v2: Fix playback engine with progressive scheduling and gain tuning

- Add progressive note scheduling (2 seconds ahead) to prevent browser overwhelm
- Tune channel gains: pulse 0.12, wave 0.15, noise 0.02
- Reduce per-note noise gains for cleaner drums
- Re-enable arpeggiation for harmony tracks
- Limit to 8 channels max
- Add scheduler cleanup on stop

src-v2/audio/apu/APU.ts

@@ -112,32 +112,32 @@ export class GameBoyAPU {
    * The limiter will catch peaks, but we want to minimize its work
    */
   private initializeChannels(): void {
-    // Create pulse channels (4 × 0.08 = 0.32 max)
+    // Create pulse channels (4 × 0.12 = 0.48 max)
     for (const config of CHANNEL_CONFIG.pulse) {
-      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.08);
+      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.12);
       const channel = new PulseChannel(this.audioContext, gain, config.hasSweep);
       channel.setDutyCycle(config.defaultDuty);
       this.pulseChannels.set(config.id, channel);
       this.initChannelState(config.id);
     }
     
-    // Create wave channels - slightly higher for bass presence (2 × 0.12 = 0.24 max)
+    // Create wave channels for bass (2 × 0.15 = 0.30 max)
     for (const config of CHANNEL_CONFIG.wave) {
-      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.12);
+      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.15);
       const channel = new WaveChannel(this.audioContext, gain, config.preset);
       this.waveChannels.set(config.id, channel);
       this.initChannelState(config.id);
     }
     
-    // Create noise channels (2 × 0.05 = 0.10 max)
+    // Create noise channels - very quiet (2 × 0.02 = 0.04 max)
     for (const config of CHANNEL_CONFIG.noise) {
-      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.05);
+      const gain = this.createChannelGain(config.id, 0.02);
       const channel = new NoiseChannel(this.audioContext, gain, config.mode);
       this.noiseChannels.set(config.id, channel);
       this.initChannelState(config.id);
     }
   }
-  // Total max: 0.32 + 0.24 + 0.10 = 0.66 (headroom for note overlap)
+  // Total max: 0.48 + 0.30 + 0.08 = 0.86 (limiter handles peaks)
   
   /**
    * Create a gain node for a channel and connect to master.

src-v2/audio/apu/NoiseChannel.ts

@@ -125,8 +125,8 @@ export class NoiseChannel {
     // Create gain for envelope
     const gain = this.audioContext.createGain();
     
-    // Calculate gain from velocity
+    // Calculate gain from velocity - keep very quiet
-    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.7; // Noise is loud, keep headroom
+    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.3;
     
     // Noise envelope: instant attack, decay to sustain, release
     const attackTime = 0.001;  // Nearly instant
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ export class NoiseChannel {
     source.buffer = buffer;
     
     const gain = this.audioContext.createGain();
-    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.9;
+    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.4;
     
     // Kick envelope: instant attack, fast decay
     gain.gain.setValueAtTime(maxGain, now);
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ export class NoiseChannel {
     source.buffer = buffer;
     
     const gain = this.audioContext.createGain();
-    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.8;
+    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.3;
     
     // Snare envelope: fast attack, medium decay
     gain.gain.setValueAtTime(0, now);
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ export class NoiseChannel {
     source.buffer = buffer;
     
     const gain = this.audioContext.createGain();
-    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.5; // Hihats are quieter
+    const maxGain = (velocity / 127) * 0.2; // Hihats very quiet
     
     // Hihat envelope: instant attack, quick decay
     gain.gain.setValueAtTime(maxGain, now);

src-v2/audio/midi/ChannelMapper.ts

@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ export interface ChannelMapperConfig {
 }
 
 const DEFAULT_CONFIG: ChannelMapperConfig = {
-  maxTracks: 8,
+  maxTracks: 8,     // Full 8 GB channels
-  arpeggiateHarmony: true,
+  arpeggiateHarmony: true,  // Re-enabled for classic GB sound
   leadDuty: 2,      // 50% for full sound
   harmonyDuty: 1,   // 25% for thinner, less intrusive sound
 };

src-v2/core/GameBoyPlayer.ts

@@ -53,6 +53,13 @@ export class GameBoyPlayer {
   private currentPlaybackInfo: PlaybackInfo | null = null;
   private playbackStartTime: number = 0;
   
+  // Progressive scheduling state
+  private pendingNotes: ChannelNote[] = [];
+  private scheduleIndex: number = 0;
+  private schedulerInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+  private readonly SCHEDULE_AHEAD_TIME = 2.0; // Schedule 2 seconds ahead
+  private readonly SCHEDULER_INTERVAL_MS = 250; // Check every 250ms
+  
   constructor(config: Partial<GameBoyPlayerConfig> = {}) {
     this.config = { ...DEFAULT_PLAYER_CONFIG, ...config };
     this.apu = new GameBoyAPU(undefined, this.config);
@@ -115,13 +122,15 @@ export class GameBoyPlayer {
     const startTime = this.apu.getCurrentTime() + 0.1; // Small lookahead
     this.playbackStartTime = startTime;
     
-    // Schedule all notes
+    // Store notes for progressive scheduling
-    for (const note of gbNotes) {
+    this.pendingNotes = gbNotes;
-      this.apu.scheduleNote({
+    this.scheduleIndex = 0;
-        ...note,
+    
-        startTime: startTime + note.startTime,
+    // Schedule initial batch
-      });
+    this.scheduleNextBatch();
-    }
+    
+    // Start the scheduler for progressive note scheduling
+    this.startScheduler();
     
     this.isPlaying = true;
     
@@ -225,11 +234,80 @@ export class GameBoyPlayer {
     }
   }
   
+  /**
+   * Schedule notes progressively - only schedule notes within the lookahead window.
+   */
+  private scheduleNextBatch(): void {
+    if (!this.isPlaying && this.scheduleIndex > 0) return;
+    
+    const currentTime = this.apu.getCurrentTime();
+    const elapsedTime = currentTime - this.playbackStartTime;
+    const scheduleUntil = elapsedTime + this.SCHEDULE_AHEAD_TIME;
+    
+    let scheduledCount = 0;
+    
+    while (this.scheduleIndex < this.pendingNotes.length) {
+      const note = this.pendingNotes[this.scheduleIndex];
+      
+      // If note is beyond our scheduling window, stop
+      if (note.startTime > scheduleUntil) {
+        break;
+      }
+      
+      // Schedule the note
+      this.apu.scheduleNote({
+        ...note,
+        startTime: this.playbackStartTime + note.startTime,
+      });
+      
+      this.scheduleIndex++;
+      scheduledCount++;
+    }
+    
+    if (scheduledCount > 0) {
+      console.log(`Scheduled ${scheduledCount} notes (${this.scheduleIndex}/${this.pendingNotes.length})`);
+    }
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Start the progressive scheduler.
+   */
+  private startScheduler(): void {
+    this.stopScheduler();
+    
+    this.schedulerInterval = setInterval(() => {
+      if (!this.isPlaying) {
+        this.stopScheduler();
+        return;
+      }
+      
+      this.scheduleNextBatch();
+      
+      // Check if all notes have been scheduled
+      if (this.scheduleIndex >= this.pendingNotes.length) {
+        this.stopScheduler();
+      }
+    }, this.SCHEDULER_INTERVAL_MS);
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Stop the progressive scheduler.
+   */
+  private stopScheduler(): void {
+    if (this.schedulerInterval) {
+      clearInterval(this.schedulerInterval);
+      this.schedulerInterval = null;
+    }
+  }
+  
   /**
    * Stop playback.
    */
   stop(): void {
     this.isPlaying = false;
+    this.stopScheduler();
+    this.pendingNotes = [];
+    this.scheduleIndex = 0;
     this.apu.stopAll();
     console.log('Playback stopped');
   }