Music

For the background music played during gameplay, see Music Tracks.

Music is a game mechanic that allows the player to play songs using instruments. Songs can be imported into the game using ABC notation. This lets players share songs, or search for songs others have composed online.

Using instruments don't affect game background music, but notes made by instruments are categorized as sound effects rather than music, so muting background music does not mute instrument music.

Instruments

Instruments are items that can be used to play songs. They produce unique sounds when played, and the same song can be played using different instruments. Some songs may even be intended to be played on a specific instrument. There are a large number of different varieties of instruments (listed below). Tiy stated in a stream that they intend to give each race a unique instrument as well, which appears to be more or less fulfilled.

Instruments can be acquired through a variety of means. Tenants have 0.5% chance of giving an instrument as a gift, chests have around 1% chance of containing an instrument, quests have 3% to 5% chance, challenge rooms have around 5% chance, and the rare golden chests in the fossils minigame have 10% chance to contain an instrument.

In multiplayer, different players can play different instruments together to play songs as a band.

List

Instruments in total have 31 types.

Instrument	Description
Accordion	An accordion. Get those arms working!
Acoustic Guitar	An acoustic guitar. Perfect for campfire songs.
Banjo	A banjo. Get ready to duel!
Bass Guitar	A bass guitar. Lay down some rhythm.
Bright Piano	A bright-sounding piano. Great for performing more upbeat songs!
Clarinet	A clarinet. Try not to squeak.
Drum Kit	A drum kit. Better warn the neighbours.
Electric Bass Guitar	An electric bass guitar. Lay down some rhythm.
Floran Bone Xylophone	A bone xylophone. Produces a killer sound.
Flute	A flute. But is it magic?
Hammered Dulcimer	A hammered dulcimer. Bash out a tune.
Harmonica	A harmonica. Favourite instrument of grizzled space captains.
Harp	A harp. Plucky.
High-Pitch Microphone	A microphone. For all the soulful divas out there.
Koto	A koto. For that oriental sound.
Lead Guitar	A lead guitar. For those who like to showboat.
Low-Pitch Microphone	A microphone. How low can you go?
Music Box	A music box. Is this a wind-up?
Nylon Guitar	A nylon guitar. It gently weeps.
Oboe	An oboe. It's pretty dusty.
Ocarina	An ocarina. Make sure you have time to practice.
Overdrive Guitar	A guitar. For those who like distortion.
Piano	A piano. Truly a key instrument.
Reed Organ	A reed organ. Don't blow this performance.
Rock Organ	A rock organ. A real stadium-filler.
Saxophone	A saxophone. For when you've got the space blues.
Steel Drum	A steel drum. Let's make some noise.
Space Synth	Far out, man.
Square Wave	Perfect for adding that synthetic feeling to your performance.
Trumpet	A trumpet. Try not to blow your own horn.
Violin	A violin. Don't bow out just yet.

Adding your own songs

Songs need to be added to the game directory. Place them in the folder path:

\Steam\steamapps\common\Starbound\assets\user\songs

Starbound uses .abc files to play music. Search online for .abc compositions to add in game!

Place the file into the \songs folder, you may need to restart after adding them there.

Suggested websites

Songs in .abc Format

• http://abcnotation.com/mmorpg
• http://www.lotro-abc.com/
• http://steamcommunity.com/app/211820/discussions/0/648813728579385839/
• http://community.playstarbound.com/resources/categories/musical-instruments-songs.13/

Programs to listen to and/or edit .abc Songs

• http://www.nilsliberg.se/ksp/easyabc/
• http://community.playstarbound.com/index.php?resources/starbound-composer.1207/