Question 1

What is KeysBattle?

Accepted Answer

KeysBattle is an interactive piano learning game inspired by Guitar Hero. You can play with a MIDI keyboard or your computer keyboard, choosing between Falling Notes mode (video game style) or Sheet Music mode (traditional reading).

Question 2

Do I need a MIDI keyboard to play?

Accepted Answer

No! You can play with your computer keyboard. However, using a MIDI keyboard offers a better experience and allows you to truly learn piano. Most MIDI keyboards connect via USB and are automatically detected by the browser.

Question 3

Which browsers are compatible?

Accepted Answer

KeysBattle works best on modern browsers like Chrome, Edge, and Opera that support the Web MIDI API. Firefox and Safari have limited support for MIDI keyboards. We recommend Chrome for the best experience.

Question 4

Is the game free?

Accepted Answer

Yes! KeysBattle is free to use. Create an account to save your scores, track your progress, and access leaderboards.

Question 5

How do I connect my MIDI keyboard?

Accepted Answer

1. Connect your MIDI keyboard to your computer via USB
2. Open KeysBattle in Chrome
3. Go to a song and click 'Play'
4. The browser will ask for permission to access your MIDI keyboard
5. Select your keyboard from the list
6. You're ready to go!

Question 6

My MIDI keyboard isn't detected, what should I do?

Accepted Answer

Check that:
- Your keyboard is plugged in and powered on
- You're using Chrome, Edge, or Opera
- You've granted MIDI access in browser permissions
- Your keyboard is USB MIDI class-compliant
- Try disconnecting/reconnecting the keyboard
- Refresh the page after connecting the keyboard

Question 7

Can I use multiple MIDI keyboards?

Accepted Answer

Yes! KeysBattle can detect and use multiple MIDI keyboards simultaneously. All connected keyboards will send notes to the game.

Question 8

What are the different game modes?

Accepted Answer

KeysBattle offers 4 modes:

• Listening Mode: Notes play automatically, perfect for discovering a piece
• Learn Mode: The game pauses if you play a wrong note, ideal for learning
• Practice Mode: Free play without pausing, to practice without pressure
• Arcade Mode: Competitive mode with scoring and leaderboards, to challenge yourself

Question 9

What's the difference between Falling Notes and Sheet Music?

Accepted Answer

• Falling Notes: Guitar Hero style with colored notes descending toward a virtual keyboard. Ideal for beginners.
• Sheet Music (🚧 Coming Soon): Will display real musical notation that scrolls. Perfect for learning to read music.

Question 10

How does the scoring system work?

Accepted Answer

Your score depends on:
- Timing precision (Perfect/Good/Miss)
- Combos (consecutive correct notes)
- Completion percentage
- Song difficulty

Only Arcade mode records scores in leaderboards.

Question 11

What do the note colors mean?

Accepted Answer

You can choose between two color modes:
- By Pitch: Each note (C, D, E...) has its own color
- By Hand: Green for left hand, Blue for right hand (requires preprocessed MIDI file)

Question 12

Where do the songs come from?

Accepted Answer

Our library comes primarily from the PDMX (Public Domain MIDI Exchange) database. All pieces are either in the public domain or under Creative Commons licenses. Users can also upload their own MIDI files.

Question 13

Can I upload my own songs?

Accepted Answer

Yes! If you have an account, go to 'Upload' and send your MIDI files. Make sure you have the rights to the file. Administrators can also preprocess files for hand separation and fingering suggestions.

Question 14

How does hand separation work?

Accepted Answer

MIDI files can be preprocessed by our algorithms to automatically separate left and right hand notes. This enables display by hand color and hand-by-hand practice. ⚠️ Note: This feature is in development and accuracy is being improved. Not all files are preprocessed, but you can request preprocessing for your uploads.

Question 15

Can I practice one hand at a time?

Accepted Answer

Yes! For preprocessed pieces with hand separation, you can choose to play only the left hand, right hand, or both hands together.

Question 16

Why create an account?

Accepted Answer

An account allows you to:
- Save your scores and track your progress
- Appear in leaderboards
- Add songs to favorites
- View your game history
- Upload your own MIDI files
- Compare your performances with friends

Question 17

How do I view my progress?

Accepted Answer

Go to 'Profile' to see your detailed statistics: number of notes played, accuracy rate, best combo, total playtime, and more. Check 'History' to review all your game sessions.

Question 18

Are leaderboards global or per song?

Accepted Answer

Both! Each song has its own leaderboard showing the best scores. There's also a general leaderboard based on your overall performances.

Question 19

I'm experiencing lag/delay, how can I improve it?

Accepted Answer

To reduce latency:
- Use a MIDI keyboard with direct USB connection
- Close other resource-intensive applications
- Use Chrome for better performance
- Reduce note speed if your device is struggling
- Ensure you have a good internet connection
- Disable unnecessary browser extensions

Question 20

The game doesn't detect my notes correctly

Accepted Answer

Check that:
- You're playing the right notes at the right time
- Your MIDI keyboard is working (test in settings)
- The timing window isn't too strict (adjustable in options)
- You don't have octave shift enabled on your keyboard
- Your keyboard sends proper MIDI Note On/Off messages

Question 21

Can I adjust the difficulty?

Accepted Answer

Yes! You can:
- Choose songs by difficulty level (Easy, Medium, Hard, Expert)
- Adjust note scroll speed
- Change game mode (Learn vs Arcade)
- Practice one hand at a time
- Use Listening mode to first hear the piece

Question 22

The page won't load / connection error

Accepted Answer

Try:
- Refreshing the page (F5)
- Clearing your browser cache
- Checking your internet connection
- Trying another browser
- Temporarily disabling extensions/ad blockers
If the problem persists, contact support.

Question 23

I can't upload a MIDI file

Accepted Answer

Make sure:
- You're logged into your account
- The file is in .mid or .midi format
- The file doesn't exceed 5 MB
- The file isn't corrupted (try opening it in another program)
- You have the rights to the file you're uploading

Question 24

My score wasn't saved

Accepted Answer

Scores are only saved if:
- You're logged into your account
- You're playing in Arcade mode
- You complete at least 10% of the song
- You have an active internet connection
Check your connection and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 Getting Started

2 MIDI Setup

3 Game Modes

4 Songs and Content

5 Account and Progress

6 Technique and Performance

7 Common Issues

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