Getting started
- Tap Enter the studio, then New song or Demo song.
- Take the one-minute tour from the Start screen.
- Follow Your first song in 5 minutes.
Support
How can we help?
Answers, tips and a real person when you need one.
Installing
- Every device’s steps are on Download.
- Firefox can’t install apps: use Chrome, Edge or Safari.
- The installed app updates itself; tap Update now when asked.
Recording and headphones
- Use wired headphones when recording. Bluetooth adds delay.
- Allow the microphone when the browser asks (or in the site settings).
- If a take is late, drag its ⚑ IN flag or nudge it in 10 ms steps.
- Turn the speaker down or use headphones so the band doesn’t leak into the mic.
MIDI keyboards
- Use Chrome or Edge, then Settings → Controllers → Connect MIDI.
- Bluetooth MIDI on Android: pair the keyboard first.
- Not available in Safari (iPad, iPhone, Mac) yet.
Saving and exporting
- Tap Save; songs stay in this browser on this device.
- Export songs you care about (recordings aren’t included in song files yet).
- To save the sound itself, open the song in Mix & Master and tap Export for a WAV or MP3.
- Share a song code to move a song to another device.
Troubleshooting
- No sound? Tap Play again (browsers need a tap first), check the volume and, on iPhone/iPad, the silent switch.
- Sounds slow the first time? They load in the background; Play waits a few seconds for them.
- Songs gone? Clearing site data or a private window removes them. Check the browser and device you saved in.
- Screen looks cramped? Turn the tablet to landscape, or shrink panels with their – button.
Frequent questions
Search the answers.
What is Notes to Play?#
A songwriting studio that goes wherever you go: tablet, computer or phone. You pick chords on a circle of fifths, write lyrics under them, and piano, guitar, bass and drums play your song back straight away. It runs in your web browser, installs like an app and works offline.
Do I need to know music theory?#
No. Chords in your key glow green on the circle, the Chord finder suggests what usually comes next, and every chord plays when you tap it, so you can choose by ear. If you do know theory, the numerals (I, IV, V…), staff and sheet music are all there. See Choosing chords.
How do I write my first song?#
Tap New song, choose a key, tap four chords on the circle and add them, then press Play. The whole thing takes about five minutes: Your first song in 5 minutes.
Is there a demo song?#
Yes. “Paper Lanterns” (G major, 84 BPM, 10 parts with lyrics) is on the Start screen under Demo song. Hear it on Sample songs.
Is there a tour?#
Yes. Take the tour on the Start screen walks you through the studio in about a minute.
Which instruments are included?#
Keys (grand piano, studio piano, electric piano, organ, string pads and synth sounds), guitar (steel acoustic, nylon, electric, distortion), bass (bass and electric bass) and drums (a kit and electronic sounds). You can add up to six extra channels: melodies, audio takes and chord layers.
Which devices does it work on?#
Tablets first (Android tablets such as Galaxy Tab, and iPad), plus Windows and Mac computers, Chromebooks and phones. On phones the studio stacks into one column. A tablet in landscape gives you the most room.
Which browsers are supported?#
Current Chrome, Edge and Safari. Chrome or Edge is best: they support MIDI keyboards and one-tap install. Firefox can open the studio but can’t install it as an app.
Is it in the App Store or Google Play?#
Not yet. You install it from your browser instead (it’s a Progressive Web App): it gets its own icon and window and works offline. Steps for every device are on Download.
How do I install it on an iPad or iPhone?#
Open Notes to Play in Safari (or Chrome), tap Share ↑, then Add to Home Screen.
How do I install it on Android?#
Open it in Chrome, tap ⋮, then Install app (or Add to Home screen). Chrome may also offer an Install button on its own.
How do I install it on Windows, Mac or a Chromebook?#
In Chrome or Edge, click the install icon in the address bar (or ⋮ → Cast, save and share → Install page as app; in Edge: ⋯ → Apps → Install this site as an app). In Safari on a Mac: File → Add to Dock.
How big is it?#
About 19 MB including every sound, kept on your device after the first visit.
Does it work without internet?#
Yes. After the first visit the whole studio and all its sounds are stored on your device, so it opens and plays with no connection. When a new version is ready you’ll see “Update now”.
Nothing found here, try the full Q&A.
Contact
Talk to a person.
Questions, school pricing, press or partnerships. We read every message.
Smart Man Media, LLC · Florida, USA
Send feedback from inside the app
Found a bug or have an idea? Tap Feedback at the top of the studio, or Send feedback on the Start screen. Choose “Something’s wrong”, “An idea” or “Other”, and attach the song if it helps. It works offline too.