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
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. 

Muro Box gives you the freedom of composing your own melodies and allows you to play a lifetime of memories in one mechanical music box. Muro Box has flexible pins on the cylinder to pluck the comb according to your programmed music. There is no capacity limitation on how many melodies you can upload to your music cloud library. Now, you can create as many playlists as you want to play your favorite melodies for different occasions.

There is no limitation on how many minutes that you can listen to music. But for better machine life and to maintain, it is recommended that you not to use it over 1 hour at a time. When the device is too warm, please turn it off for more than 15 minutes before using it again. By default, the maximum duration/length per song is set up at 30 minutes long to prevent your cell phone overload.

Our product uses WIFI instead of Bluetooth for connecting app and Muro Box, so you can use our app as a remote controller to play the meaningful music for your family even when you are not at home. What’s more, you can enjoy the whole song performed by a music box without keep turning the switch button.

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.

The songs of Muro Box are stored in the music cloud library. You can edit a melody and play it on our app before sending it Muro Box. There are two things to check before you upload your music to our music cloud library.

(1) The formation of song needs to be MIDI.
Please make sure that your file is MIDI. What’s MIDI? When importing your MIDI file via our app, it will only read the first track, and the extra tracks will not be imported.

(2) The scale of your song needs to match with the comb of Muro Box.
According to the Music Instrument Digital Interface(MIDI), the scale of Muro Box is between C3 to A5 (C4-A6 in American standard), so it includes about 2.5 octaves. Please notice that the 20-note Muro Box uses a diatonic scale (not including sharp and flat). 

(3) We set up the maximum duration/length per song is 30 minutes long to prevent your cell phone overload.

(4) Muro Box N20 can play as fast as 4 beats per second for the same note, which means consecutive eight notes at BPM 120. When there is any note that is faster than the above speed limitation, it will be skipped by our firmware so the Muro Box N20 will not play it. The basic unit of notes in Muro Box is eighth note (quaver). Muro Box allows 7 notes to be plucked at the same time as the maximum.

Although it is true that having no limitation on the speed is better, the decision of limit of 4 beats per second for the same note is due to many practical reasons. First of all, it is questionable that faster melody is suitable for a mechanical music box. Most of the familiar music box tunes are gentle and peaceful. To make a simple instrument like music box sounds not out of place in fast beat is a challenge for a music composer.

Next, to avoid a sharp clank sound for playing the same note in fast pace (the comb is still vibrating for the note beforehand, the consecutive note needs to stop the comb vibration before pluck the same note, otherwise they will collide and create noise), a soft damper is installed at the button side of the tip of the teeth. Due to the limit on space available, we cannot use wool felt fabric like piano does. What we do is we use chrome plated steel spring at the tip the teeth to absorb the vibration. We are doing much better than other existing music box mechanism, but it is still not as effective as the damper in piano. This unexpected clank sound will be noticeable if the melody goes faster.

Finally, the faster the motor spins, the louder the noise it produces. The motor and gear set both generate noise, and it is best to rotate at the just enough speed instead to run at the full speed. Thus, although our motor is capable of run at least twice as faster, we choose to limit at the current speed.

(5) If you wish to find a professional music arranger to help you create a customized melody for your Muro Box, please submit your request via this form.

(6) If you wish to buy Muro Box when we have an advanced version “Muro Box N40” including flats and sharps, please sign up for our email for Muro Box N40.  We will send you a monthly update to report our product development status and collect your feedback for our design. We plan to launch a crowdfunding campaign for Muro Box N40 in 2023 Q4.

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.