Feature Guide

Getting Started

Three ways to add content to your library:

1

Paste a YouTube URL

Copy any YouTube link and paste it into the input on your dashboard or videos page

2

Search YouTube

Use the search bar to find videos directly without leaving the app

3

Upload an audio file

Upload MP3, WAV, or other audio files to practice with uploaded content

Tip: The smart input auto-detects whether you're pasting a URL or typing a search query — just paste or type and hit enter.

Core Practice Tools

Markers

Press V to add a marker at the current time
Drag markers on the timeline to reposition
Press 1-9 to jump to a marker
Click any marker to jump to its timestamp

Loops

Set start and end points to create a loop
Save loops with names for quick access
Add notes to loops for practice reminders
Press R to restart the current loop

Speed Control

Use the speed slider to go from 0.25x to 2x. Preset buttons give you quick access to common speeds. The Gradual Speed Trainer automatically increases speed over time as you practice — set a start speed, target speed, and increment, and it ramps up hands-free.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Space Play / Pause

← → Seek 5 seconds

↑ ↓ Adjust speed

Shift + ↑ ↓ Adjust pitch

1-9 Jump to marker

V Add marker

R Restart loop

Esc Stop loop

Playlists

1

Create a playlist

Go to Playlists and click "New Playlist" — give it a name and optional description

2

Add videos

Add from the video page dropdown menu, or search YouTube directly from the playlist

3

Organize and share

Drag videos to reorder. Toggle sharing to make the playlist public with a shareable link

Metronome & Practice Tools

Tap Tempo

Tap to set BPM. Supports 2/4, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, 6/8, and 7/8 time signatures

Subdivisions & Sounds

Choose click sounds and subdivisions (eighth notes, triplets, sixteenths)

Gradual Tempo Trainer

Automatically increases BPM over time so you build speed gradually

Tip: Access the metronome from the Practice Tools page, or use the embedded metronome on any video page.

Notes & Attachments

Rich-Text Notes

Add formatted notes to any video or playlist. Great for writing out chord charts, practice instructions, or technique reminders.

File Uploads

Attach PDFs, sheet music, images, or any reference files to videos and playlists. Keep everything in one place.

Tip: Toggle the public switch to share your notes and attachments with anyone who views your shared video or playlist.

Chrome Extension

The free browser extension unlocks extra features for YouTube videos:

1

Install the extension

Get it from the Chrome Web Store — works with Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, and other Chromium browsers

2

Navigate to a YouTube video on Slow Down

The extension activates automatically on Slow Down pages

3

Enable pitch shifting from the extension popup

Turn on "Auto-enable on Slow Down" so it activates automatically

Extension Features

Pitch shift +/- 12 semitones with fine-tune cents
Vocal separation — basic stereo and AI-powered ML mode
Re-sample audio for higher quality at slow speeds
BPM and key detection for YouTube videos

Audio Analysis

Slow Down can detect the BPM and musical key of your videos:

YouTube Videos

Requires the Chrome extension. Open a video, click "Analyze" in the song info panel, and the extension captures audio for server-side analysis.

Uploaded Audio

BPM and key are detected automatically when you upload an audio file — no extension needed.

Note: BPM display syncs with speed controls — when you slow a track to 75%, the displayed BPM updates to show the effective tempo.

Audio File Features

Pitch Transpose

Shift pitch up or down by semitones directly in the browser. Use Shift + ↑ / Shift + ↓ for quick adjustments.

Vocal Reduce / Enhance

Use the vocal slider to reduce or enhance vocals in real time. AI-powered ML model runs entirely in your browser.

Tip: No extension needed for uploaded audio — pitch shifting and vocal controls work directly in the browser.

Social

Feed

Global and friends-only feeds of posts and activity

Follow

Follow other musicians and see what they're practicing

Comments & Likes

Comment on videos, playlists, and posts. Like content you enjoy

Notifications

Get notified about new followers, comments, likes, and @mentions

Posts & @Mentions

Write posts, mention users and videos with @, share what you're working on

Featured Videos

Hand-picked videos worth practicing, curated on the featured page

Tip: Videos and playlists are private by default. Toggle sharing on individual items to make them visible to others.

Practice Tracking

Calendar Heatmap

See your practice history at a glance on a GitHub-style heatmap. Darker colors mean more practice that day.

Daily Breakdowns

Click any day to see what you practiced — which videos, at what speed, and for how long.

Practice Notes

Add notes to any practice session to track what you worked on and what to focus on next.

Streak Counter

Track your current practice streak and your all-time longest streak to stay motivated.

Tip: Sessions are logged automatically while you play — no manual tracking needed. Visit your Practice Log to see your history.

Achievements & Leaderboards

Badges & Tiers

Earn badges for practice milestones — each badge has multiple tiers (bronze, silver, gold) with progress tracking so you always know how close you are to the next level.

Leaderboards

Compare your practice time with others on weekly, monthly, and all-time leaderboards. See where you rank among fellow musicians.

Note: Achievements unlock automatically as you practice — just keep playing and they'll appear in your Achievements page.

Profile & Settings

Customize your username, bio, location, and website
Set default visibility for new videos and playlists
Switch between dark and light mode
Manage your subscription and support settings

Edit Profile Subscriptions

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