Troubleshooting
Searching forever, the processed tag, wrong octaves, nothing arriving in Ableton or on the desk — and what to do.
| Symptom | Likely cause & fix |
|---|---|
searching for more than a few seconds, or no steady beat |
No clear beat inside the range — or it really is speech, noise or a pad. Try another mode or range (⚙), check the level meter, or Tap along to hold a tempo. |
No signal — check the input |
The chosen input delivers nothing. Open Input ⚙, watch the Level meter, pick the right device or channel, press Use this input. |
| Number is double or half | Octave error. Tap the or 174? hint if it shows, pick the range your music lives in (⚙), tap ½× / 2×, or Tap along three times. |
| Number jumps on a breakdown | Set Release to Slow · 5 s, or press Hold for the breakdown. |
drifting tag |
The tempo moved more than 3 % in 10 s — a real change (DJ, click) or the drummer. Not a fault. |
Input tag reads processed |
The browser is filtering the mic (echo cancellation, auto gain), which flattens the beats. Use an interface, or another browser; on Safari try the interface instead of the built-in mic. |
Clipping under the buttons |
Stage-level sound is clipping a phone mic. Move away, or use a line feed through an interface. |
| Lights fire late | The mic is far from the PA (2.9 ms per metre). Set ⚙ → Beat offset (enter the distance). |
| Beat 1 is on the wrong beat | Heavy backbeat. Press Set 1 on the beat before the real one. |
Microphone access denied |
Allow the microphone in the browser's address bar and press Start again. |
Microphone API not available |
TempoSense needs HTTPS or localhost; open it from squaresmile.de. |
| Listening stops on its own | You switched tabs or hid the app with no MIDI output on — TempoSense then releases the mic. Press Start again. With an output on it keeps listening. The input was disconnected or Audio was interrupted: pick the input again, or press Start. |
The input is in use by another app |
A DAW or a call holds the interface. Close it or pick another input. |
| Firefox asks for permission again | Normal — Firefox re-asks when you switch devices. |
| Only one input on iOS | iOS exposes one input. A USB interface becomes the default while connected. |
Output ⚙ says This browser has no Web MIDI |
Use Chrome, Edge or Firefox on the laptop. |
| Nothing arrives in Ableton | Check the IAC port is online, Remote is On for that port in Ableton, and TempoSense is locked — or untick Only while locked. |
| Nothing arrives on the desk | Check the port and channel match the desk's MIDI In, the note numbers match the remotes (defaults 36–39), and remotes are enabled on the desk. See Send beat pulses to a lighting desk. |
| Tempo in the receiver is wrong | The receiver's mapping range does not match the Range in ⚙. Set both to the same range (for example 80–160). |
| Receiver on MIDI clock drifts | The clock follows the detected tempo. Use the controller path (tempo as CC or pitch bend) when the receiver should stay the master — see Send the tempo to Ableton or LiveProfessor. |
Output status says Choose a port above or Nothing sent yet |
No port selected, or not locked yet with Only while locked on. |
Getting a clean signal
For anything louder than a rehearsal room, use a line feed: a pre-fader
aux of drums or the full mix to an input of your interface, then pick the
interface in Input ⚙ and choose Mono sum (inputs 1 + 2), Left,
Right or Input 3 and up under Channel. Chrome and Edge pass every
input of the interface; Safari and Firefox often only the first one or two. The tag next to the input name should read raw.
Still stuck?
The ? button inside the tool has the same setups in English, German and Spanish. For account or sign-in problems see Your account.
Thanks for the feedback.