A method to author music. The method includes presenting, on a display by a computing device, an audio effect menu, receiving, by the computing device, a first user input selecting a first audio effect from the audio effect menu, generating, in response to receiving the first user input, a first modified audio stream based on a particular audio stream and the first audio effect, receiving, by the computing device while receiving the first user input, a second user input selecting a second audio effect from the audio effect menu, generating, in response to receiving the second user input, a second modified audio stream based on the first modified audio stream and the second audio effect, detecting cessation of the first user input, and continuing, in response to detecting the cessation, generating the second modified audio stream based on the first modified audio stream and the second audio effect.