Why the Browser? A Look at Our Biggest Design Decision
When we started building Tchaikovsky, we had a choice: stick with a traditional desktop app model like most DAWs, or take a different path and build entirely for the web.
We chose the browser.
Here’s why.
Accessibility Comes First
A big part of our mission is making AI-generated music accessible to as many people as possible.
Most traditional DAWs require heavy installs, expensive licenses, and serious hardware. We didn’t want those barriers.
By putting everything in the browser, we made it possible for anyone — anywhere — to start creating music without downloads, without installs, and without needing a high-end machine. If you can open a tab, you can make music.
Real-Time Generation and Editing
One of the things that makes Tchaikovsky different is how tightly the AI generation is integrated with the editing process.
When you create a prompt, the AI generates structured ABC notation, converts it to MIDI, and loads it right into a live, editable timeline.
The browser-based approach made that feel seamless. There’s no switching between programs or waiting on downloads — it’s all instant, all connected.
Cross-Platform from Day One
By building in the browser first, we were already thinking about mobile.
That decision made it much easier to launch iOS and Android apps later, since the core platform was already lightweight, responsive, and touch-friendly.
Today, you can use Tchaikovsky on your laptop, tablet, or phone — and it feels like it belongs there.
Lowering the Technical Barriers
Another big reason for choosing the web: we didn’t want users to have to worry about storage space, updates, or complicated setup.
Every time you open Tchaikovsky, you’re using the latest version automatically. No installs, no patches, no plugin nightmares.
For people new to music production — and even for seasoned musicians — that simplicity matters.
The Challenges (and Why It Was Worth It)
Building a DAW in the browser isn’t easy. We had to solve a lot of problems around audio performance, real-time rendering, and keeping latency low.
Most web apps aren’t trying to handle real-time MIDI editing at scale — but we believed it was worth pushing through the limits.
Because now, anyone with a basic computer and an idea can generate, edit, and export full songs — no studio required.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the browser wasn’t just a technical decision — it was a statement about the kind of platform we wanted to build.
We wanted Tchaikovsky to be open, fast, and accessible — a tool that lets more people create music, without the usual walls that get in the way.
And we’re just getting started.