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+# Playground Architecture
+
+## Event Systems
+
+### Event Bus (preferred for new code)
+
+The shared event bus at `js/event-bus.js` is the preferred event system for all new playground code. It provides namespaced pub/sub with wildcard support and automatic timestamping.
+
+**Import:**
+
+```js
+import { EventBus, getDefaultBus, SEQ, ML, UI } from './js/event-bus.js';
+```
+
+**API:**
+
+| Method | Description |
+|--------|-------------|
+| `new EventBus(audioCtx?)` | Create a new bus. Optional AudioContext for `seq.*` timestamps. |
+| `bus.on(event, cb)` | Subscribe. Exact (`'seq.step'`) or wildcard (`'seq.*'`). |
+| `bus.off(event, cb)` | Unsubscribe. Same signature as `on()`. |
+| `bus.emit(event, data?)` | Emit. A `timestamp` field is added automatically. |
+| `bus.setAudioContext(ctx)` | Set or replace the AudioContext for `seq.*` timestamps. |
+| `getDefaultBus(audioCtx?)` | Get (or lazily create) the shared singleton bus. |
+
+**Namespace conventions:**
+
+| Prefix | Constants | Purpose |
+|--------|-----------|---------|
+| `seq.*` | `SEQ.STEP`, `SEQ.NOTE_ON`, `SEQ.NOTE_OFF`, `SEQ.PARAM_CHANGE`, `SEQ.LOOP_START` | Sequencer transport and timing events. Timestamped via `AudioContext.currentTime`. |
+| `ml.*` | `ML.TRAINED`, `ML.FROZEN`, `ML.UNFROZEN`, `ML.DELTA_UPDATE` | ML engine state changes. |
+| `ui.*` | `UI.PARAM_SELECT`, `UI.CHAIN_EDIT`, `UI.PRESET_LOAD`, `UI.FREEZE_TOGGLE` | UI interaction events. |
+
+New features should define their own namespace constants following the same pattern.
+
+**Callbacks** receive `(data, eventName)` where `data` always includes a `timestamp` field (`AudioContext.currentTime` for `seq.*`, `performance.now()` for everything else).
+
+### DOM CustomEvents (existing code)
+
+Existing code uses DOM `CustomEvent` dispatched on DOM elements (e.g. `controlsurface:change`, `eoc:change`). These work fine and should **not** be migrated at this time. Both systems coexist without conflict.
+
+When the app is rewritten in the future, the goal is to unify on the event bus and retire DOM CustomEvents for inter-module communication.