://github.com/TanmayCzax/AETHRA > Thanks for reading — happy to answer questions or discuss ideas. January 30, 2026 at 01:59AM