Design Principles
Keyboard-First
All functions are accessible via keyboard — playing instruments, triggering samples, navigation, editing.
No Stock Plugins
Kern focuses on Audio Unit integration instead of bundled plugins.
In-the-Box Focus
Designed for fast iteration with immediate feedback.
Native Performance
Built with Swift and Metal for Apple Silicon.
Features
Command Palette
200+ commands with fuzzy search and customizable shortcuts.
Project Versioning
Built-in version history with audio previews.
Clip-Based Sidechain
Uses clip positions as triggers — no lookahead, no latency.
Musical Typing
Play MIDI from the computer keyboard. Scale-aware.