🎸ToneCraft User Guide

How to use ToneCraft

ToneCraft turns text descriptions, guitar-only tracks, or full mixed songs into playable guitar tone settings. You can audition the result in the browser, export a reusable HTML Parameter Card, play through the VST3 plugin, and share finished tones with the Tone Library community.

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Generate tone parameters

Use text prompts, a clean guitar track, or a full mixed audio file. ToneCraft prepares the audio and predicts 16 effect parameters.

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Play two ways

Use the ToneCraft in-browser player for instant preview, or load the ToneCraft VST3 plugin inside your DAW.

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Share and import tones

Export HTML Parameter Cards, import them back into the player, or submit approved parameter-only tones to the searchable Tone Library.

A.1 — AI Parameter Prediction

Generate tone parameters with text or audio

The first step is creating a ToneCraft parameter set. The result is a 16-parameter tone that can be loaded into the browser player, exported as an HTML Parameter Card, or submitted to the Tone Library.

Text to Tone

Open the Text tab, describe a tone in plain English, and click Generate Tone Parameters. Example: "bluesy crunch with warm mids and light reverb". ToneCraft maps the prompt to 16 effect parameters.

Audio to Tone

Open the Audio tab and upload a reference audio file. You can use either a full mixed track or a guitar-only track. ToneCraft lets you choose the exact section, preview the prepared guitar audio, and then generate matching parameters.

New audio workflow

End-to-end audio processing inside ToneCraft

The new audio flow is designed for real songs, not only pre-cut guitar samples. You can upload a full-length mix, choose the exact section you care about, extract the guitar-like part, preview it, and then send that prepared audio to the tone model.

Upload full mix or guitar track→ Audition in browser→ Select section→ Prepare guitar track→ Preview result→ Generate parameters

Choose the audio type

Select Full audio when the file is a complete song or mix. Select Guitar track when the file is already mostly guitar.

Select the desired section

ToneCraft shows an in-browser waveform and a section slider. Move the selection window to the part that best represents the tone, audition it, and click Select section when it sounds right.

Prepare the guitar track

If you uploaded full audio, ToneCraft sends only the selected section through source separation and returns the likely guitar track. If you uploaded a guitar track, ToneCraft clips the selected section directly.

Preview before generation

Listen to the prepared guitar track and check duration, loudness, clipping, and source status. Continue only when the preview sounds usable, then click Generate Tone Parameters.

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Why this is faster and cleaner

ToneCraft processes only the selected section instead of forcing you to prepare separate short clips outside the site. For full songs, source separation runs only on the chosen clip, and the extracted guitar preview is checked before the AI tone model is used.

What you can do after prediction

After ToneCraft returns the 16 parameters, you can use them locally, play them immediately, or share them as a community tone.

Load into the browser player

The generated parameters automatically populate the ToneCraft in-browser player. You can audition the tone, move sliders, save presets, and compare your edits against the AI baseline.

Export as an HTML Parameter Card

Exports are now HTML files, not JSON files. The HTML card stores the parameter values and metadata in a readable, reusable page. It does not store uploaded audio, selected clips, or separated stems.

Submit to Tone Library

Add a title, description, genre, gain level, tone type, and tags. Submitted tones are reviewed before appearing publicly, creating a searchable guitar tone community.

The shared effects signal chain

The browser player and the VST3 plugin use the same 16-parameter guitar effects structure.

Master Volume→ Overdrive→ Distortion→ EQ→ Chorus→ Delay→ Reverb

Clean DI Mode

Audition tones with a clean DI recording

Clean DI mode is the browser playback mode for a recorded guitar input. It lets you hear the ToneCraft effects chain without needing a physical guitar connected live.

Select a DI source

Choose one of the built-in clean DI samples or upload your own clean guitar recording. The clean signal is routed through the ToneCraft effects chain.

Press Play

On the first play, the FAUST DSP engine loads. After that, playback and switching are instant. Use loop mode when you want to keep editing the same phrase.

Fine-tune sliders

Move any of the 16 sliders. The AI reference mark stays visible, so you can see how far your final tone has moved from the generated baseline.

Record the processed sound

Use the browser recording controls to capture the processed output as a WAV file while the clean DI source plays through the effects.

Live Mode

Play your guitar through ToneCraft in real time

Live mode uses an audio interface so you can play a physical guitar through the browser effects chain.

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What you need for Live mode

An audio interface with an instrument input.
A guitar cable from the guitar to the interface.
Headphones or monitors connected to the interface output.
Chrome is recommended, especially for output-device selection.

Connect and select input

Connect the interface, choose the input device, and select the channel that matches the jack your guitar is plugged into.

Press Connect

Allow browser audio permission. ToneCraft disables echo cancellation, noise suppression, and auto gain to keep the guitar signal as clean as possible.

Play and adjust

Play your guitar and hear the tone in real time. Watch the level meters and adjust effects while the processed sound is active.

Record if needed

Record the live processed output from the browser, then disconnect the live input when you are finished.

Preset bank, import, and export

Use the browser player as a practical tone workstation: save variations, import HTML Parameter Cards, and export your final settings.

Save presets

Save up to five named presets in the player. This is useful for comparing verse, rhythm, lead, and ambient versions of the same base tone.

Import HTML Parameter Cards

Click Import in the player and select a ToneCraft HTML Parameter Card. The player restores the AI/baseline values and the final edited slider positions.

Export final edits

Click Export to create a new HTML Parameter Card. This is the recommended format for saving or sharing ToneCraft tone settings.

Reading a slider

Each parameter slider shows both the AI reference and your final edited value.

Element	What it shows
Label + info icon	Parameter name and a short description.
AI reference box	The original AI/baseline value in raw and normalized form.
Aqua tick mark	The AI reference position on the slider track.
Raw / normalized values	The current slider value in the real range and as a normalized 0–1 value.
Changed badge	Appears when your final value has moved away from the AI/baseline value.

Community tones

Build an active guitar tone community

The Tone Library is where users can publish useful tones for other guitarists. A submitted tone includes metadata and the parameter card only — not uploaded audio, not selected clips, and not temporary source-separation files.

Submit a tone

From the export modal or player, choose Submit to Library. Add a description, genre, tags, tone type, gain level, and whether to show your display name.

Search and filter

Users can browse the public library, search by text, and use metadata such as genre, tags, tone type, gain level, workflow, and version to find useful tones.

Import into the player

Community tones can be imported into the ToneCraft player, where users can audition them in Clean DI mode or Live mode and then edit or export their own revised version.

Review before public display

Submissions are reviewed before they become public. This keeps the library focused on helpful, parameter-based tones rather than unverified audio uploads.

VST3 Plugin

ToneCraft All-in-One Audio Plugin

Download the VST3 plugin from the website, load it in your DAW, and use ToneCraft as an effect on guitar tracks or live monitored input.

Install and scan

Place the .vst3 file in your DAW's plugin folder and rescan plugins. Then insert ToneCraft on a guitar track.

Generate or import settings

Use the AI controls in the plugin if available, or use the website to generate and export a ToneCraft HTML Parameter Card, then import those values into the player workflow.

Play through the DAW

Monitor your guitar track, automate parameters, stack ToneCraft with other effects, and render the final performance or mix inside your normal production workflow.

Use the same tone language

The browser and plugin are designed around the same effect groups: Master, Gain, EQ, Modulation, and Reverb/Spatial.

The 16 effect parameters

These parameters are shared across generated tones, HTML Parameter Cards, the browser player, and the VST3 plugin.

Group	Parameter	Range	Description
Master	Volume	-20 to +20 dB	Overall output level. Set this last.
Gain	Overdrive	0 – 1	Warm grit and breakup.
	Distortion	0 – 1	Heavier drive and saturation.
	Tone	0 – 1	Brightness of the driven sound.
EQ	Bass	-12 to +12 dB	Low-frequency boost or cut.
	Mid	-12 to +12 dB	Midrange body and presence.
	Treble	-12 to +12 dB	High-frequency brightness.
Modulation	Delay Time	0.01 – 2.0 s	Time between repeats.
	Delay Feedback	0 – 0.95	Number and strength of repeats.
	Delay Mix	0 – 1	Blend of dry and delayed signal.
	Chorus Rate	0.1 – 5.0 Hz	Chorus modulation speed.
	Chorus Depth	0 – 0.02 s	Chorus modulation amount.
	Chorus Mix	0 – 1	Blend of dry and chorus signal.
Reverb / Spatial	T60	0.1 – 60 s	Reverb decay time.
	Damp	0 – 1	High-frequency damping in the reverb tail.
	Size	0 – 5	Virtual room size.
	Wet	0 – 1	Reverb blend. 0 is dry.

Best practices

For full songs, select the clearest guitar section before processing.
Preview the prepared guitar track before generating parameters.
Start from the AI prediction and adjust only a few sliders at first.
Set Master Volume last because it changes level, not tone character.
Export an HTML Parameter Card whenever you find a useful tone.

Live and performance tips

Use headphones in Live mode to avoid feedback loops.
Set interface gain so the meters are strong but not clipping.
Use Clean DI mode to compare tones before connecting live guitar.
Name presets after songs or sections, such as Verse Clean or Solo Lead.
Import community tones, then export your own revised versions.

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Important notes

Full-audio processing uses your selected section, not the entire track, to keep the workflow faster.
Source separation may work better on sections where the guitar is clearly audible.
Tone Library submissions save parameters and metadata only. Audio files and temporary stems are not shared publicly.
Live mode requires browser permission for audio input and a working audio interface.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
No sound in Clean DI mode	Check that the browser tab is not muted and click the page once before pressing Play.
Full audio separation sounds weak	Select a shorter section where the guitar is clearer, then prepare the guitar track again.
Prepared preview is too quiet or clipped	Try a different section, use a cleaner source, or upload a guitar-only track instead of full audio.
Live mode has no signal	Open settings, confirm the input device, try Ch 1 or Ch 2, and check your interface gain.
HTML Parameter Card will not import	Make sure you are importing a ToneCraft-generated HTML Parameter Card and not a regular webpage.
Plugin not showing in DAW	Confirm the `.vst3` is in the correct plugin folder and rescan plugins in your DAW.