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The J-Play app goes Open Source

The company closed, but the mission continues. We're open-sourcing the J-Play app and donating instruments to schools and therapy centersβ€”ensuring accessible music-making lives on.

J-Play instrument

The J-Play Story

Our mission was simple: make music accessible to everyone. No need for years of music theory, no need to be tech-savvy. Just the desire to express yourself, create, and feel.

J-Play was born from a vision to create a digital musical instrument accessible to all. An intuitive interface, colorful design, and unparalleled expressiveness thanks to its interchangeable silicone pads.

This vision touched thousands of people: children and adults discovering the joy of composing, music therapists finding new pathways to their patients, music schools reinventing training

πŸ†

CES Innovation Award

2020

10,000+

instruments deployed

in over 50 countries

πŸŽ“

schools & centers

libraries, colleges, music therapy

why open source today?

The company closed its doors, but J-Play instruments are still out there in homes, schools, and therapy centers. By making the software open source, we ensure that these instruments remain functional and can continue to evolve.

Open source means the J-Play community can maintain the app, fix bugs, add features, and adapt it to new operating systems.

for J-Play owners

Your J-Play lives on! Download the app and join the community.

🍎

macOS

compatible macOS 10.15+

download for Mac
πŸͺŸ

Windows

compatible Windows 10+

download for Windows
⚠️ note for macOS users

The macOS application is not digitally signed (signing requires an Apple Developer account at $99/year). When you first launch the app, macOS will block it. To run it anyway:

  1. Right-click (or Control-click) on the J-Play app
  2. Select "Open" from the menu
  3. Click "Open" again in the security dialog
  4. The app will now run normally

Alternatively, go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy and click "Open Anyway" when prompted.

⚠️ note for Windows users

The Windows application is not digitally signed (signing requires a code signing certificate). When you first launch the app, Windows Defender SmartScreen will show a warning. To run it anyway:

  1. Click on "More info" in the SmartScreen dialog
  2. Click "Run anyway"
  3. The app will now launch normally
⚠️ note about iPad

The iPad version is not yet available as compilation requires paying Apple (developer license). If the community wishes to fund this version, we could make it together.

need help?

πŸ“Ί tutorials on YouTube
πŸ’¬ support on Discord

for developers

The code is open, clean, documented. Contribute to evolving J-Play!

πŸ“¦ view on GitHub

priority roadmap

πŸ› stability and bug fixes

improve robustness of the existing application based on user feedback

πŸ“± iPad version

iOS port (requires funding Apple developer license)

🎹 MIDI controller support

enable use with other standard MIDI controllers

🎡 new musical features

new instruments, effects, play modes according to community needs

🌍 translations

make the application accessible in more languages

how to contribute?

  • πŸ” test the application and report bugs
  • πŸ’» contribute code (see CONTRIBUTING.md on GitHub)
  • πŸ“ improve documentation
  • 🌐 propose translations
  • πŸ’‘ suggest features
  • 🎨 create content (tutorials, videos)

instrument donation program

Are you an association, school, medical center, or library? We have J-Play instruments available for donation.

request a J-Play donation

We provide J-Play instruments free of charge to organizations with educational, therapeutic, or social purposes.

eligible organizations:
music schools β€’ colleges β€’ libraries β€’ music therapy centers
community education associations β€’ medical and social structures

Please confirm that you have the necessary computer equipment before requesting an instrument.

πŸ“‹ fill out donation request form

technical requirements

To ensure optimal sessions with J-Play, your organization must have:

Computer specifications

  • macOS: Mac running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later
  • Windows: PC running Windows 10 or later
  • Processor: Intel Core i5 or equivalent (i7 recommended for best performance)
  • RAM: 8GB minimum (16GB recommended)
  • USB port: USB 2.0 or higher for connecting the J-Play

Audio setup

  • Speakers or headphones with standard audio jack or USB connection
  • For group sessions: external speakers with sufficient volume
  • Low-latency audio interface recommended

testimonials

"J-Play revolutionized our approach to music therapy with autistic children. Its intuitive interface enables immediate connection."

β€” music therapist, medical-social center

join the community

J-Play is above all a community. Join us!

have a success story to share?

Do you use J-Play in an inspiring way? Share your experience with the community!

share your story
J-Play logo