Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pianotify?

Pianotify is a free online piano learning platform that helps you learn to play piano using interactive MIDI tutorials with falling notes (similar to Synthesia), PDF sheet music, MuseScore files, and video covers from YouTube. Our mission is to make piano learning accessible and enjoyable for everyone, from beginners to advanced players.

Is Pianotify free?

Yes! You can use Pianotify for free indefinitely. The free plan includes browsing and playing from our MIDI library, viewing PDF sheet music, watching video covers, importing your own MIDI files (30-second preview), and uploading your content publicly. Premium unlocks unlimited import playback, downloads, and more features.

How is Pianotify different from Synthesia?

While both platforms offer falling notes visualization, Pianotify has several unique advantages: it's free to use with no purchase required, it's web-based and works directly in your browser with no download needed, it has a community library with thousands of user-uploaded MIDI files, PDF sheet music alongside MIDI, MuseScore files, and video covers from YouTube.

What browsers are supported?

Pianotify works best on modern browsers: Chrome (recommended), Firefox, Safari, and Edge. For the best experience, make sure your browser is up to date. Some older browsers may not support all features.

Do you have a mobile app?

Currently, Pianotify is a web application optimized for all screen sizes. You can access Pianotify from your mobile browser, though some features like the MIDI player work better on larger screens. We are considering native mobile and tablet applications for the future.

Is Pianotify available in my country?

Yes! Pianotify is available worldwide. Our platform is accessible from any country with internet access. The interface is available in 17 languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and more.

How do I use the MIDI player?

Using the MIDI player is simple: browse or search for a song, click on a MIDI file to open the player, press Space or click Play to start, and watch the falling notes and play along on your piano. Use the controls to adjust speed, volume, and other settings.

Can I change the playback speed?

Yes! You can adjust the playback speed from 25% to 200% of the original tempo. This is perfect for slowing down difficult passages to practice, gradually increasing speed as you improve, and playing along at a comfortable pace.

Can I practice hands separately?

It depends on the MIDI file. Some MIDI files have separate tracks or channels for each hand (left/right), while others combine everything into a single track. When hands are on separate tracks, you can mute the left hand to practice right hand only, mute the right hand to practice left hand only, and adjust the volume of each hand independently. Use the track controls in the player to toggle each track.

How do I change the instrument sound?

You can choose from several piano sounds in the player settings, including Grand Piano (default), Electric Piano, and more. Click the settings icon in the player to access sound options.

Can I connect my MIDI keyboard?

MIDI keyboard support is a feature we are working on. Soon you'll be able to connect your MIDI keyboard via USB, see your played notes highlighted in the player, and get feedback on your accuracy. Stay tuned for updates!

What keyboard shortcuts are available?

The player supports keyboard shortcuts: Space for Play/Pause, F (or F11) for fullscreen, R to rewind 10 seconds, S to open the settings, M to mute/unmute, B to toggle the metronome, + and − to change the playback speed, Left/Right arrows for the previous/next measure, and Up/Down arrows to skip backward/forward. Click the keyboard icon in the player to see the full list.

Does the player have a metronome?

Yes! The built-in metronome helps you keep time while practicing. You can toggle the metronome on/off, adjust the metronome volume, and it automatically syncs to the song's tempo.

How do I find a specific song?

You can find songs in several ways: use the search bar to type the song title or artist name, browse by category (MIDI, Sheet Music, Videos, MuseScore), or use filters to narrow down by difficulty, genre, or artist.

What is the difference between importing and uploading?

Import is private: quick drag and drop, play immediately, not saved permanently, only you can access it, free users get a 30-second preview while Premium users get full length. Upload is public: saved to your account, shared with the community, you can add title, artist, and description, and you get unlimited playback on your own uploads even on the free plan.

What file formats are supported?

We support MIDI files (.mid, .midi), PDF sheet music (.pdf), MuseScore files (.mscz, .mscx), and YouTube URLs for video covers.

Can I request a specific song?

Yes! You can submit song requests through the community page. Other users can see your request and may upload the song. If you search for a song and get no results, you'll be offered to submit a song request directly.

How do I report inappropriate content?

If you find content that violates our terms (copyright infringement, inappropriate material, etc.), click the Report button on the content page, or contact us with the URL. We review all reports and take appropriate action.

Can I edit or delete my uploads?

Yes! You have full control over your uploads. Go to your uploads page in your account, click on any upload to edit details, or use the delete button to remove content. Note: deleted content cannot be recovered.

What's included in Premium?

Premium gives you the full Pianotify experience: unlimited MIDI import (play your own files in full length), download MIDI files and PDF sheet music from our library, upload video covers, share your YouTube performances, and unrestricted access to all features with no limitations.

How does the free trial work?

New users may receive a free trial of Premium with full access to all Premium features. If you don't cancel before the trial ends, the paid plan starts automatically.

What payment methods do you accept?

We accept all major payment methods through Stripe: credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. All payments are processed securely. We never store your card details.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes, absolutely! You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings. There are no cancellation fees, you keep access until the end of your billing period, and your uploads and favorites remain saved.

Can I get a refund?

Consumers in the EU have a 14-day right of withdrawal. For other cases, we offer refunds on a case-by-case basis. If you're not satisfied with Premium, contact us to explain the issue and we'll review your request promptly.

Do you offer student discounts?

We don't currently have a formal student discount program, but our pricing is already very affordable and the yearly plan offers significant savings. Watch for seasonal promotions! If you're a music school or educational institution, contact us for special arrangements.

What happens to my data if I cancel?

When you cancel Premium, your account remains active on the free tier, your uploads stay in your account, your favorites and history are preserved, but you lose access to Premium features (downloads, unlimited import). You can resubscribe anytime to regain Premium access.

How do I create an account?

Creating an account is free and easy: click Register in the top menu, enter your email and choose a password, or register with Google for quick access. Then verify your email address to unlock all features.

How can I reset my password?

Forgot your password? Go to the login page, click Forgot password, enter your email address, and check your inbox for the reset link.

Can I change my email address?

Yes, you can update your email in your account settings. After updating, you'll need to verify the new email address.

How do I delete my account?

You can delete your account from your account settings. This action is irreversible — all your data, uploads, and history will be permanently deleted.

Is my data secure?

Yes, we take security seriously: all data is transmitted via HTTPS with encrypted connections, payments are processed by Stripe (PCI compliant), we never store plain text passwords, and we never sell your personal information.

Can I log in with Google?

Yes! You can log in with your Google account for quick and secure access. We only access basic profile information (name, email).

Why is there no sound?

If you don't hear any sound, try these steps: check the player volume isn't muted, check your computer's volume settings, some browsers block audio until you interact with the page so click anywhere first then press play, and try another browser (Chrome usually works best).

The player is lagging or stuttering

Performance issues can usually be fixed by closing other tabs to free up browser memory, refreshing the page, updating your browser to the latest version, disabling extensions that can interfere, and ensuring a stable internet connection. Still having issues? Contact us with your browser and device info.

Why can't I download files?

Downloads are a Premium feature. If you're Premium and can't download, make sure you're logged in, check your subscription status, try refreshing the page, and disable popup blockers.

My MIDI file won't import

If your MIDI file fails to import: check the format (must be .mid or .midi), check the file size (maximum 10MB), try opening it in another app first to verify it's not corrupted, and try with a different MIDI file. Some MIDI files may have compatibility issues.

The page won't load properly

Try these troubleshooting steps: hard refresh with Ctrl+Shift+R (Cmd+Shift+R on Mac), clear your browser's cache and cookies, try incognito/private mode to disable extensions, and try another browser (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari).

How do I report a bug?

Found a bug? Help us fix it! Please include: what you were trying to do, what happened instead, your browser and device, and screenshots if possible. Use our contact page to submit the report.

How can I contact support?

We're here to help! You can reach us through our contact page. We usually respond within 24-48 hours.