A method for generating and/or performing music in real time includes receiving one or more audio signals, receiving one or more virtual instrument trigger signals, and selecting one or more plug-ins and/or one or more virtual instruments. A processing scheme is selected from a set of operations. The received audio signals and instrument trigger signals are processed in real time as a function of the selected plug-ins, virtual instruments and processing scheme, and outputted in real time as music signals. The set of operations from which the processing scheme can be selected includes: (1) manipulating the received audio signals as a function of the selected sound effects plug-ins to produce manipulated audio signals, and/or (2) generating virtual instrument sound signals as a function of the received trigger signals and the selected virtual instruments, and/or (3) manipulating the virtual instrument sound signals as a function of the selected sound effect plug-ins to produce manipulated virtual instrument signals, and/or (4) combining the received audio signals and/or the manipulated audio signals and/or the virtual instrument sound signals and/or the manipulated virtual instrument signals to produce combined signals, and/or (5) manipulating any or all of the combined signals to produce manipulated combined signals, and/or (6) repeating operations (4) and/or (5) with any or all of the combined signals and/or with any or all of the manipulated combined signals to produce iteratively processed signals.