01 · The everyday practice view
Analyze
See microphone waveform activity against metronome gridlines while you play, then freeze a take so the moment stays available for review.
See where your time really lands.
Percussion Microscope turns a short practice take into a waveform-level view of your relationship to the grid—so “I think I’m rushing” becomes something you can hear, see, and work on.
- Native iPhone & iPad app
- Timing practice
- Early access
CAPTURE REVIEW00:08.472
GRIDYOUR TAKE
Direction
−12 ms
Consistency
15 ms
Make the next repetition a more informed one.
A metronome tells you where the beat is. It cannot show you what you did. Percussion Microscope keeps the take, the intended grid, and a useful explanation together long enough to turn a vague correction into a concrete musical decision.
Timing feedback
Direction, consistency, and context.
Signed timing feedback and variability are most useful when the waveform and grid that created them stay visible too.
How the practice loop works
Everything centers on one question: what did your attack do relative to the grid you meant to play?
- 01
Set the pulse.
Choose a tempo, grid, and click pattern that match the material you are practicing.
- 02
Play a focused take.
Use the built-in click and device microphone to capture the attack of each note against that grid.
- 03
Freeze and inspect.
Zoom into the waveform, pan through its retained history, and loop the exact passage you need to hear again.
- 04
Name the pattern.
Read timing direction and variability together, then choose a test, map, or next repetition with a real reason.
Inside the app
The app does not ask you to learn a new musical language. It gives your existing work a clearer view, a clear task, and a way to track what you did.
02 · A baseline without a mystery score
Guided Tests
Clapping, Blind, Cold Start, and Microscope Check flows clarify when to listen, what to play, and when the capture is complete.
03 · Make internal time observable
Independence Ladder
A one-bar count-in and progressively reduced click information let you keep subdivision moving while external landmarks become less generous.
04 · Keep practice from resetting to zero
Logs & reports
Save results locally, revisit a clear takeaway, and keep a visual record of the work instead of relying on a vague memory of the session.
When the correction becomes visible, the next step gets easier to hear.
From the stand
Founder observation from teaching and performance practice
This approach has helped founder Spencer Perilloux make his own percussion practice more deliberate: instead of guessing where a note landed, he can study the take in front of him and choose a more specific next repetition.
In lessons, students have described their first look at attacks against the grid as eye-opening. Players who did not know how to begin solving their time have often found a practical first step quickly: see the relationship, name one change to try, then play it again with a clear target.
That is real teaching experience, not a promise that every musician will improve at the same pace or that a waveform can replace listening.
A few important boundaries
Percussion Microscope is meant to clarify one timing relationship—not grade the musician.
It does
Compare detected note attacks with the timing grid you selected, show whether they land early or late, and summarize how consistently they cluster.
It does not
Grade musicality, replace careful listening, or decide whether a performance is “good.” It is a microscope for timing evidence, not a verdict on the musician.
It works best with
The built-in speaker or wired audio. Bluetooth can be used for listening, but measurements are intentionally paused because its latency makes reliable timing feedback harder.
Frequently asked questions
This is a pre-launch project, so the honest answer to some questions is still “not announced.”
What is Percussion Microscope?
It is a native iPhone and iPad practice app in development for percussionists. It compares detected attacks from a short practice take with the metronome grid you selected, then keeps the waveform, timing direction, and consistency together for review.
Is it available now?
Not publicly. This is an early-access and demand-validation page. No public App Store release date has been announced.
How much will it cost?
No price, pricing tier, trial, or checkout has been announced. Joining the early-access list is not a purchase, reservation, or promise of availability.
Does it tell me whether my playing is musical?
No. It is built to make one timing relationship visible: detected attacks against the timing grid you chose. It cannot grade musicality, replace listening, or decide whether a performance is good.
What audio setup works best?
The built-in speaker or wired audio are the intended setups for timing measurement. Bluetooth can be used for listening, but measurement is paused because Bluetooth latency makes reliable timing feedback harder.
Does early access collect practice audio?
No. The early-access form collects only the email address, selected audience option, and signup time needed to measure interest and send relevant project updates.
Early access
Help make practice more legible.
Percussion Microscope is being prepared for early users. Join the list if you want first access and want to help validate what musicians actually need from timing feedback.
- Private build updates
- A direct demand signal, not a generic newsletter
- No price, purchase, or App Store release date announced
Early-access privacy: this site stores only the email address, audience option, consent record, and signup time you provide so early-access interest can be understood and relevant updates can be sent later. It does not collect practice audio or timing takes. Read the plain-language privacy note.