diff --git a/packages/webaudio/sampler.mjs b/packages/webaudio/sampler.mjs
index 449b5e39..17275a99 100644
--- a/packages/webaudio/sampler.mjs
+++ b/packages/webaudio/sampler.mjs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ function humanFileSize(bytes, si) {
   return bytes.toFixed(1) + ' ' + units[u];
 }
 
-export const getSampleBufferSource = async (s, n, note, speed, freq, bank) => {
+export const getSampleBufferSource = async (s, n, note, speed, freq, bank, resolveUrl) => {
   let transpose = 0;
   if (freq !== undefined && note !== undefined) {
     logger('[sampler] hap has note and freq. ignoring note', 'warning');
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ export const getSampleBufferSource = async (s, n, note, speed, freq, bank) => {
     transpose = -midiDiff(closest); // semitones to repitch
     sampleUrl = bank[closest][n % bank[closest].length];
   }
+  if (resolveUrl) {
+    sampleUrl = await resolveUrl(sampleUrl);
+  }
   let buffer = await loadBuffer(sampleUrl, ac, s, n);
   if (speed < 0) {
     // should this be cached?
@@ -91,6 +94,46 @@ export const getLoadedBuffer = (url) => {
   return bufferCache[url];
 };
 
+export const processSampleMap = (sampleMap, fn, baseUrl = sampleMap._base || '') => {
+  return Object.entries(sampleMap).forEach(([key, value]) => {
+    if (typeof value === 'string') {
+      value = [value];
+    }
+    if (typeof value !== 'object') {
+      throw new Error('wrong sample map format for ' + key);
+    }
+    baseUrl = value._base || baseUrl;
+    const replaceUrl = (v) => (baseUrl + v).replace('github:', 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/');
+    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+      //return [key, value.map(replaceUrl)];
+      value = value.map(replaceUrl);
+    } else {
+      // must be object
+      value = Object.fromEntries(
+        Object.entries(value).map(([note, samples]) => {
+          return [note, (typeof samples === 'string' ? [samples] : samples).map(replaceUrl)];
+        }),
+      );
+    }
+    fn(key, value);
+  });
+};
+
+// allows adding a custom url prefix handler
+// for example, it is used by the desktop app to load samples starting with '~/music'
+let resourcePrefixHandlers = {};
+export function registerSamplesPrefix(prefix, resolve) {
+  resourcePrefixHandlers[prefix] = resolve;
+}
+// finds a prefix handler for the given url (if any)
+function getSamplesPrefixHandler(url) {
+  const handler = Object.entries(resourcePrefixHandlers).find(([key]) => url.startsWith(key));
+  if (handler) {
+    return handler[1];
+  }
+  return;
+}
+
 /**
  * Loads a collection of samples to use with `s`
  * @example
@@ -107,6 +150,11 @@ export const getLoadedBuffer = (url) => {
 
 export const samples = async (sampleMap, baseUrl = sampleMap._base || '', options = {}) => {
   if (typeof sampleMap === 'string') {
+    // check if custom prefix handler
+    const handler = getSamplesPrefixHandler(sampleMap);
+    if (handler) {
+      return handler(sampleMap);
+    }
     if (sampleMap.startsWith('github:')) {
       let [_, path] = sampleMap.split('github:');
       path = path.endsWith('/') ? path.slice(0, -1) : path;
@@ -130,39 +178,23 @@ export const samples = async (sampleMap, baseUrl = sampleMap._base || '', option
       });
   }
   const { prebake, tag } = options;
-  Object.entries(sampleMap).forEach(([key, value]) => {
-    if (typeof value === 'string') {
-      value = [value];
-    }
-    if (typeof value !== 'object') {
-      throw new Error('wrong sample map format for ' + key);
-    }
-    baseUrl = value._base || baseUrl;
-    const replaceUrl = (v) => (baseUrl + v).replace('github:', 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/');
-    if (Array.isArray(value)) {
-      //return [key, value.map(replaceUrl)];
-      value = value.map(replaceUrl);
-    } else {
-      // must be object
-      value = Object.fromEntries(
-        Object.entries(value).map(([note, samples]) => {
-          return [note, (typeof samples === 'string' ? [samples] : samples).map(replaceUrl)];
-        }),
-      );
-    }
-    registerSound(key, (t, hapValue, onended) => onTriggerSample(t, hapValue, onended, value), {
-      type: 'sample',
-      samples: value,
-      baseUrl,
-      prebake,
-      tag,
-    });
-  });
+  processSampleMap(
+    sampleMap,
+    (key, value) =>
+      registerSound(key, (t, hapValue, onended) => onTriggerSample(t, hapValue, onended, value), {
+        type: 'sample',
+        samples: value,
+        baseUrl,
+        prebake,
+        tag,
+      }),
+    baseUrl,
+  );
 };
 
 const cutGroups = [];
 
-export async function onTriggerSample(t, value, onended, bank) {
+export async function onTriggerSample(t, value, onended, bank, resolveUrl) {
   const {
     s,
     freq,
@@ -188,7 +220,7 @@ export async function onTriggerSample(t, value, onended, bank) {
   //const soundfont = getSoundfontKey(s);
   const time = t + nudge;
 
-  const bufferSource = await getSampleBufferSource(s, n, note, speed, freq, bank);
+  const bufferSource = await getSampleBufferSource(s, n, note, speed, freq, bank, resolveUrl);
 
   // asny stuff above took too long?
   if (ac.currentTime > t) {
diff --git a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
index 30ad48de..b7401f85 100644
--- a/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
+++ b/src-tauri/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ tauri-build = { version = "1.4.0", features = [] }
 [dependencies]
 serde_json = "1.0"
 serde = { version = "1.0", features = ["derive"] }
-tauri = { version = "1.4.0", features = [] }
+tauri = { version = "1.4.0", features = ["fs-all"] }
 
 [features]
 # this feature is used for production builds or when `devPath` points to the filesystem and the built-in dev server is disabled.
diff --git a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
index 5392007f..bbd30e26 100644
--- a/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
+++ b/src-tauri/tauri.conf.json
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
     "beforeBuildCommand": "npm run build",
     "beforeDevCommand": "npm run dev",
     "devPath": "http://localhost:3000",
-    "distDir": "../website/dist"
+    "distDir": "../website/dist",
+    "withGlobalTauri": true
   },
   "package": {
     "productName": "Strudel",
@@ -12,7 +13,11 @@
   },
   "tauri": {
     "allowlist": {
-      "all": false
+      "all": false,
+      "fs": {
+        "all": true,
+        "scope": ["$HOME/**", "$HOME", "$HOME/*"]
+      }
     },
     "bundle": {
       "active": true,
diff --git a/website/src/repl/FilesTab.jsx b/website/src/repl/FilesTab.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e04086b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/src/repl/FilesTab.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+import { Fragment, useEffect } from 'react';
+import React, { useMemo, useState } from 'react';
+import { isAudioFile, readDir, dir, playFile } from './files.mjs';
+
+export function FilesTab() {
+  const [path, setPath] = useState([]);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let init = false;
+    readDir('', { dir, recursive: true })
+      .then((children) => setPath([{ name: '~/music', children }]))
+      .catch((err) => {
+        console.log('error loadin files', err);
+      });
+    return () => {
+      init = true;
+    };
+  }, []);
+  const current = useMemo(() => path[path.length - 1], [path]);
+  const subpath = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      path
+        .slice(1)
+        .map((p) => p.name)
+        .join('/'),
+    [path],
+  );
+  const folders = useMemo(() => current?.children.filter((e) => !!e.children), [current]);
+  const files = useMemo(() => current?.children.filter((e) => !e.children && isAudioFile(e.name)), [current]);
+  const select = (e) => setPath((p) => p.concat([e]));
+  return (
+    <div className="px-4 flex flex-col h-full">
+      <div className="flex justify-between font-mono pb-1">
+        <div>
+          <span>{`samples('`}</span>
+          {path?.map((p, i) => {
+            if (i < path.length - 1) {
+              return (
+                <Fragment key={i}>
+                  <span className="cursor-pointer underline" onClick={() => setPath((p) => p.slice(0, i + 1))}>
+                    {p.name}
+                  </span>
+                  <span>/</span>
+                </Fragment>
+              );
+            } else {
+              return (
+                <span className="cursor-pointer underline" key={i}>
+                  {p.name}
+                </span>
+              );
+            }
+          })}
+          <span>{`')`}</span>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+      <div className="overflow-auto">
+        {!folders?.length && !files?.length && <span className="text-gray-500">Nothing here</span>}
+        {folders?.map((e, i) => (
+          <div className="cursor-pointer" key={i} onClick={() => select(e)}>
+            {e.name}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+        {files?.map((e, i) => (
+          <div
+            className="text-gray-500 cursor-pointer select-none"
+            key={i}
+            onClick={async () => playFile(`${subpath}/${e.name}`)}
+          >
+            {e.name}
+          </div>
+        ))}
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/website/src/repl/Footer.jsx b/website/src/repl/Footer.jsx
index 417fb8ed..ed0efaef 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/Footer.jsx
+++ b/website/src/repl/Footer.jsx
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ import { themes } from './themes.mjs';
 import { useSettings, settingsMap, setActiveFooter, defaultSettings } from '../settings.mjs';
 import { getAudioContext, soundMap } from '@strudel.cycles/webaudio';
 import { useStore } from '@nanostores/react';
+import { FilesTab } from './FilesTab';
+
+const TAURI = window.__TAURI__;
 
 export function Footer({ context }) {
   const footerContent = useRef();
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ export function Footer({ context }) {
           <FooterTab name="console" />
           <FooterTab name="reference" />
           <FooterTab name="settings" />
+          {TAURI && <FooterTab name="files" />}
         </div>
         {activeFooter !== '' && (
           <button onClick={() => setActiveFooter('')} className="text-foreground" aria-label="Close Panel">
@@ -91,6 +95,7 @@ export function Footer({ context }) {
           {activeFooter === 'sounds' && <SoundsTab />}
           {activeFooter === 'reference' && <Reference />}
           {activeFooter === 'settings' && <SettingsTab scheduler={context.scheduler} />}
+          {activeFooter === 'files' && <FilesTab />}
         </div>
       )}
     </footer>
diff --git a/website/src/repl/files.mjs b/website/src/repl/files.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3131c8c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/website/src/repl/files.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+import {
+  processSampleMap,
+  registerSamplesPrefix,
+  registerSound,
+  onTriggerSample,
+  getAudioContext,
+  loadBuffer,
+} from '@strudel.cycles/webaudio';
+
+let TAURI;
+if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+  TAURI = window?.__TAURI__;
+}
+export const { BaseDirectory, readDir, readBinaryFile, writeTextFile, readTextFile, exists } = TAURI?.fs || {};
+
+export const dir = BaseDirectory?.Audio; // https://tauri.app/v1/api/js/path#audiodir
+const prefix = '~/music/';
+
+async function hasStrudelJson(subpath) {
+  return exists(subpath + '/strudel.json', { dir });
+}
+
+async function loadStrudelJson(subpath) {
+  const contents = await readTextFile(subpath + '/strudel.json', { dir });
+  const sampleMap = JSON.parse(contents);
+  processSampleMap(sampleMap, (key, value) => {
+    registerSound(key, (t, hapValue, onended) => onTriggerSample(t, hapValue, onended, value, fileResolver(subpath)), {
+      type: 'sample',
+      samples: value,
+      fileSystem: true,
+      tag: 'local',
+    });
+  });
+}
+
+async function writeStrudelJson(subpath) {
+  const children = await readDir(subpath, { dir, recursive: true });
+  const name = subpath.split('/').slice(-1)[0];
+  const tree = { name, children };
+
+  let samples = {};
+  let count = 0;
+  walkFileTree(tree, (entry, parent) => {
+    if (['wav', 'mp3'].includes(entry.name.split('.').slice(-1)[0])) {
+      samples[parent.name] = samples[parent.name] || [];
+      count += 1;
+      samples[parent.name].push(entry.subpath.slice(1).concat([entry.name]).join('/'));
+    }
+  });
+  const json = JSON.stringify(samples, null, 2);
+  const filepath = subpath + '/strudel.json';
+  await writeTextFile(filepath, json, { dir });
+  console.log(`wrote strudel.json with ${count} samples to ${subpath}!`);
+}
+
+registerSamplesPrefix(prefix, async (path) => {
+  const subpath = path.replace(prefix, '');
+  const hasJson = await hasStrudelJson(subpath);
+  if (!hasJson) {
+    await writeStrudelJson(subpath);
+  }
+  return loadStrudelJson(subpath);
+});
+
+export const walkFileTree = (node, fn) => {
+  if (!Array.isArray(node?.children)) {
+    return;
+  }
+  for (const entry of node.children) {
+    entry.subpath = (node.subpath || []).concat([node.name]);
+    fn(entry, node);
+    if (entry.children) {
+      walkFileTree(entry, fn);
+    }
+  }
+};
+
+export const isAudioFile = (filename) => ['wav', 'mp3'].includes(filename.split('.').slice(-1)[0]);
+
+function uint8ArrayToDataURL(uint8Array) {
+  const blob = new Blob([uint8Array], { type: 'audio/*' });
+  const dataURL = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+  return dataURL;
+}
+
+const loadCache = {}; // caches local urls to data urls
+export async function resolveFileURL(url) {
+  if (loadCache[url]) {
+    return loadCache[url];
+  }
+  loadCache[url] = (async () => {
+    const contents = await readBinaryFile(url, { dir });
+    return uint8ArrayToDataURL(contents);
+  })();
+  return loadCache[url];
+}
+
+const fileResolver = (subpath) => (url) => resolveFileURL(subpath.endsWith('/') ? subpath + url : subpath + '/' + url);
+
+export async function playFile(path) {
+  const url = await resolveFileURL(path);
+  const ac = getAudioContext();
+  const bufferSource = ac.createBufferSource();
+  bufferSource.buffer = await loadBuffer(url, ac);
+  bufferSource.connect(ac.destination);
+  bufferSource.start(ac.currentTime);
+}
diff --git a/website/src/repl/prebake.mjs b/website/src/repl/prebake.mjs
index ec50de0d..6bdc5c0d 100644
--- a/website/src/repl/prebake.mjs
+++ b/website/src/repl/prebake.mjs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { Pattern, noteToMidi, valueToMidi } from '@strudel.cycles/core';
 import { registerSynthSounds, samples } from '@strudel.cycles/webaudio';
 import './piano.mjs';
+import './files.mjs';
 
 export async function prebake() {
   // https://archive.org/details/SalamanderGrandPianoV3