How to use Fledgetone

Getting started

Fledgetone is a music maker that runs in your browser. You build a song on the Arrangement Timeline out of tracks (one instrument each) and clips (blocks…

The timeline

The timeline is 400 bars long. It starts in 4/4 at one tempo; you can add tempo and time signature changes along the ruler (see Tempo changes and time…

Playback and the loop

The amber region on the ruler, between the IN and OUT brackets, is the loop. With loop on (the Repeat button or L), playback goes round it, and the beat…

Tempo changes and time signatures

The thin top row of the ruler holds the song's tempo and time signature, and every change along the way. A faint line traces the tempo across the song,…

Timecode and frame rates

The TIMECODE readout shows the playhead as hours, minutes, seconds and frames (HH:MM:SS:FF), counted from the start of bar 1 at the song's tempo. Use it…

Scoring to a video

Write music to a gameplay clip, a trailer or a cutscene, and see the picture while you work.

Markers

Markers are named points on the timeline: the sections of a song (intro, build, drop), or hit points in a video.

Writing notes: the piano roll

Double-click a clip with the Selection tool (or right-click it and choose Edit notes, which works with either tool) to open it in the piano roll under the…

Instruments

Each track plays one instrument. Add a track with + Add Track under the last track, or change a track's instrument in the Track Inspector (SOUND…

Mixing and effects

The Mixer tab of the bottom panel shows every track side by side as a mixing desk: a level meter (after the fader: green, amber near the top, red at the…

Clip launcher

The Launcher tab of the dock is a grid of loops: a column for every track and a row for every scene. Click a clip to launch it: it starts on the next bar…

Automation

Automation makes a track setting change over the song: a filter opening during a build-up, a fade-out, a pan sweep, an echo on one word. You draw a line,…

Projects: saving and opening

The project's name, Save, Export, Share and Game sit at the right of the menu bar; New and Open are in the File menu.

Playing a MIDI keyboard

Click the MIDI button (the keyboard icon) in the toolbar, then Connect MIDI devices. Chrome and Edge connect at once; Firefox asks for permission first;…

Recording

Click Mic in the toolbar (or Tools › Record from the microphone) to record your voice, a guitar, or anything on your computer's audio input. The browser…

Exporting audio

Click Export. The dialog has four choices, and remembers them in this browser:

Game music

Fledgetone makes music for games that reacts to play: a song's sections become states the game switches between, its tracks layers it fades in and out,…

Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts don't work while you're typing in a box, or while a dialog or panel (Guide, Search, Export, New, FIT, Loop range, Markers) is open. Ctrl+K…

Fledgetone Pocket: on a phone

On a phone, Fledgetone opens Pocket: the same studio underneath (the same instruments, effects and songs) on one screen made for a thumb. A song started…

Installing Fledgetone

Fledgetone can be installed as an app from fledgetone.com: it opens in a window of its own, with its own icon in your Start menu, Dock or app list, and it…

Working offline

After you've opened Fledgetone once from fledgetone.com (in Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox), it opens and works without an internet connection, installed…

Tips and limits

Reporting a problem

Something not working, sounding wrong or crashing? Click Report a problem at the bottom of the page (or Help › Report a problem…, or search for report).…

Credits

The synths and the synthesized drum kits are generated in your browser. The recorded instruments play free sample libraries that people made and shared.…