Muted Tune help

Plain answers for band leaders and band mates. Pick a topic.

• Start your band
• Set up the rehearsal computer
• Get practices out of your music program
• Invite your band
• “This is me” and muting your part
• Notifications
• Computer can’t reach Muted Tune
• Uploads that fail
• Updates
• Forgot your password
• Computers and devices
• Download or delete
• Questions

Start your band

Muted Tune plays your band’s practice recordings on your phone, with your own part muted so you can play along.

1. Open Start a band. Enter your band’s name, your name, your email and a password of at least 10 characters. If a sign-in with Google button shows, you can use that instead.
2. You are now the band’s admin. Your band page (Band) lists what to do next: set up the rehearsal computer, invite your band, and pick your own tracks.
3. Name your tracks in your music program before you export, for example “Harp” or “Rhythm guitar” instead of “Audio 3”. Band mates pick their part by track name.

You don’t need the rehearsal computer helper to try Muted Tune: the player can upload a practice straight from a browser (see getting practices out).

Set up the rehearsal computer

The rehearsal computer is the Linux computer your recording program runs on. Muted Tune puts a small helper there, called the runner. It watches a folder and sends each practice you export to your band. Only a band admin can set it up.

1. Log in on any device and open Set up a rehearsal computer (also in the player’s Menu as Set up a computer).
2. Confirm it is you with your password, then tap Make a setup link. The page shows one line to copy. The link works for 15 minutes and stops as soon as a computer has connected with it.
3. On the rehearsal computer, paste that line into its terminal window and press Enter. Not you? The page also builds a message you can send to whoever looks after that computer, and a Download setup file button if you would rather copy a file over.
4. The computer shows a short code. The setup page says Code … confirm below with the same code. If the two match, tap Confirm on the Devices page, then Confirm this computer. If they don’t match, don’t confirm.
5. When the setup page says Connected and the computer’s name, choose the folder your music program saves exports to. The runner window shows the watched folder with a Change folder button; the setup page also shows the command for it (see below).

The runner starts when you log in to that computer. It works on 64-bit Intel/AMD and ARM Linux. A band can have 2 rehearsal computers at the moment.

Advanced (Linux command line)

• Run the line as your normal user, not root. It needs curl and openssl; if one is missing the installer says so and nothing is installed.
• Choose the folder from the command line with mutedtune watch add ~/Practice (use your own folder).
• If the computer sits at its login screen after a restart, an administrator can run sudo loginctl enable-linger <user> once so the runner starts without anyone logging in.
• Already have the runner installed? Pair it with a code instead.

Setup link says “expired or already used”? Make a new one on the same page. Other trouble: computer can’t reach Muted Tune.

Get practices out of your music program

Muted Tune takes either a DAWproject file (one file holding the whole recording) or stems (one audio file per instrument). Pick your program for the steps. If it isn’t listed, use the stems path below.

Bitwig Studio

Tested with Muted Tune.

1. In Bitwig Studio 5.0.9 or newer, choose File > Export DAWproject…
2. Save the file into the folder below. The runner uploads it by itself.

Save into your watched folder, usually ~/Practice.

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Studio One / Fender Studio

Says it can export DAWproject. We have not tried it with Muted Tune yet.

1. In Studio One 6.5 or newer, choose File > Convert To > DAWproject File…
2. Save the file into the folder below. The runner uploads it by itself.

Save into your watched folder, usually ~/Practice.

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Ardour

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. In Ardour choose Session > Export > Stem Export… and pick the tracks. Each one is written to its own file.
2. Start every file from the same point, such as the start of the recording.
3. Then open your band's page and use Upload stems.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Audacity

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. In Audacity choose File > Export Audio, then pick Multiple Files and split files based on Tracks. Each track is written to its own file.
2. Start every file from the same point, such as the start of the recording.
3. Then open your band's page and use Upload stems.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Harrison Mixbus

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Reaper

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

MusE

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

Rosegarden

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

LMMS

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Tracktion Waveform

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Qtractor

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

Zrythm

Export one audio file per track, then upload them as stems.

1. Export each track as its own audio file from the same start point, then use Upload stems on the band's page.

Open the player, then Menu → Upload stems (one song).

The program’s own help (opens another website).

Any other program: export stems

1. Export every track as its own audio file (WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, M4A or OGG).
2. Make every file start at the same point, for example the very start of the recording, so the tracks line up.
3. Open the player and choose Menu → Upload stems (one song). Pick the files, or one .zip of them, give the song a title, and upload.

One upload makes one song. If your program can export DAWproject, you can export that file into the watched folder instead, or upload it from the player with Menu → Upload practice.

Mixers and multitrack recorders work the same way: Menu → From a mixer or recorder, then choose the recording’s folder. That path is untested on real hardware.

Open the player

After a file arrives, give Muted Tune a minute or two to turn it into songs. If it never shows up, see uploads that fail.

Invite your band

1. As an admin, open Invite band members (Band page, or Menu → Band).
2. Choose how long the link works, and optionally how many people may use it, then tap Make link.
3. Send the link to your group chat, share it from the button, or show the QR code for band mates to scan with their phone camera. If email is set up on this server you can email it too.
4. Copy the link right away: it can’t be shown again. If you lose it, revoke it and make a new one. Revoking stops new joins; people who already joined stay.

Band mates open the link, make an account (or sign in if they have one) and are asked which tracks are theirs. Nobody needs a password from you. A band holds up to 14 people at the moment.

Approving new people

On the Members page, New members need my approval is off by default. Turn it on and people who use a link wait until an admin approves them, and admins get a notification. Waiting people can pick their tracks and tap Remind (once every 6 hours per admin). From the same page an admin can remove someone, make them an admin, or make a password reset link.

“This is me” and muting your part

Tell Muted Tune which tracks are yours and they start muted whenever you open a song, so you hear everyone but you.

• When you join, tap This is me on each track you play. Pick as many as you like, for example vocals and harmonica. You can also say it in words, such as “Vocals, blues harp”.
• No practice yet? You can still say what you play; it applies to tracks with a matching name once the first practice arrives.
• In the player, under the song, the note says Your parts are muted. Tap to unmute (or the other way round). Tap it to switch your part on and off.
• Wrong track? Open Not right? Change which tracks are mine under that note, or use Change my tracks.
• Not on a recording? Tap I’m not on this one and you hear the whole band for that practice.
• A track nobody has claimed shows New track: … is this you? You can answer yes or dismiss it.

Every track also has its own M (mute) and S (solo) buttons, and there is a Loop button for the song.

Notifications

Muted Tune can tell you when a new practice is ready. Admins also hear when someone asks to join, and people waiting for approval hear when they are in. Notifications never contain band or song names. Everything works without them; you just have to check back.

1. Open Band (or Menu → Notifications) and tap Turn on notifications. Say yes when your phone or browser asks.
2. Do this on each phone or computer you want alerts on. Account lists them, and Send me a test notification shows whether each one got it.

iPhone and iPad

1. Open Muted Tune in Safari and tap Share at the bottom.
2. Scroll, tap Add to Home Screen, then Add.
3. Open Muted Tune from your Home Screen and tap Turn on notifications.

Blocked by mistake? The page says Notifications are blocked. Allow Muted Tune in your browser’s site settings, then come back.

The computer can’t reach Muted Tune

Practices wait on the rehearsal computer and the runner tries again by itself, so a short outage loses nothing. If it keeps failing, check these in order.

1. Is the computer online? Open this website in a browser on that same computer. If that fails, the problem is the computer’s internet, not Muted Tune.
2. Does it work on your phone but not in the building? Try the computer on another network, such as a phone hotspot. Some routers block a computer from reaching a site that lives outside the building; whoever manages your router can fix it.
3. Is the computer still connected to your band? Open Devices. A computer shows Connected now, or Not seen since a date. If it says revoked, set it up again from the setup page.
4. Is the runner running? It starts when you log in to the computer. Log out and in again, or restart the computer.
5. Waiting for a new link or approval? A setup link expires after 15 minutes. If the setup page keeps saying Waiting for your computer, the line was not run, or it stopped with a message: scroll up in that terminal and read it.

Advanced (Linux command line)

• mutedtune status shows whether uploads are enabled, the watched folders, file counts and the last errors.
• systemctl --user status mutedtune shows whether the runner is running.
• The server address must start with https://.

Uploads that fail

Practices from the rehearsal computer and from the player’s upload buttons can fail. What you see tells you what to do.

From the player (browser)

• That file is too big. The message names the limit. Export a shorter practice or fewer tracks.
• This band is out of storage space. Ask a band admin.
• This band has reached today’s upload limit. Try again tomorrow.
• Too many uploads. Try again a bit later. Wait and retry.
• Couldn’t reach the server. Check your connection and retry. Chunks that already arrived aren’t sent again.
• The server couldn’t use that file. Export from your music program again and retry. For stems: make sure each file is one instrument, all from the same start point.
• You can’t upload to this band. Your account may be waiting for approval. Ask a band admin.
• The server is out of disk space. Tell a band admin.

From the rehearsal computer

• The file must be directly in the watched folder (not a sub-folder), end in .dawproject, and be a finished export. The runner waits until the file stops changing, then uploads it.
• A temporary problem (network, busy server) is retried by itself. A permanent problem is not retried until you export a new version of the file.
• A file the server could not turn into songs usually isn’t a DAWproject with recorded audio on the timeline. Export again and check that the tracks have recordings.
• If the same message keeps coming, use the stems path in getting practices out; it works for any program.

Advanced (Linux command line)

mutedtune status prints counts such as done, waiting and failed and the last error line.

Updates

The runner checks in with Muted Tune and tells you when a newer version is ready. Updating is one click on the runner’s own Update button; nothing changes until you press it. Each download is checked against our signature first, and the old version is kept.

• Update required. A runner that is too old waits for its update before it sends anything. Your files stay on the computer and go up afterwards; nothing is lost.
• “This update needs a few new system parts.” Some updates need extra programs on the computer that the runner can’t add by itself. The runner says so and does not update. Open the setup page, make a new setup link and run it on the computer as you did the first time; it installs the missing parts and may ask for the computer’s administrator password once.
• Installed from a package manager? Then that tool does the updating, not the runner.
• Which versions work with this server: Compatibility. What changed: What’s new.

Advanced (Linux command line)

mutedtune update installs the newest version; mutedtune update --rollback goes back to the previous one.

Forgot your password

1. On the login page tap Forgot password? (direct link) and enter your email.
2. If the email has an account, you get a link to choose a new password. It works once, for 30 minutes. Choosing a password logs you out everywhere.
3. No email arrives, or email isn’t set up? A band admin can make you a one-time reset link on the Members page (works for 15 minutes).

Signed up with Google? There is no password to reset: tap Continue with Google on the login page. To change a password you know, use Account; that logs out your other devices.

Computers and devices

• Devices (admins) lists every rehearsal computer: system, runner version, when it was last seen, and Connected now if it is online.
• Revoke stops a computer at once and cancels its unfinished uploads. Do this for a computer you sold, lost or no longer trust. It is also the way to free a slot, since a band can have 2 computers.
• A computer marked Replaced by a newer pairing is safe to remove.
• Your own phone and browser logins: Account has Log out and Log out everywhere. The same page lists your notification devices.
• An admin can remove a band mate on the Members page; their access ends immediately.

Download or delete

Download everything (admins)

On the Band page tap Download everything and confirm it is you. You get one zip with every practice: the audio, the names you typed, and the original exports. It is built while it downloads, so keep the page open until your browser says it is finished. Only one download runs at a time.

Delete the band (admins)

On the Band page tap Delete band, type the band’s name and confirm. The person who started the band can delete it alone; otherwise every admin has to confirm within a day. Everyone in the band is told. For 7 days the band is read-only and you can undo it or download everything. After that the recordings, original exports, paired computers, invitations and member list are deleted for good.

Delete your account

On Account tap Delete my account. It erases your name, email, password and Google link and signs you out everywhere. Recordings you uploaded stay with your band. If you are a band’s only admin and it has other members, make someone else admin first. If you are its only member, delete the band first.

The full details are on the privacy policy.

Questions

Do I need the rehearsal computer helper?

No. Any member can upload a DAWproject or a set of stems from the player in a browser. The helper just sends each export for you.

Does it work on Windows or Mac?

The rehearsal computer helper is for Linux today. The player and browser uploads work on any computer or phone.

Who can hear our music?

Only signed-in members of your band. See the privacy policy.

I lost the invite link.

Revoke it on the Invite page and make a new one. The old link can’t be shown again.

A band mate can’t get in.

Check Members: if approval is on they may be waiting for you, and a member who was removed can’t rejoin with the same link. Links also expire.

How many people can be in a band?

Up to 14 at the moment.

Can I rename a song or practice?

Yes, in the player. Your names are kept; the original names come back if you clear yours.

Can I delete a single practice?

Not yet. You can download everything or delete the whole band.

My part isn’t muted.

Tell Muted Tune which track is yours: see “This is me”. Track names matter, so name tracks after the instrument in your music program.

No sound on iPhone.

Check the silent switch and the volume.

Still stuck? Ask your band admin; they can see Devices and Members.