Guide 01 of 10

Your first song in 5 minutes

Open the studio, pick a key on the circle of fifths, add four chords, add a part and press play.

5 min5 steps

  1. Start a new song

    Open Notes to Play and tap Enter the studio. The Start screen lists your songs on the left, each with Play Studio and Mix & Master. Tap New song for a blank page, or open the demo to explore first.

    1. 1New song starts an empty page
    2. 2Demo song opens “Paper Lanterns” to look around
    3. 3Take the tour: a one-minute walk through the studio
    Start a new song: the matching Notes to Play screen with numbered callouts

  2. Pick a key

    Tap Change on the Song key plate beside the circle. Choose major or minor and a root note. The key is your song’s home: its chords glow green on the circle.

    1. 1Major key or Minor key
    2. 2Tap a root: you hear its home chord
    3. 3The seven chords of that key, with numerals
    4. 4Confirm

    Tip: Not sure? G major and C major are friendly on both guitar and piano.

    Pick a key: the matching Notes to Play screen with numbered callouts

  3. Add chords from the circle

    Tap any chord on the circle of fifths to hear it. Green chords sit in your key; blue and purple ones are bolder. Tap Add chord to put it in the part. Four chords make a great first verse: try I, V, vi, IV (in G: G, D, Em, C).

    1. 1Tap a chord on the circle to hear it
    2. 2Add chord puts it in the next bar
    3. 3Your bars: tap one to select it, ✎ to edit, × to delete
    Add chords from the circle: the matching Notes to Play screen with numbered callouts

  4. Add another part

    Your first part is the Verse. Tap + Add part at the end of the song bars to add a Chorus (a new part copies one you already have, so you can just change a few chords). Set repeats with − ×1 +.

    1. 1The timeline: every part of your song
    2. 2Song bars: every bar, part by part (+ Add part at the end)
    3. 3×1: how many times the part repeats
    Add another part: the matching Notes to Play screen with numbered callouts

  5. Press play

    Press Play. Piano, guitar, bass and drums play your chords. Loop the part while you write over it, or switch to Loop song to hear it top to bottom. The beat lights next to the tempo count along, so you can follow the beat even with the click off. Tap Save when you like it.

    1. 1Play / pause (or the space bar)
    2. 2Loop part · Loop song · No loop
    3. 3Tempo, TAP, time signature and Click on one panel
    4. 4Beat lights: count every beat, even with the click off

    Tip: Nothing is ever lost by trying: Undo (↶) brings back anything you changed.

    Press play: the matching Notes to Play screen with numbered callouts

Hear it in a sample song

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