diff --git a/packages/core/controls.mjs b/packages/core/controls.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f9c6efd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/core/controls.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { Pattern, sequence } from '@strudel.cycles/core/strudel.mjs';
+
+const _name = (name, ...pats) => sequence(...pats).withValue((x) => ({ [name]: x }));
+
+const _unionise = (func) =>
+  function (...pats) {
+    return this.union(func(...pats));
+  };
+
+export const s = (...pats) => _name('s', ...pats);
+Pattern.prototype.s = _unionise(s);
+export const sound = s;
+Pattern.prototype.sound = Pattern.prototype.s;
+
+export const n = (pat) => _name('n', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.n = _unionise(n);
+export const number = n;
+Pattern.prototype.number = Pattern.prototype.n;
+
+export const room = (pat) => _name('room', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.room = _unionise(room);
+
+export const size = (pat) => _name('size', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.size = _unionise(size);
+
+export const speed = (pat) => _name('speed', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.speed = _unionise(speed);
+
+export const squiz = (pat) => _name('squiz', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.squiz = _unionise(squiz);
+
+// currently overwritten by tone package
+export const gain = (pat) => _name('gain', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.gain = _unionise(gain);
+
+export const vowel = (pat) => _name('vowel', pat);
+Pattern.prototype.vowel = _unionise(vowel);
\ No newline at end of file