A new class of creative instrument — one that unites the structured clarity of grid-based control with the expressive freedom of spatial composition. It blends musical performance, visual creativity, and computational reasoning into a single environment that feels both familiar and futuristic.
Doxygen-generated documentation can be found here.
Original concept was disclosed in an old blog post here.
1. Pad Grid Interface (Structured Mode)
Purpose: Control · Navigation · Performance
- MPC-inspired grid for live control, menu navigation, and feedback.
- Pads act as multifunctional elements — commands, notes, links, or macros.
- Glowing word clusters (PLAY, EDIT, LINK, SAVE) turn the grid into a tactile command palette.
Advantages: immediate familiarity for producers, rapid onboarding, visual feedback, rhythmic precision.
2. Shape Canvas Interface (Freeform Mode)
Purpose: Creation · Exploration · Composition
- Dynamic lower region for geometric and generative arrangements.
- Shapes become creative nodes — sound sources, logic modules, visual forms.
- Two-way interaction with pads: touch a pad → shape reacts; move a shape → pad glows.
3. Hardware Integration (LightDrum & Beyond)
Purpose: Physical Expression · Stage Performance
- LightDrum mirrors software pads with pastel illumination.
- Functions as both input and output — performance surface + light choreography.
- MIDI + GPIO connectivity for instruments, stage lighting, and kinetic art.
4. Converged Design Philosophy
Muvicado is an ecosystem of surfaces that invite both casual play and deep construction through visual continuity.
| Layer | Primary Function | Expression |
|---|---|---|
| Pad Grid | Structured logic, real-time control | Digital Brain |
| Shape Canvas | Generative composition, visual flow | Creative Heart |
| LightDrum Hardware | Physical feedback, performance interface | Body and Gesture |
5. Aesthetic System
- Palette: pastel metallics — rose gold, mint, lavender, sky blue — on dark graphite.
- Lighting: stage-inspired bloom and rhythm.
- Typography: rounded sans-serif minimalism.
- Motion Language: soft transitions synced to BPM 58.
6. Mission Statement
Muvicado transforms the grid into a canvas and the canvas into an instrument. It unifies creativity across touch, sight, and sound — empowering users to compose, connect, and perform ideas in real time
The original Muvicado concept began in 1998, but it was first described on the Internet in 2013. Here is the original blog post: Muvicado 2013.
Here is a screen shot of an early implementation of Muvicado. This was implemented in Java…
And here is a more recent version, implemented in ObjectiveC and Swift…
© 2025 Muvicado Mindware LLC · Design and vision by Mark Barclay