How to Adapt My Favorite Sheet Music/MIDI File into a Playable Version for the Muro Box (Programmable Music Box)?

Muro Box Arranger: Hung-Yin Liu

How to Adapt My Favorite Sheet Music/MIDI File into a Playable Version for the Muro Box (Programmable Music Box)?

Muro Box Arranger: Hung-Yin Liu

“Wanting the music box to play the song in your heart” is surely the original reason many people discovered Muro Box.

If you already have a song you want to hear, before arranging it yourself there are faster ways: you can first search the App music library to see if the song is available, or book a professional arranger to create a customized version for you.

However, if you are the type who enjoys the fun of arranging music yourself, have basic sheet music reading skills, but feel overwhelmed by complex DAW software, then this article is your “ultimate tutorial”!

Following our previous discussions on how to use the music box to express your arranging creativity and recommendations for free online arranging software, this time we return to the most intuitive visual—the sheet music. We will show you how to use the free professional notation software MuseScore to transform downloaded sheet music and MIDI resources into perfect performance instructions for the Muro Box programmable music box.

Preview the Results!

First, listen to this MIDI file we downloaded online. After adjusting it with the steps in this article, here is how the music box plays it!

MIDI adapted from m.2002.p on MuseScore:
https://musescore.com/user/29555794/scores/5624157

Special Thanks To A Customer For Sharing Composition Resources

Once again, we would like to thank our customer, Mr. Siegfried. Not only did he purchase the Muro Box N40 Sublime model music box for himself, but he also collected many classic songs and personally arranged them into N40 music box versions to share with his elderly mother.

We truly appreciate his enthusiastic sharing of practical steps, personal insights with MuseScore, and related online resources. I have integrated these into the following tutorial article. A heartfelt thank you to the kind and dedicated Siegfried—he even created a budget-friendly guide!

If you are curious about Siegfried’s music box experience and how he went from dreaming of creating his own music box to becoming an early supporter of our product development and crowdfunding, feel free to check out this user story.

If you are also a long-time MuseScore user and would like to share any tips or suggestions on using it, or if you notice any errors to be corrected, please contact us at support@tevofy.com.

Prefer watching to reading? Here is the video tutorial!

We’ve condensed the core steps into this short video. If you need more specific details about any settings shown in the video, you can find the full explanations in the blog post below.

1. Download MuseScore: Free Notation Software

What is MuseScore?

For those accustomed to standard notation, MuseScore is currently the world’s most popular free and open-source notation software. It allows MIDI and sheet music to be converted back and forth, enabling you to “edit scores” within a familiar visual interface.

Cost-Saving Guide before Downloading: Make Sure to See Whether It is .org or .com

When downloading MuseScore, beginners can easily get confused between two websites, so please take note:

For software downloads, go to musescore.org: this is the fully free software.
The sheet music sharing community is musescore.com: this is where users upload their works.
Money-saving tip: you can register a free account on .com to download some sheet music. Never enter any credit card or bank information to avoid falling into automatic subscription traps.

2. Download MIDI Files

We downloaded the classical piece “Salut d’amour” by Edward Elgar from musescore.com for this tutorial demonstration: https://musescore.com/user/29555794/scores/5624157

A quick tip: Siegfried especially recommends the user MTSM1 on the platform, whose songs are rich and have complete sheet music.
At the end of the page, there are a few more recommended platforms for downloading MIDI files—feel free to check them out.

Check Sheet Music Copyright

1. Find the “License” Section
On the sheet music page you are viewing, scroll down. In the right sidebar or at the bottom under the “Score info” section, you will see a line labeled “License.”

2. Common License Types

Public Domain: indicates the original work’s copyright has expired, and you are free to use it.
Creative Commons (CC License):
CC-BY: must credit the original author.
CC-BY-NC: cannot be used for commercial purposes.
All Rights Reserved: the strictest type, usually meaning the uploader has not authorized any derivative work or distribution.

3. Pay attention to dual copyrights when arranging

Original composition copyright: for example, if the song is by a pop singer, the original copyright belongs to the record company.
Arranger copyright: this MIDI file is created by the user, and they hold the rights to their arrangement.

Important Notice:

Before adapting or sharing any audio or sheet music files, please ensure you check the copyright laws of your country or the specific platform, and treat these regulations as your primary guideline.
For Personal Collection: Making a music box arrangement solely for personal collection or home use generally falls under the “Fair Use” doctrine.
Public Distribution or Commercial Use: If you plan to record and upload your work to YouTube or social media, or engage in any form of commercial sale, you must strictly comply with the relevant legal obligations and copyright requirements.

Download MIDI Files from the MuseScore Website

(1)On the right side (or top) of the sheet music page, click the blue “Download” button.

(2)A window will pop up, showing multiple formats.

(3)Click the “MIDI” option. If “MusicXML” is available, please prioritize downloading and using it; it will be more intuitive and efficient for organizing the score and simplifying notes later on.

Note: This guide is designed to empower you to handle music resources from any source on the web. While native formats (such as .mscz) are easier to edit, MIDI remains the most common and versatile format. Therefore, this tutorial will focus on using “MIDI” files for our demonstration.

3. Practical Steps: Converting MIDI to Music Box-Compatible Format

1. Open the MIDI file

Click the top menu “File” > “Open” and select your MIDI file.

｜If you have a Muro Box, here’s a shortcut｜

💡 For players wanting to “get started quickly”: If you can’t wait to hear how your downloaded MIDI file sounds on the music box, here’s a shortcut! Sometimes, with a bit of luck, the MIDI file needs almost no major adjustments to play beautifully.

You can first jump to [Connect Muro Box to preview actual playback] for the hardware setup. Then, just execute [Connect Muro Box to preview actual playback]. Since the music box has a clear high-pitched tone, usually raising the melody by an octave makes a noticeable difference immediately.

I once arranged Annie’s Song, and after raising it by an octave, the first half was almost perfect! Although the second half still required fine-tuning after changing the key, it proves that sometimes a simple adjustment can bring great surprises.

💡 For beginners wanting a “solid learning experience”: If this is your first time using it, I recommend going through the article step by step. This will help you build a feel for operating MuseScore, so that when you face more complex pieces in the future, you can confidently adjust them to create the perfect version.

2. Transpose to C major or A minor

Beginners are recommended to first transpose to C Major or A Minor to avoid the Muro Box’s range limitations and to maximize note usage in these keys. By doing this, many—but not all—of the sharps/flats in the music sheet will disappear.

(1) Press Ctrl + A (Mac users: Cmd + A) to select the entire score.

(2) Click the top menu “Tools” -> “Transpose…”.

(3) In the window, select “To Key”: choose C Major or A Minor.

💡 Advanced Tip for N40 Users: Why do we recommend transposing?
While the N40 features a chromatic scale and can typically play various keys directly, we still recommend transposing to C Major as a priority. The core reason lies in the optimization of the bass layout:

Strategic Bass Design: The lower register of the N40 deliberately omits four semitones: $F\#3, G\#3, A\#3,$ and $C\#4$. This design choice prioritizes the integrity of common root notes in C Major within the limited number of physical pins.
Full Frequency Distribution: Following professional arranging logic—where the bass stabilizes the fundamental frequency, the midrange supports the chords, and the melody soars in the high frequencies—transposing to C Major ensures your bassline lands precisely on the N40’s preset bass scales. This avoids “bass gaps” caused by missing notes.

In summary: Transposing is not just about avoiding black keys; it’s about optimizing the N40’s bass performance for a fuller, more continuous sound.

Of course, you can always try listening in the original key first. If the melody is primarily concentrated in the higher register and does not rely on low-end bass, you may skip this step and take full advantage of the N40’s chromatic capabilities directly.

3. Set the “Playback Instrument”

MIDI files and sheet music downloaded from platforms may already be arranged for different instruments. For example, in this tutorial, we downloaded a duet for Contrabaixo and Piano, and the MIDI file already reflects the characteristics of these instruments, such as timbre and range. Therefore, it is recommended to first change all instruments to the piano, which has the widest range, before making adjustments. This is the safest approach.

(1) In the left sidebar, click the gear icon next to the instrument you want to modify.

(2) Select a new instrument: click “Replace instrument” in the pop-up menu, then search for and select the new instrument (change to Piano).

(3) Apply the change: click “OK”, and the staff name, timbre, and range limitations will automatically update.

After completing the general arrangement adjustments, if you want to do a full playback, you can switch to other instruments to hear the desired effect. How to change to a celesta-like instrument closer to the music box is explained later; the setup method is the same as described here, with the only difference being the instrument selected.

4. Set the “Range Warning”

(1) Open “Staff/Part properties”
Right-click on the instrument name at the beginning of the staff.
From the pop-up menu, select “Staff/Part properties…”.

(2) Set the Range Limit Values
In the window that appears, you will see two key fields in the lower-right corner: “Professional Range”.
Based on your model, enter the following values for Lowest note and Highest note:

｜Muro Box-N20 (20 notes) Range ｜

Range setting: C4 to A6.
Note: N20 only supports the C Major natural scale. If there are semitones (black keys), the software won’t mark them in red, but the machine cannot play them.

｜Muro Box-N40 (40 notes) Range ｜

Range setting: F3 to C7.
Note: N40 supports the full chromatic scale. Except for the low notes F#3, G#3, A#3, C#4 (the software won’t mark them in red, but the machine cannot play them), all notes within this range can be played.

(3) Check the “Transposition” Fields Below:

Interval: set to Perfect Unison.
Octave: set to 0.

(4) Check for “Red Warnings” in the Score
After completing the settings and clicking OK, return to the score page and observe:

Black notes: indicate notes within the safe playable range of the Muro Box.
Red notes: indicate notes that exceed the range you set.

5. Adjust Octaves

We first raise the entire score by one or two octaves to see if most notes are not red, which indicates that most notes fall within the playable range.

(1) Select All: Press Ctrl + A (Mac: Cmd + A). The entire score will turn blue, indicating successful selection.

(2) Shift Octave:

Raise by an octave: Press Ctrl + ↑ (Mac: Cmd + ↑)
Lower by an octave: Press Ctrl + ↓ (Mac: Cmd + ↓)

Sometimes, the melody needs to be raised by one octave while the accompaniment needs two octaves. In this case, you need to adjust single staves:

｜How to Select a Single Line of the Score｜

Find the instrument you want to select.
(1) Click the empty space in the first measure of the staff with your mouse (do not click on a note).

(2) Then press and hold Shift + Ctrl + End (Mac: Shift + Cmd + End).

｜How to Select All Identical Notes across the Score｜

(1) Select the Target Notes: Locate the note you want to select in the score (e.g., an F#).

(2) Open Advanced Selection:

Right-click on the note.
Select “Select” -> “More…”.

(3) Set Filter Conditions:

In the pop-up window, check “Same pitch”.
Make sure the scope below is set to “In score”.

(4) Click OK, and you will see all notes of that pitch in the score turn blue.

｜Optimize Visuals: Convert Bass Clef to Treble Clef｜

(1) Open the clef panel: In the left sidebar, locate the “Clefs” panel.

(2) Select the target location: Click the first measure in the score where you want to start changing the clef.

(3) Apply the treble clef:

Click the Treble Clef icon in the panel.
Or drag the treble clef icon directly onto the measure.

6. Preliminary Playback

Once most notes in the score no longer show red markings for out-of-range notes, you can do a first playback to check if the current note distribution sounds good. You can also adjust notes while listening.

Here are three playback options:

Use the software’s built-in sounds to preview.
Change to the “celesta” sound to simulate music box playback.
Connect a Muro Box for actual playback.

｜Preview with Using Built-in Software Sounds｜

Press the play button to listen with MuseScore’s built-in instrument sounds.

｜Switch to “Glockenspiel” Sound to Simulate Music Box Playback｜

Use the built-in celesta sound, which is closer to the music box’s characteristics. Listen to how this percussive instrument without sustain simulates the music box sound.

On the left toolbar, locate the instrument listed in the score, and change it to celesta to approximate the music box tone.

After switching to celesta, you need to reset the range warnings.
Celesta has a very high range, so the default score may have an extra octave (+1). Since we are only borrowing its tone, we do not need this high octave. Set Octave to 0.

｜How to Specify a Playback Range｜

Click a note and press the play button to start playback from that note.
To preview a specific section, select the range first and then play.

If you only select a single staff, only that staff line will play:
(1) Click the empty space in the first measure of the staff (do not click a note).

(2) Then hold Shift + Ctrl + End (Mac: Shift + Cmd + End).

｜Connect to Muro Box to Hear Aactual Performance｜

If you already have a Muro Box music box, you can connect it directly for playback.

(1) Hardware Connection:
First, connect the Muro Box to your computer. See the detailed illustrated guide:

Use your computer notation software to control the Muro Box for synchronized playback.

Mac users can also connect via Bluetooth to the Muro Box.

(2) Open preferences:

Mac: Click the MuseScore menu > Preferences…
Windows: Click the Edit menu > Preferences…

(3) Set the Input Device:
Switch to the I/O (Input/Output) tab. In the MIDI Output dropdown menu, select your device name.

When the music box is playing, remember to mute your computer sound to avoid interference from both the computer and the Muro Box playing simultaneously.

7. Basic Arrangement Adjustments

At this stage, most of the notes should fall within the playable range, with only a few notes needing individual adjustment. Any remaining red notes should be moved into the playable range.

High C7 rule:
For notes that exceed the highest playable pitch (shown in red in the video), you can try lowering the entire phrase by one octave and see which version sounds acceptable to you. For guidance on selecting substitute notes, refer to our previous article on using replacement notes.
If the high note does not affect the piece too much, you can also consider removing it.

Handling low notes F#3 (Gb3), G#3 (Ab3), A#3 (Bb3), and C#4 (Db4)：
When these four semitones appear in the low range, the score will not show them in red, so you need to check manually. I usually raise them by one octave to preserve the original chord characteristics. You can also try replacing them with the third, fifth, or root note of the chord. (Please refer to the table below.) Ultimately, choose what sounds best to the ear.

When test-listening, it’s better to play the two or three phrases before the section you’re adjusting rather than just the current measure. This helps ensure the changes maintain smoothness in the musical flow.

8. Advanced Arrangement Adjustments

(1) Adjusting the Distribution of Pitches

This part is quite subjective. I usually start by aiming for a balanced distribution of high, mid, and low notes, so that the whole song sounds richer and fuller. Using this song as an example:

Near the ending of this demonstration piece, after the previous range adjustments, the melody and accompaniment start to overlap. Here, I raised the melody by one octave while keeping the bass unchanged. The effect before and after the adjustment is as follows:

(1)

(2)

After raising the melody in the second audio file, it becomes much clearer.

Because of the limited pitch range of the music box, when adapting music written for conventional instruments, overlapping notes are often unavoidable. In such cases, clarity and recognizability of the melody should take priority.

Since the music box cannot vary the dynamics of its strikes, we cannot use volume to highlight the melody versus accompaniment. Therefore, pitch is the primary factor for emphasizing the melody.

｜Physical Limits of the Music Box｜

Extreme Speed Performance (For “Non-repeating Notes”): If the melody consists of jumping notes (not repeating the same note), Muro Box’s performance speed has virtually no upper limit.
- Response Time: It takes only 0.01 seconds to process different scales.
- Performance Proof: Muro Box can still perform accurately even at an extreme speed of ♩= 375 BPM with 1/64 notes (the smallest unit in the App).
- Musical Expression: You can freely compose dense chromatic melodies like “Flight of the Bumblebee” without worrying about missing notes.
Repeating Note Limit (For “The Same Note”): Since the mechanical comb teeth require physical recovery time, the same note cannot be struck more than 5 times per second, which means the limit for continuous striking of the same scale is 300 times per minute.
- Quick Judgment: When the song speed is ♩ ≥ 75 BPM, playing 1/16 notes consecutively on the same note may result in missing notes.
- Optimization Suggestion: In such cases, we recommend removing one of the repeating notes; this usually does not affect the overall perception of the melody.
Triplets Limit: Currently, the App’s support for triplets is limited. If the original piece contains a large number of complex triplets, please consider the arrangement carefully.

｜Advanced Transposition (Mostly Applies to N40)｜

For some songs, after transposing to C major and completing all adjustments, I try other keys to see if the music box can play the maximum number of notes, allowing the piece to shine. I also consider the distribution of low, mid, and high frequencies, but during transposition, I constantly check whether notes still fall within the playable range.

My usual checklist is:

Check whether the highest note of the melody fits within the playable range.
Check that the accompaniment covers low, mid, and high frequencies, avoiding concentration in the low range, which can sound muddy on the music box.
When transposing to keys other than C major or A minor, check whether the lowest notes of important chords (bass notes) fall outside the N40’s playable range. Use the “select same pitch” function to listen to these phrases and determine if raising the bass notes by an octave affects the music significantly. For example, when transposing this song to D major, I check the bass notes to see if too much is lost; if so, that key is unsuitable.

Keys that work best are those where the original song’s range is relatively compact. If the original spans a wide range, a small adjustment can affect the whole arrangement, requiring careful trade-offs. I once tested three or four keys for a single song, going through the above checks each time, before finding the key that worked best for music box performance.

9. Export MIDI file

After completing the arrangement adjustments and confirming everything sounds good, you can prepare to export the MIDI file so that the Muro Box App can play it anytime!

Note 1: When the Muro Box is connected to a computer, it can only play in real time. It cannot record the performance on the music box itself. In this case, treat the music box like a regular instrument—only for playback. To save the song on the music box, you still need to use the MIDI file and the App.
Note 2: MIDI files exported from MuseScore are currently recommended for playback only through the Muro Box App. If played directly via a USB drive, the device may fail to read the file because it hasn’t been merged into a “Single Track” format, or it may not accurately reflect the “tempo changes” from the score.

(1) Click “File” → “Export.”

(2) Choose the format “MIDI file,” then click “Export.”

Conclusion

From downloading an unfamiliar MIDI file to carefully “trimming and transposing” it note by note in MuseScore, this process is not just a software exercise—it’s a journey of transforming the melody in your mind into tangible resonance. The path is far from easy, but when the music box plays the MIDI you’ve arranged, the sense of accomplishment is irreplaceable and unforgettable!

The physical limitations of the Muro Box—such as its range or repeated note speed—are not obstacles. They teach us the “art of subtraction,” creating the most moving, pure performance within a limited scale. Listen to your carefully reworked song and hear it come alive again on the music box comb! If you want to dive deeper into this subtractive aesthetic and learn how to arrange songs perfectly suited for music box performance, check out this other instructional blog post.

Additional Applications

How to import MIDI files into the Muro Box App

(Using email to send MIDI files as an example)

Using Live Streaming to Watch and Listen to Muro Box Playing Your MIDI Files

(1) Preparation: go to the Muro Box official live streaming page.
Recommended setup: use the app on a smartphone while watching the live stream on a computer or tablet.

(2) Download the app: search for “Muro Box” on the App Store or Google Play and download it.

(3) Log in:
Use the provided trial live streaming accounts:

N20 Standard: guest@tevofy.com
N40 Sublime: guest401@tevofy.com
N40 Standard: guest402@tevofy.com
Password for all accounts: getmuroboxnow

(4) Remote Control:

Import the completed MIDI file into the mobile app, then select the song.
Turn on the speaker icon on the live stream to hear the sound.
There may be a few seconds of delay in the music box playback, so please wait.

Websites for Downloading MIDI Files

Besides musescore.com, depending on your musical needs (classical, pop, or game music), here are several widely used international MIDI download sites for musicians and educators:

1. Kunstderfuge (Classical Music)
This is one of the most comprehensive classical music MIDI libraries online.

Features: includes complete classical works, such as counterpoint pieces by Bach and Beethoven.
Advantages: extremely high-quality files, perfect for music box arrangements.
Note: free users have a daily download limit.

2. BitMidi (Nostalgia)
A very modern and clean interface, like a search engine for MIDI files.

Features: over 110,000 files, from early video game music to ’90s pop songs.
Advantages: completely free, with preview playback available on the webpage before download.

3. VGMusic (Recommended for Video Game Music)
If you’re looking for Nintendo, PlayStation, or other classic game music for music boxes, this is the place.

Features: focuses on video game music (VGM).
Advantages: highly detailed categorization (by gaming console), many MIDI files carefully created by enthusiasts.

4. MidiWorld
A long-established and reliable download site.

Features: simple categories (pop, rock, jazz, classical).
Advantages: completely free, older interface but very fast file loading.

HalbestundeRecommended sheet music scanning software: Halbestunde

If you are looking for a tool to convert paper sheet music into digital format (MusicXML), this software is currently Siegfried’s recommendation:

Purchase platform: MuseHub – Halbestunde Sheet Music Scanner
Advantage: one-time purchase. It is one of the few music scanning software on the market that does not require a monthly subscription.
Price reference: about €35 (as low as €25 during Black Friday sales), much cheaper than other software that often costs €150 or more.
Usage requirement: the software requires good photo quality; proper “sheet music photo preprocessing” is needed to ensure accurate conversion to MusicXML.
⚠️ Platform safety reminder: MuseHub.com is a worthwhile music resource platform, but extra caution is needed for financial transactions:
Avoid using the Wallet: do not store money in the MuseHub Wallet.
Financial risk: balances stored in the wallet are usually non-refundable and the wallet is mostly limited to “tips” or purchasing special sounds, which is of little practical use for general teaching or arranging.
Recommended approach: pay directly with a standard payment method when purchasing software; do not go through the platform wallet.
The digital transfer is never flawless: Whether scanning paper sheet music or processing MIDI files, digital conversion is never 100% perfect. Computer-generated results often contain errors such as rhythmic shifts, wrong notes, or cluttered layouts.
Only for people with sheet music knowledge: Because the conversion results require manual follow-up, this workflow is only recommended for those with a basic understanding of sheet music. For absolute beginners with no musical background, handling the errors produced by automated conversion can be extremely difficult.

How to Adapt My Favorite Sheet Music/MIDI File into a Playable Version for the Muro Box (Programmable Music Box)?

Muro Box Arranger: Hung-Yin Liu