Browsing songs in Note Block World

by Bentroen

Note Block World is meant not only as a way for note block musicians to share their creations, but to also allow note block enjoyers to easily discover new music they like!

This guide will walk you through the process of browsing songs on Note Block World, using our features to your advantage so you can find the perfect songs for you.

Navigating the website

Featured songs

On the home page, the first thing you'll see is the Featured songs section, where you will find a selection of the most viewed songs in the past week. These songs are a great place to start exploring the community's creations!

By using the timespan buttons, you can change the time period you're looking at to see the most viewed songs in the past day, week, month, or year. This lets you discover popular songs and see what's trending on Note Block World at different times!

Recent songs

The Recent songs section shows the most recent songs uploaded to Note Block World. This is a great way to discover new, fresh music and see what other creators are working on! You can also use the category buttons to find songs in a particular category. You're guaranteed to find something you like!

Searching for songs

As we're still in an early phase, we don't have a search feature yet. But don't worry - we're working on it and it will be available soon! Stay tuned to our blog to know first-hand when it becomes available! In the meantime, you can browse songs by using the category buttons on the home page.

Upcoming features

We have a lot of features in mind to make the browsing experience better, such as searching songs by keywords, browsing specific categories/tags, advanced search (e.g. filter and sort songs by vanilla compatibility, note count, whether or not they're available for download), and more!

We're working hard to bring these features to you, so stay tuned to our blog to know when they're available! Also, make sure to check our roadmap for the full list of planned features.

The song page

Once you've found a song you like, you can click on it to view the song page. Here, you'll find more information about the song, such as the title, description, author, tags, and more. You can also listen to the song by opening it in Note Block Studio, or download it to edit it or use it in your own projects (make sure to check the song's license first!). For more info about downloading songs, check out our dedicated help page.

Let's take a closer look at the different metadata available in each song's page:

Title, description, author and original author

The first thing you'll see on the song's page are the thumbnail, title, description and author (always the user who uploaded the song!). If the song is a cover, the author of the original song will also be listed under Original author.

MIDI file name

If the song was imported from a MIDI file, the MIDI file name will be displayed here. This can give you an idea of the original song that was used to create the note block version.

Note block compatible

This tag indicates whether the song is compatible with vanilla Minecraft note blocks. If the song is not compatible, it may use custom instruments or other features that are not supported by Minecraft. This information can help you decide if you want to download the song and use it in your own projects.

There are three factors that determine if a song is note block compatible:

Instruments: The song uses only the 16 default note block instruments available in vanilla Minecraft, and doesn't use custom instruments.
Key range: The song uses only note blocks within the range supported by note blocks (F#3 to F#5).
Detune: The song doesn't use detuned note blocks, which are not supported by note blocks.

Tip: Detuned notes are notes with fractional pitch values that are not a whole number of semitones (e.g. it lies 'between' the keys of a piano). They can be used for effects such as glissando (sliding from one note to another), vibrato or pitch bending.

All these factors need to be true for a song to be considered note block compatible. If just a single one of them is not fulfilled, that's enough for the song to be marked as incompatible. However, depending on how much of these features a song makes use of, it may be easier or harder to adapt it to be note block compatible. (We will cover this in a future guide!)

Although incompatible songs can't be played entirely within the limitations of note blocks, most songs will have a significant portion that can be played just with vanilla note blocks, and can be played in Minecraft with little to no modifications. Moreover, songs with these limitations can still be imported into the game using data packs, resource packs and third-party plugins that support those features. So, if using that is not a problem, the song can still be enjoyed in its entirety inside Minecraft!

Notes

The note count shows how many note blocks are in the song. It usually works as a measure of the song's complexity and length. Although most simple songs range from 1K to 3K notes, some songs can reach over 20K notes! (And some people are crazy enough to make songs with over 100K notes!)

Songs with more notes tend to be more complex, have richer harmonies or more instruments playing at once, or even advanced effects to create different textures, tones and sonic experiences. It usually means that more effort was put into making it sound good, and is usually a result of pushing the limits of Note Block Studio and Minecraft to create something unique and special. Many of these songs can't be played in Minecraft without modifications, but they can still be enjoyed in Note Block Studio or other music players.

At the same time, songs with fewer notes can be just as good, as they can be more focused, simple, and effective. They can be easier to understand, learn, and enjoy, and can be just as memorable and impactful as more complex songs. Moreover, they bring a more traditional note block feel and can be imported into Minecraft with little to no modifications.

It's all about the use of notes to create something that resonates with you and your audience!

Instruments

The instrument count shows how many unique instruments are used in the song. Each instrument corresponds to a different note block sound in Minecraft. Different instruments can be used to create different tones, textures, and timbres in the song, and make a song sound richer. The more instruments a song has, the more variety and depth it can have in its sound!

Besides the total instrument count, this field also breaks down how many vanilla and custom instruments are used in the song. Vanilla instruments (16 in total) are playable with regular note blocks. Custom instruments, however, require a data pack (and perhaps a resource pack) to be played in-game. This can give you an idea of how much of the song can be played in Minecraft without modifications, and how much of it relies on custom instruments.

Layers

This number corresponds to the number of layers (number of rows, or height) of the song inside the Note Block Studio editor. The more layers a song has, the more complex it is to create and edit.

Layers can be used to create harmonies, melodies, and rhythms that work together to form a complete song; to separate different instruments or sections; or even to create complex sound effects by using special techniques (such as staggering notes or applying stereo panning and volume variations).

Ticks

The tick count shows how many ticks the song lasts in the Note Block Studio editor (number of columns or length of the song).

A tick is the smallest unit of time in Minecraft, and it corresponds to 1/20th of a second. The tick count is a measure of the song's duration, and it can help you estimate how long the song will last when played in Minecraft. However, in Note Block Studio, songs can be played at different rates than the usual Minecraft tick rate. As such, you should divide the tick count by the song's tempo to get the song's duration in seconds.

Tempo

The tempo of the song can be measured in two ways: beats per minute (BPM) or ticks per second (t/s).

Ticks per second is the traditional way to measure the song's speed in Note Block Studio, and determines the number of vertical columns that the song will advance by each second it plays. In Minecraft, this corresponds to the number of game logic updates that should occur in one second for the song to play at this speed.

Traditionally, only songs set to 10 t/s and 20 t/s are supported by the game, since that's the rate at which Minecraft updates its game logic (redstone is updated every other game tick, which results in a 10 t/s rate). However, with the advent of data packs, zero-tick pulse redstone circuits, and, more recently, the ability to change the game's tick rate via commands, songs with different tick rates can be played in the game with superb precision.

Beats per minute, on the other hand, should be more familiar to most musicians, as it's the standard way to measure musical pace. It's the number of beats (or pulses) that occur in one minute, and it's used to determine the song's speed in most common music software and notation.

The song tempo determines how fast the song plays, and it can also affect the mood and feel of the song. A higher tempo will make the song feel faster and more energetic, while a lower tempo will make it feel slower and more relaxed.

On most songs, the tempo is usually set at the beginning of the song and stays like that throughout the song, but it can be changed throughout the song to create different sections or effects. When that is the case, the tempo will be indicated in a range (e.g. 120–140 BPM) going from the lowest to the highest tempo used in the song.

Time signature

The time signature of the song determines the number of beats in each measure and the type of note that gets one beat. It's usually written as a fraction, with the top number indicating the number of beats in each measure, and the bottom number indicating the type of note that gets one beat. For example, a time signature of 4/4 means there are four beats in each measure, and a quarter note gets one beat. At the moment, Note Block Studio only supports time signatures from 2/4 to 8/4.

Running time

The running time of the song is the duration of the song in minutes and seconds. It's calculated by dividing the tick count by the tempo, and converting the result to minutes and seconds. It also accounts for tempo changes throughout the song, if any.

Loop

The loop setting determines whether the song is set to loop when played. If the loop setting is enabled, the song will play continuously until it's stopped by the player. If the loop setting is disabled, the song will play once and then stop.

Looping songs are great for creating background music that plays continuously in a game or other project. They can help set the mood and atmosphere of a scene, and create a seamless listening experience for the player. Non-looping songs are better suited for standalone pieces of music, such as songs with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They can be used for intros, outros, or standalone tracks that don't need to repeat.

Time spent

The time spent on the song is the amount of time the author spent working the song, measured by Note Block Studio as the time it remained open while that song was loaded. It can be an indication of the effort and dedication that went into making the song, and it can give you an idea of how much work was put into creating it.

File size

The file size of the song is the amount of space the song takes up on your computer when downloaded. Songs in Note Block Studio are usually small in size, since they only contain note block data and additional metadata. Most songs are less than 10 KB, and even complex songs with many notes and layers are unlikely to exceed 1 MB - although we have seen some that do!

License

The license of the song determines how you can use the song in your projects. Note Block World offers two types of licenses: the Standard License and the Creative Commons Share-Alike License. You can find more information about these licenses in our Terms of Service or in the help page on downloading songs.

Conclusion

Browsing songs on Note Block World is a great way to discover new music, find inspiration, and connect with the note block community. By using the features available on the website, you can explore all sorts of different genres, styles and creators to find the perfect songs for you!

Still need help? Reach out to us!