Eventide modernizes Laurie Spiegel's Music Mouse for Mac and PC

A 1986 cult composition tool just resurfaced on modern computers, turning your mouse into a scale-locked music machine that basically refuses to let you hit a wrong note.

Modern revival of Music Mouse

• Eventide rolled out Music Mouse, with Laurie Spiegel directly involved.
• Originally cooked up in 1986 by composer Laurie Spiegel.
• This build runs on macOS and Windows without hacks.
• Spiegel’s old-school performance vibe stays intact in the update.

How the grid turns motion into music

• Music Mouse operates as a standalone app, not a plugin.
• Users drag a cursor across an XY field to spark layered lines.
• Four on-screen keyboards frame the grid as separate voices.
• Built-in scale rules keep everything locked to chosen pitch sets.

Harmonic modes and rhythmic play

• Diatonic, Pentatonic, Quartal, Middle Eastern, Octatonic, and Chromatic options shape the note pool.
• Players focus on movement gestures rather than typing in notes.
• Chord, Arpeggio, Line, and Improv modes steer note articulation.
• Keyboard shortcuts tweak transposition, velocity, and modulation live.

Updated visuals and expanded sounds

• Over 30 presets pull from Laurie Spiegel’s Yamaha DX7 and TX7 patches.
• Resizable interface adds sharper graphics and clearer feedback.
• A visual cursor outline and hint bar help with shortcuts.
• MIDI Out and Clock Sync let it drive hardware or DAW instruments.

Price, demo, and requirements

• Music Mouse costs 29 dollars as a standalone download.
• Using code MOUSEY drops it to 19 dollars through April 2026.
• A 14-day trial sits on Eventide’s website for testing.
• Authorization needs an iLok account, but no dongle is required.