Massive Bloom
I built a browser-based instrument to create evolving, atmospheric sonic textures.
Massive Bloom is a browser-based instrument for creating evolving, atmospheric sonic textures.
The inspiration
The project started with a Fred Again.. video about his production process, specifically how Brian Eno’s influence led him to layer ambient drones for texture in his music.
The build
I drafted the first plan in early January, spun up the first prototype, and spent the rest of the month just listening.
Taking time to listen helped me realize one of my core development principles—YAGNI (you aren’t going to need it)—works for design, too and I started cutting features. You can see the first version of the generator here.
Things I wasn’t happy with: It was challenging to produce a pleasant drone sound. The UI was too complicated. Ironically, my original idea included easy mode; just press a button and hear a drone. But it didn’t sound great and it lacked surprise—it sounded the same every time.
February was all about iterating the sound and shaping the remaining features. By the end of the month, the features felt more intuitive and the sound was closer to what I’d imagined. That’s when I started design.
Once the design was in place, I did light user testing. Seeing people struggle with the first contact led me to simplify the UI, improve the time to first drone, and add guardrails to the sequencer.
It also led to my favorite feature: the URL updates as you change settings. It provides built-in shareability and if you program a sound that you want to hear every day, simply bookmark it. For example: load covers-little-destiny…, press the power button, and listen to the sound unfold.
The visual evolution
The future
Since launch, I’ve started experimenting with new sounds—classic piano, organ, kick drum. But I’m taking it slow and living with the sounds before shipping.