Can I change things while it is playing?

Yes — that is the point. Key, meter, feel, progression, accompaniment style, tempo and every layer volume are live. Chord and pattern changes land on the next bar; volume moves the instant you drag the slider.

Can I use a raga instead of a western key?

Yes. The key sheet reads from the same raga catalog the rest of Labs uses — all 72 melakartas, plus janyas and thaats — searchable by name or mela number. Chords are built from whichever intervals the raga actually has, so a five-note raga names its chords honestly rather than pretending to be a major scale, and picking one turns the drone on.

How does it handle odd meters?

Every pattern is placed from the meter’s accent grouping rather than from a fixed bar of four. 7/8 is 2+2+3, so a comping style plays three stabs; 6/8 counts the dotted pulse and plays two. Compound meters show every subdivision on the ring but count the dotted beat as the BPM.

What do silent bars do?

The band rests every few bars while you keep going, which is the fastest way to find out whether you are actually holding the tempo. The click can keep running through the rest or drop out with the band — your choice, in the Feel sheet.

Is anything sent to a server?

No. The band is synthesised in your browser with Web Audio — there are no samples to download and nothing to upload. Your setlist lives in this browser’s local storage, and a share link carries the whole song inside the URL itself.

Grand Stage

A free browser backing band for practising a single song — for improvisers, students, and teachers who need an accompanist on demand. No sign-up, nothing to install. Set a tempo, a meter and a key — western mode or raga — then build a chord progression and let a synthesised band play it back: click, drums, bass, chords and drone, each with its own volume. Eleven accompaniment styles place their notes from the meter’s accent grouping, so 7/8 comps 2+2+3 and 6/8 comps in two. Practice aids for count-in, silent bars and a tempo ramp; a fullscreen Stage mode for the music stand; share links and WAV export. Nothing stops to be edited — key, meter, progression, style and tempo all take effect at the next bar.

How to use Grand Stage

Set the tempo — tap the Tap button in time, drag the ring up and down, or nudge with ± and ÷2 / ×2.
Tap Key, Meter or Feel to open each one. The key can be a western mode or any raga in the catalog; the meter’s accent grouping drives every pattern the band plays.
Tap the progression to pick one from the library, or switch to “Build your own” and set a chord per bar — diatonic, coloured, or borrowed from outside the key.
Turn on the layers you want to practise against, and set each one’s level: click, drums, bass, chords, drone.
Use the practice aids — a count-in before the band enters, silent bars where it drops out so you keep your own time, and a tempo ramp that creeps upward while you play.
Open Stage mode for the music stand: the current chord, the beat, and ± semitone to move the song into your range.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change things while it is playing?: Yes — that is the point. Key, meter, feel, progression, accompaniment style, tempo and every layer volume are live. Chord and pattern changes land on the next bar; volume moves the instant you drag the slider.
Can I use a raga instead of a western key?: Yes. The key sheet reads from the same raga catalog the rest of Labs uses — all 72 melakartas, plus janyas and thaats — searchable by name or mela number. Chords are built from whichever intervals the raga actually has, so a five-note raga names its chords honestly rather than pretending to be a major scale, and picking one turns the drone on.
How does it handle odd meters?: Every pattern is placed from the meter’s accent grouping rather than from a fixed bar of four. 7/8 is 2+2+3, so a comping style plays three stabs; 6/8 counts the dotted pulse and plays two. Compound meters show every subdivision on the ring but count the dotted beat as the BPM.
What do silent bars do?: The band rests every few bars while you keep going, which is the fastest way to find out whether you are actually holding the tempo. The click can keep running through the rest or drop out with the band — your choice, in the Feel sheet.
Is anything sent to a server?: No. The band is synthesised in your browser with Web Audio — there are no samples to download and nothing to upload. Your setlist lives in this browser’s local storage, and a share link carries the whole song inside the URL itself.

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