About Patch Guesser
Patch Guesser is a free browser game where you hear a synth sound and rebuild it by ear. Every guess grades each control green, yellow or red, until the whole board is green.
How it works
Each patch is a synth sound, the Target. Play it, then play your Output, and change the controls on the board until the two sound the same. When you submit a guess, every control is marked: green when it's right, yellow when the setting is wrong (on a slider, the closer you are, the greener it gets), and red when the target doesn't use it. Right controls lock in, and you keep guessing until the whole board is green.
The library has every patch so far, from Easy to Extreme, with new ones added now and then. Play them in any order. Easy patches use a few blocks with simple shapes; harder ones add more blocks, finer steps and effects.
Who it's for
Anyone who wants to hear what a synth's controls do: producers learning sound design, people who want to recreate the sounds in their favourite tracks, and synth players who like a puzzle. New to synths? Learn synthesis has 16 hands-on steps, from one oscillator to a full patch.
Questions
Is it free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with nothing to download, and you can play without an account. Sign in with Google or email to keep your progress on another device.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes, though a computer and a pair of headphones make it much easier to hear the details.
Can I make my own patches?
Yes. The Sandbox has every control. Build a sound and submit it; if it's approved, it goes in the library with your name on it.
How is it different from other ways to learn synthesis?
Patch Guesser is a guessing game: every guess grades each control on its own, like Wordle, and the library grows. A few other good places to learn, as they describe themselves:
| What it is | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Patch Guesser | A guessing game: hear a patch, rebuild it, every control graded. Plus 16 Learn steps and a Sandbox. | Free, in the browser |
| Ableton Learning Synths | A guided course on synth basics, then a playground to make your own sounds. | Free, in the browser |
| Synth Basics | A short course plus Sound Match, where a meter tells you how close you are to a hidden patch. | Free, in the browser |
| Syntorial | A long course of interactive lessons on programming synths by ear. | Paid app, with a free trial |
Who makes it?
Patch Guesser is one of the small games at eski.lol. Questions, ideas or a bug? Write to hello@eski.lol.