Instructions

How to use Notes to Play.

Short, step-by-step guides with real screenshots. Start with your first song. It takes five minutes.

Guide 01 · 5 min

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.

#beginners#songwriting#chords

Guide 02 · 7 min

Choosing chords

The circle of fifths, the Chord finder’s “most likely next” dial, the Chord editor and the Progressions library.

#chords#theory#songwriting

Guide 03 · 6 min

Parts and song structure

Intro, Verse, Chorus and friends; repeats; the timeline; Song view with lyrics under every chord; Concert mode.

#songwriting#lyrics#beginners

Guide 04 · 6 min

How it plays: Hold, Pulse, Arp, Strum

Choose how each part is played, edit the arpeggio grid, and give any chord its own pattern or your own notes.

#keys#guitar#theory

Guide 05 · 7 min

Instruments: keys, guitar and bass

Sounds, sustain and hold, the guitar’s chord shapes and strumming, the string pad, the bass, and the “Plays on” wheel.

#keys#guitar#bass

Guide 06 · 5 min

Beats: pads, sounds and a beat per part

Play the drum pads, write on the grid, pick presets, add sounds, record the pads live and give each part its own beat.

#beats#beginners

Guide 07 · 5 min

Melody: a piano roll for every channel

Add a melody channel, write notes on the piano roll, or edit exactly what Keys, Guitar or Bass play.

#melody#keys#theory

Guide 08 · 7 min

Recording takes, headphones and MIDI keyboards

Record a vocal or guitar take, line it up with the song, use headphones, and connect a MIDI keyboard or a remote.

#recording#midi#setup

Guide 09 · 6 min

Mix & Master and export

Your finished song on a mixing desk: balance the levels, shape each instrument with EQ, pan and reverb, give the master a finish, and export a WAV or MP3.

#mixing#recording#sharing

Guide 10 · 5 min

Saving, sharing, installing and working offline

Save songs on your device, export a song file, share a song code, install the app from your browser and use it with no internet.

#setup#sharing#beginners

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