Music Practice Mate

Your musicYour performance

Practice with precision. Perform with freedom.

Your music practice, organized. Keep each song as a project with its own saved progress, then practice, record, automate MIDI gear, and pick up exactly where you left off.

Every song, a project

Save your practice state, switch between songs, and export or import projects across devices.

Focus on any passage

Set loops, slow the tempo, and transpose music without interrupting your practice.

Shape your mix

With your compatible Core ML model, separate music into six stems and adjust individual instrument levels to create your ideal backing track. Learn more

Record your playing

Capture takes from an input device and shape the recording with built-in effects.

Play to the beat

Use detected tempo, a metronome, and optional count-in clicks.

PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF

Every Song Is a Project

Your practice is never lost. Music Practice Mate manages each song as a separate project, preserving your practice state so you can return to any song without setting everything up again.

Keep your progress

Return to your saved practice setup, including your work on loops and other song-specific settings.

Switch songs freely

Work on multiple songs and pick up where you left off instead of configuring each session from scratch.

Take projects with you

Export a project and import it on another device to continue practicing there.

Move a project to another Mac

Use the application's project export command to save a portable project.
Transfer the exported project to the other Mac.
Import the project in Music Practice Mate to continue your practice.

Project export/import is different from exporting a finished audio mix. Use project transfer when you want to continue editing and practicing on another device.

Getting Started

Music Practice Mate main interface — Main player: waveform timeline, recorded clips, loop markers, playback controls, tempo, and device selection.

Open Music Practice Mate.
Load an audio file using the application's file-opening control, or drag the file into the main window.
If you want to use stem separation, load a compatible Core ML model through Preferences. This step is optional. Learn more
Choose your audio output in the device controls, then press Space to start playback.
Adjust speed, enable a loop, or open the mixer as needed.

Tip: Start with a short passage at slower playback speed, then gradually increase the speed as your timing improves.

Playback, Looping, Speed & Transpose

Take full control of your practice with precise playback, looping, speed, pitch, and volume adjustments.

Control	Function
Speed	Adjust playback speed from 25% to 175%.
Loop	Create and save up to 10 practice loops to repeat specific passages.
Transpose	Shift pitch by up to 12 semitones up or down.
Volume	Change or mute the master output.
Timeline	Seek to a position in the song.

Reading the main window

The upper timeline displays the song waveform, playhead, and colored markers for practice regions and MIDI cues. Recorded takes appear as clips in the lower track. The transport row provides playback, recording, loop, speed, pitch, and volume controls.

Music Practice Mate mixer demonstration — Demonstration of 10 saved practice loops.

Practice Loops

Create and save up to 10 practice loops to repeatedly work on specific passages.

Seek to the desired loop start and press [.
Seek to the desired loop end and press ].
Fine-tune the start and end points using keyboard shortcuts or by dragging the loop markers on the timeline.
Press Return to toggle loop playback on or off.
Use number keys 1 through 9 and 0 to select any of the 10 saved loops.

Press = or + to add a new loop. Use , and . to navigate between loops, or select a specific loop directly using the number keys.

Stem Separation & Mixer

Music Practice Mate supports six-stem audio separation using a user-provided Core ML model. To enable separation, create a compatible model using the independent tutorial at Kurtzford Audio, then load the generated model through Preferences. No model is included with the app. Learn more

Once the stems are available, use the Mixer to adjust individual levels, mute instruments, and control the overall mix. The Mixer can also be used for recording and input-level adjustments without separated stems.

Using the Mixer

Open the Mixer window from the main player.
When separated stems are available, use each channel fader to balance the six stems.
Select M to mute a stem or D to reduce its level. The reduced level is configured in Preferences.
Use the STEMS fader for the overall backing-track level, and RECORDING for the recorded performance.
Use INPUT GAIN to adjust the incoming audio signal when needed.

The visible meter activity reflects the current playback or input signal. Stem separation quality varies with the original recording.

Audio Input & Output Devices

Music Practice Mate preferences interface — Preferences: audio output and input, input channels, MIDI output device, reduced stem level, and recording clip deletion confirmation.

Select the output device you want to hear through, such as built-in speakers, headphones, or a compatible USB audio interface. Choose a recording input separately, or select None when you do not intend to record.

Available input channels depend on the connected audio interface. Wired monitoring is generally preferable for latency-sensitive practice.

Connection Examples

Practice and recording with multi-effect processor connection example

Practice and recording with MIDI keyboard connection example

Practice and recording with audio interface connection example

Practice and recording with mic'd guitar amp connection example

Example audio and MIDI connections for different practice setups. Actual connections depend on the capabilities of your equipment.

Configure your devices

Open Preferences and select an Output device for playback.
Select an Input device and the appropriate mono or stereo Input channel for recording.
Select the connected MIDI output device separately when using MIDI cues.
Set Reduced stem level to control how quiet a stem becomes when reduced.

Audio input/output and MIDI output are independent selections. A device may provide one capability without the others.

Recording

Record performances through a selected input device and manage takes on the timeline. Input monitoring lets you hear the incoming signal while playing.

Music Practice Mate uses proprietary latency compensation technology designed to help align recorded performances with the backing music.

Working with takes

Recorded clips appear on the lower timeline beneath the backing waveform. You can review, mute, and remove clips as you refine your performance. The Mixer controls the recording level independently from the separated stems.

Recording Effects

The recording track includes a compressor, eight-band equalizer, and reverb. Each effect can be bypassed separately, and the overall effects rack can be switched on or off.

Effect	Purpose
Compressor	Controls recording dynamics and provides gain-reduction feedback.
Equalizer	Adjusts tone across eight frequency bands.
Reverb	Adds a sense of acoustic space.

Adjusting recording effects

Use the compressor controls for threshold, headroom, attack, release, and makeup gain. The gain-reduction meter provides visual feedback. Shape the recorded tone with the eight-band equalizer, then adjust the reverb space and wet/dry mix. Each processor has its own power control.

Recording effects process the recording track. When exporting, choose whether to include or bypass them.

Metronome & Count-in

Music Practice Mate metronome demonstration

With separated drum audio and successful beat analysis, Music Practice Mate can detect the song's tempo and synchronize the metronome to its beat. Select Auto when beat detection is available. You can also set or tap a tempo manually without a Core ML model. Automatic beat synchronization and count-in are unavailable when reliable drum beat timing cannot be detected. Learn more

MIDI Controls

Use the MIDI Controls window to program combinations of MIDI Program Change (PC) and Control Change (CC) commands at specific points on the song timeline. During playback, Music Practice Mate sends the programmed commands to a selected USB-connected MIDI device, allowing compatible devices to be controlled automatically at the desired times. Select the MIDI output device in Preferences. Device compatibility depends on USB MIDI support, MIDI channel settings, and the commands recognized by the device. MIDI cues can be added up to the supported cue limit.

Add MIDI cues at the exact moments you want, then freely adjust their timing and actions to automate your gear as the song progresses.

Program a MIDI cue

Connect a compatible MIDI device and choose it under Preferences → MIDI output device.
Open MIDI Controls Cue and add a cue at the desired song time.
Set the Trigger mode, then configure Action 1, Action 2, and optionally Action 3.
For each action, select PC or CC. Enter the command number and, for CC, its value.
Use Action Delay (ms) to space the actions when required by the receiving device.
Play the song to execute cues at their programmed timeline positions.

Example: Send a Program Change to select a preset, followed by a Control Change to set an effect state. MIDI command numbers and supported values are device-specific. Consult the hardware manufacturer’s MIDI implementation chart.

MIDI cues send commands to the selected compatible output device. The screenshot illustrates cue configuration, not guaranteed compatibility with every USB-connected device.

Exporting Audio

Music Practice Mate export interface — Export Audio: audio source, file format, pitch, and recording-effects options.

Export your recorded performance by itself, combined with the backing stems, or as separate files. Bring your recordings into a digital audio workstation (DAW) for more detailed editing and mixing, share performances with bandmates and collaborators, or send practice recordings to teachers and students for feedback.

Setting	Choices
Audio source	Recording track only; Mixed with stems (requires separated stems); Stems mix + recording track (separate files, requires separated stems). Learn more
Format	AAC (.m4a); Apple Lossless (.m4a); WAV (.wav)
Pitch	Original pitch; Current transpose, when available
Recording FX	Include effects; Bypass effects

Open Export Audio.
Choose the audio source and output format.
Choose the pitch and whether to include recording effects.
Click Export and select the destination.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Control nearly every feature with keyboard shortcuts, minimize mouse interactions, and stay focused on your music for a faster, smoother, and more intuitive practice experience.

Shortcut	Action
`Space`	Play / Pause
`Esc`	Stop
`←` / `→`	Seek backward / forward 2 seconds
`Shift` + `←` / `→`	Seek 5 seconds
`↑` / `↓`	Adjust master volume
`Return`	Toggle loop
`R`	Record
`A`	Add MIDI cue
`Tab`	Tap tempo
`[` / `]`	Set loop start / end
`1` to `9`, `0`	Select loop
`⌘` + `↑` / `↓`	Increase / decrease speed

For the full current shortcut set, open the Keyboard Shortcuts window in Music Practice Mate.

Troubleshooting

No sound

Confirm the selected output device, master volume, and mute settings. Check whether your external interface is connected and available to macOS.

Cannot record

Verify that an input device other than None is selected, the desired channel is available, and microphone permission is granted if macOS requests it. Recording is disabled while a practice loop is active.

Recording sounds out of sync

Check the selected audio device. Bluetooth playback devices may introduce noticeable monitoring delay.

Separated stems are not available

Check that a compatible Core ML model has been loaded through Preferences. If separation is in progress, allow it to finish. Stem controls become available once separated audio has been generated or loaded from an existing project. Learn more

MIDI commands are not working

Verify that the external device supports receiving MIDI commands from a computer via USB. Ensure that the MIDI Program Change (PC) and Control Change (CC) commands are configured correctly according to the device's MIDI implementation specifications.

Input gain does not affect monitoring volume

The Input Gain fader adjusts the level of the signal being recorded, not the monitoring volume. This is expected behavior. To change the monitored input level, adjust the volume or output level directly on the input device.

Music Practice Mate supports Core ML-powered stem separation, allowing you to isolate instruments, customize your backing tracks, and unlock automatic beat detection when a separated drum track is available. Creating your own compatible Core ML model is easier than you might think. By following a publicly available step-by-step tutorial, you can have a working model ready in approximately 30 minutes.

What Is a Core ML Model?

Core ML is Apple's machine learning framework that enables AI models to run locally on your Mac. Music Practice Mate uses a compatible, user-provided Core ML model to separate music into six instrument stems: drums, bass, vocals, guitar, piano, and other sounds. Once loaded, the model unlocks powerful features that give you greater control over your music practice, from creating personalized backing tracks to automatically detecting beats and synchronizing your metronome.

Music Practice Mate CoreML Model loading demonstration — Once a compatible Core ML model is loaded, Music Practice Mate automatically separates the song into six instrument stems. Individual volume and mute controls become available in the Mixer, while automatic beat detection enables synchronized metronome and count-in features when analysis succeeds.

What Can I Do With or Without a Model?

Feature	Without a model	With a compatible model
Playback, speed & pitch control	Available	Available
Practice loops	Available	Available
Recording & recording effects	Available	Available
Manual metronome & tap tempo	Available	Available
MIDI automation	Available	Available
Project management	Available	Available
Recording-only audio export	Available	Available
Generate new six-stem tracks	Not available	Available
Individual stem mixing & stem-based export	Available with previously generated stems	Available after separation
Automatic beat detection & synchronized count-in	Available with existing drum stems and successful beat analysis	Available when drum-stem beat analysis succeeds

You do not need to keep a model loaded to reuse stems that have already been generated and saved. Automatic beat features depend on successful drum-stem analysis, not simply on loading a model.

Compatible Model Specifications

The following is the format produced by the Kurtzford Audio six-stem tutorial and used by Music Practice Mate for separation.

Setting	Required format
Package	Core ML `.mlpackage` (HTDemucs 6-stem FP16 conversion)
Input	`audio`, Float32, `[1, 2, 441000]`
Output	`sources`, Float16, `[1, 6, 2, 441000]`
Audio format	44.1 kHz, stereo, 10-second segments
Stem order	drums, bass, vocals, guitar, piano, other
Target	macOS 13 or later

Music Practice Mate processes longer songs automatically. The numbers above describe the model interface, not a limit on the length of the song you can practice.

Create a Compatible Model

Want to unlock six-stem separation? It is easier than you might think! The step-by-step guide at Kurtzford Audio* shows you how to convert a pretrained HTDemucs six-stem model into a compatible Core ML package, verify its input and output specifications, and test the results. No coding skills, AI background, or model training from scratch required. Just follow the instructions and unlock even more of what Music Practice Mate can do!

Once your model is ready, load the .mlpackage in Preferences and start separating songs to build your own practice mixes.

Follow the Core ML Model Tutorial

*Kurtzford Audio is an independent educational resource.