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Getting Started

Your First Practice Session

You'll be playing piano with real sheet music in under 5 minutes.

Quick Reference

  1. 1 Open a piece from your Library or the bundled collection
  2. 2 Connect your MIDI keyboard via USB or Bluetooth
  3. 3 Play the highlighted notes — the cursor advances automatically
  4. 4 Keep practicing! Explore loops, hand modes, and zoom when ready

1 Open a Piece

When you first open Crescendo, you'll see your library. Tap any piece to open it, or use the + button to import your own sheet music.

New to Crescendo? We've included some bundled pieces to get you started. Tap any of them to begin.

Screenshot: Library view with pieces

2 Connect Your Piano

Connect your MIDI keyboard via USB or Bluetooth. Crescendo will detect it automatically.

USB Connection

  1. Connect your keyboard using a USB adapter (Lightning or USB-C depending on your device)
  2. Open Crescendo and go to Settings
  3. Tap MIDI - your keyboard should appear automatically

Bluetooth Connection

  1. Put your keyboard in Bluetooth pairing mode
  2. In Crescendo, go to Settings > MIDI
  3. Tap Scan for Bluetooth MIDI
  4. Tap your keyboard name to connect

USB Connection (OTG)

  1. Connect your keyboard using a USB-C OTG adapter
  2. If prompted, enable USB OTG Storage in your device settings
  3. Open Crescendo and go to Settings > MIDI
  4. Your keyboard should appear automatically

Bluetooth Connection

  1. First, pair your keyboard in Android Settings > Bluetooth
  2. Open Crescendo and go to Settings > MIDI
  3. Tap your keyboard name to connect

Note: Some Android devices require re-pairing Bluetooth MIDI each session.

No piano? You can still explore the sheet music and hear playback without a MIDI keyboard.

3 Start Playing

Once your piece is open and keyboard is connected, you're ready to practice:

  1. Look at the highlighted notes under the cursor
  2. Play those notes on your piano
  3. When you play correctly, the cursor advances automatically

Animation: Cursor advancing as notes are played

4 You're Practicing!

That's it. You're now reading and playing real sheet music. Practice for a few minutes, then explore the features below when you're ready.

When You're Ready for More

Loop a Difficult Section

Struggling with a tricky passage? Set A-B loop points to practice just that section:

  1. Tap the loop icon in the bottom controls
  2. Tap the start measure of your loop
  3. Tap the end measure
  4. Practice that section - it will repeat automatically

Loop points are saved and restored each time you open the piece.

Practice Hands Separately

Focus on one hand at a time using the hand selector:

  • Both - Both hands together
  • R - Right hand only (treble staff)
  • L - Left hand only (bass staff)

When practicing one hand, Crescendo only checks notes for that hand. The other staff is dimmed.

Adjust Tempo

Use the tempo controls to slow down difficult passages:

  • Tap the tempo display in the bottom controls
  • Use + / - buttons to adjust BPM
  • Start slow, then increase speed as you improve
Import Your Own Sheet Music

Crescendo supports these file formats:

  • MusicXML (.xml, .musicxml, .mxl) - Best quality
  • MIDI (.mid, .midi) - Converted automatically
  • LilyPond (.ly) - For power users

Find free sheet music at MuseScore.com or IMSLP.org.

Zoom & Navigation
  • Pinch to zoom - Scale from 50% to 200%
  • Tap anywhere on the sheet music - Jump to that position
  • Scroll - Navigate through the piece

Still Need Help?

Having trouble getting started? We're here to help.

support@crescendopiano.app

Response time: 2-3 business days

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