FAQ

Welcome to read our latest app tutorials here:

https://murobox.com/en/app-tutorial/

1. Set up an App Account
2. Connect Muro Box with Wi-Fi (iOS Users)
3. Connect Muro Box with Wi-Fi (Android Users)
4. Using iPhone Hotspot to Share Internet for Muro Box to Connect
5. Using Android Hotspot to Share Internet for Muro Box to Connect
6. Play Music
7. Compose New Melody & Edit Melody Setting
8. Import MIDI File from iPhone (from Your Email)
9. Import MIDI File from Android (from Your Email)
10. Import MIDI File from Internet
11. Export Free Music from Music Box Maniacs (MBM) to Muro Box
12. Edit Playlist
13. Schedule Playtime
14. MIDI Input with Other Devices
15. Bluetooth(BLE) Pairing the MIDI Input Device with the Muro Box (Android Users)
16. Bluetooth(BLE) Pairing the MIDI Input Device with the Muro Box (iOS Users)
17. Customized Music Composing Service
18. Import MIDI File with “Share File” from any App
19. Edit the Offline Playlist
20. Switch the App-Control to Another Muro Box
21. How to Export Your Composition from the Muro Box App as a PDF, MIDI, or Paper Tape File

In addition, we have collaborated with Music Box Maniacs, the world’s largest music box melody online community(MBM). Now, you can enjoy 30,000+ free music box melodies shared by 22900+ music box fans around the world! It’s super easy to download any song from MBM with a bar code scanner in our free Muro Box App, and your Muro Box is ready to play in seconds. Read how to export free melodies from MBM to Muro Box. 

In the past, a traditional music box could only play a short excerpt of a melody. Now, Muro Box lets you enjoy full-length songs and freely compose your own music—one device can play unlimited melodies!
By connecting the Muro Box to our app via Wi-Fi, you can create custom playlists and schedule playback times. Even when you’re away from home, you can use the app as a remote control to surprise your loved ones with meaningful music at a preset time.
You can also save your favorite songs as an offline playlist, allowing you to close the app and use the knob on the device to select and play any track from that list.
No more winding mechanisms—our smart music box plays complete songs and entire playlists with ease.
We invite you to watch the video to see how Muro Box can enrich your life and bring joy to your family.

There’s no limit to how long you can listen to music. However, for optimal device longevity and maintenance, we recommend not using it continuously for more than 1 hour at a time.
If the device feels warm, please turn it off and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before using it again.
Each song has a default maximum playback duration of 30 minutes, to prevent overloading your mobile device.
Since Muro Box connects to the app via Wi-Fi, you can control it remotely and share meaningful music with your family—even when you’re not at home.
Most importantly, you no longer need to keep turning knobs or winding gears to enjoy full-length melodies. Just sit back and let the music play.

With our patented cylinder design and the music cloud library, Muro Box can play infinite songs in just one music box. Now, you can choose or compose your own songs and schedule their play time on its mobile app. There is no limitation of how many playlists you can create and no limitation on how many songs you can put into one playlist.

Please note that Muro Box should be connected to the Internet when you update the playlist or upload your own compositions to the app. Otherwise, the songs stored on the offline playlist can be played without Internet connection!

In addition, we have already downloaded more than 30 offline melodies on your Muro Box. Those melodies include well-known classical music, original music, and children’s songs. You can get access to them simply by downloading our app “Muro Box” in App Store or Google Play.

We support both iOS and Android apps. Welcome to download it for free!
Attention: Android needs to be 5.0 or newer version; iOS needs to be 11.2 or newer version.

The procedures for the first-time use are as follows.

1. Register an account after downloading our Muro Box app.
2. Connect your Muro Box device with the app on your smartphone via WIFI/mobile’s hotspot.
3. Choose the music you want to play on Muro Box from the playlists already in the front page or create your own playlists.
4. When choosing to upload music to create your own playlist, please make sure that your music format is single track midi and the music range can fit the current 20-note Muro Box, which uses a diatonic scale: C3-A5 (C4-A6 in American Standard). If a song contains some notes beyond this range, those notes will be skipped so the music will sound differently.

(1) File Format Restriction: Muro Box can only read single-track MIDI files and does not support other formats.

(2) Range Restriction:
N20: Range from C3 to A5, covering the white keys of a piano (excluding black keys).
N40: Range from F2 to A6, excluding F#2, G#2, A#2, and C#3.(Middle C = C3, 261.6 Hz)

(3) Track Length Restriction: Each song can be played for a maximum of 30 minutes as set in the app to prevent insufficient space on the mobile device.

(4) Playback Speed Limit:
At a tempo of BPM = 120, the minimum unit for consecutive single notes is an eighth note.
This means that when using eighth notes, the fastest possible rate for consecutive single notes is 4 beats per second, or 240 beats per minute.
Maximum simultaneous note output:
– N20 model = 7 notes
– N40 model = 10 notes
(Maximum simultaneous note output refers to the highest number of notes that can be struck and played at the same time.)

Q: Why is there a speed limit for note playback?

• Speed Limit: For the same pitch, the maximum playback rate is 4 beats per second (BPM = 240). Faster rhythms will be automatically filtered out.
  
• Design Rationale: Most music box melodies are gentle and soothing. Since the music box is a simple acoustic instrument, fast-paced arrangements require careful tuning to sound pleasant.
• Physical Constraints: Rapid consecutive notes can cause a “click” noise due to overlapping vibrations. To prevent this, a damper is needed to quickly stop the comb’s vibration.
  However, due to the limited internal space of a music box, we cannot use large felt dampers like those found in pianos. Instead, we use a chrome-plated vibration absorber beneath the comb. While this performs better than traditional music boxes, it still doesn’t match the rapid damping effect of a piano.
• Motor Noise: Higher motor speeds increase gear and motor noise. Although the Muro Box motor can run faster, we’ve chosen the current setting to balance performance and sound quality.
  

Muro Box needs electricity to play music. The N20 Lite version uses a 15V DC power supply in the package, and the Standard version of Muro Box uses a 15V DC USB-C power supply. Please notice that Muro Box is a highly sensitive electronic instrument. To avoid the damage in circuit, please only use the adapter provided by Muro Box.

One Muro Box device can be connected (paired) with multiple phones (e.g., Muro Box Apps in your family members’ phones.) However, one Muro Box App can be paired to only one Muro Box device. If you would like to change the device connected with it, please follow the pairing instructions in your app.

We provide 1-year limited warranty, which applies on the body of Muro Box but does not include the attachments. The warranty period starts from the date we start to ship your Muro Box. This warranty covers only defects in material or workmanship under normal use during the warranty period. Please also notice that warranty will be void once you open the body of Muro Box.

We also provide 3-year limited maintenance. Shipping and handling charges may apply except where prohibited by applicable laws. This limited product warranty is valid only where the products are sold by our company or through its authorized retailer or local agent.

For individual customers, please visit our store to place your order directly.

For B2B distributors, please submit a survey response here to help us know you more and discuss a B2B sale price for your company.  

We know that making the music box movement become a DIY module for people to design their own boxes will attract many makers. However, at this early stage, we try to control its performance and stability first for building product’s reputation, so we cannot allow customers to purchase the mechanical part alone. Any mistake in assembling the box may interfere its music playing performance and even damage its hardware.

To avoid potential negative feedback due to inappropriate assembling process, we cannot sell Muro Box without its wooden case. However, after our product is mature enough for developing a DIY module, we will definitely share this news with our fans.

The product specifications of Muro Box-N20: 

Adapter (Both Standard and Lite Version):
Output Voltage: 15V
Rated Electric Current: 3A
Rated Power: 45W
Input Voltage: 90~264 VAC
Frequency Range: 47~63 Hz
AC Electric Current (Typ.): 1A/115VAC；0.5A/230VAC

Muro Box N20 (Both Standard and Lite Version):
Operating Voltage: 15V
Operating Current: 2.5A
Product Size (cm):
Length: 13.5 cm (5.3”)
Width: 13.5 cm (5.3”)
Height: 10.5 cm (4.1”)
Weight: 1 kg (2.2lb)
Power Chord Length: 1.5m (4.9ft.)

Our team has reached a consensus that we will open API in the future, but for now it will be closed API. We want the system to get tested from our early customers before release the API to the public. Our system uses RESTful api and MQTT, which is standard like most other IoT platforms.

Muro Box-N20 Lite can read midi files, but you will need to export your midi file and then upload it to your smart phone or the Internet to get an URL for Muro Box app to open it. For the music upload procedure, please check out our app tutorials from here: https://murobox.com/en/app-tutorial/

Since 2021, we release a new model, Muro Box-N20 Standard, to include the MIDI input slot on its wood box. Now, you can simply connect your Muro Box with a MIDI keyboard or a laptop, or a USB drive via this USB-C MIDI input slot on Muro Box. The backside of Muro Box has 2 USB-C slots: One slot is for power input and the other slot near the knob is for MIDI input.

Check out this tutorial to learn the details of how you can use the MIDI input slot on the Muro Box. 

So far, only the 20-note version of Muro Box is available for sales. N40 Sublime/ N40 Standard and N20 Lite Battery are about to launch on Kickstarter Campaign on October 19, 2023. You can first visit the N40 progress report to learn the details, and we also welcome you to subscribe to the N40 newsletter. We will send you a monthly update to report our product development status and collect your feedback for our design. 

Our design concept is to present the beauty of mechanical movement as the key attraction of music box. Welcome to watch this video to better understand our current design.