Plugin Studio: designing a plug-in, the pencil, and models

Steps

1. Open Plugin Studio at music-prod.com/plugin-studio (main menu "Plugin Studio", also in the Plugins menu) or on the Plugin Studio page in Music-Prod Studio. Plugin Studio is for Music-Prod+ members (paid or lifetime). Signed out, anyone can make up to 5 free designs a day on the website; Plugin Studio in Music-Prod Studio has no free tier, so sign in there.
2. Click "New plug-in" at the top of the Plugin Studio list and describe the effect or instrument you need. With Music-Prod+, a message can also include up to 4 images (sketches, screenshots, a reference look; a picture can become the plug-in's backdrop and set its colours and style) and a short audio clip for inspiration (up to 10 seconds, analysed on your computer; only the measurements are sent). Only use pictures and audio you have the rights to.
3. Pick the AI in the quality menu next to Send: CoProducer, CoProducer Max (the default), or SuperProducer. More capable options cost more. CoProducer Mini isn't offered in Plugin Studio, and free signed-out designs use CoProducer only.
4. Play the preview on the right: the knobs, the presets and, for instruments, the keyboard (click it or use the computer keys A to L). On the website, a MIDI keyboard also works in Chrome or Edge.
5. Every further message changes the design ("warmer", "fewer knobs", "add a drive"). To change only one part, click it on the preview, or use the pencil to mark up to 3 areas, then send your message; typing without a selection changes the whole design. (Music-Prod Studio gets the pencil and the new model names in its next update.)

Troubleshooting

"You've used today's 5 free designs. Sign in or get Music-Prod+ to keep going."

Signed out, you get up to 5 free designs a day (a change counts as a design). A small daily usage cap can end them a little earlier, and they reset at midnight UTC. Free designs are kept only in that browser: clearing the browser's data removes them. After you sign in, Plugin Studio offers to copy them to your account; they are copied only for Music-Prod+ members.

Making a sampler from your own sounds, library sounds, free CC0 sounds or generated sounds

Ask for a sampler ("a drum kit from my sounds", "a plug-in with glass sounds"). Add your own WAV, AIFF, MP3 or FLAC files with the sound button, or use the Sampler panel under the preview: Music-Prod library (Music-Prod+), Free CC0 sounds (no credit or fee needed), or Generate (CoProducer always shows the cost in credits and asks first). Up to 32 sounds, 20 seconds each. Sounds stay on your computer and are never uploaded; on another computer the plug-in says "Missing samples – re-add them". Before exporting a sampler you tick "I own these sounds or have the rights to use them".

Plugin Studio is locked during a Music-Prod+ free trial

On an unpaid trial, Plugin Studio unlocks when your trial converts to a paid Music-Prod+ plan.

A design failed or was blocked by the content check

Every design or change uses AI credits (five times the real AI cost; the footer shows how many credits the plug-in has used), but a design that fails or is blocked costs nothing. On the free tier, it doesn't count as one of your 5 free designs.