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Troubleshooting

Nota won’t open

Section titled “Nota won’t open”
  • macOS says “Nota” Not Opened or “is damaged” — Nota isn’t signed with a paid certificate yet. Follow Install Nota ▸ macOS: Privacy & Security ▸ Open Anyway, or xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/Nota.app in Terminal.
  • Windows SmartScreen — More info ▸ Run anyway.
  • Linux — make the AppImage executable (chmod +x).

No sound

Section titled “No sound”
  1. Settings ▸ Audio ▸ Play test tone. No tone? Check Output — the right device, and your system volume.
  2. Tone but no music? Check the track isn’t muted, another track isn’t soloed, and the master volume (MST) is up.
  3. An instrument track plays only when there are notes — or when you play it.

Bluetooth headphones (AirPods and others) on macOS — since 0.50.1 Nota leaves the headphones’ sample rate alone, so they no longer go silent. On an older version, update.

Crackles, dropouts, high CPU

Section titled “Crackles, dropouts, high CPU”
  • Raise the Buffer size in Settings ▸ Audio.
  • Run CPU check while the project plays to see the load and any dropouts.
  • Freeze heavy tracks.
  • Turn off oversampling in devices that have it, and use fewer unison voices.

A MIDI controller does nothing

Section titled “A MIDI controller does nothing”
  • Settings ▸ MIDI — is it listed, and switched on? Plugged in while Settings was open? Reopen it.
  • Watch the dot on the MIDI button — it flashes when anything arrives.
  • Notes go to the selected instrument track; to record, arm it.

A plug-in is missing

Section titled “A plug-in is missing”
  • Settings ▸ Plug-ins ▸ Rescan plugins.
  • Not in a standard folder? Add folder… there (VST3). AU plug-ins come from the system registry.
  • A project opened without some plug-ins — if the Nota registry has them, Nota offers to install them and reopen the project.

The phone can’t connect

Section titled “The phone can’t connect”
  • Same network? Guest Wi-Fi often keeps devices apart — use the phone’s hotspot or a USB cable.
  • Settings ▸ Remote — is it on? Allow Nota on the local network (macOS) or private networks (Windows), and in your firewall on the port shown.
  • A forgotten phone has to scan a new code.

The gamepad does nothing

Section titled “The gamepad does nothing”

Gamepad input is macOS-only for now. Turn it on in Settings ▸ Gamepads.

The update didn’t install

Section titled “The update didn’t install”

A copy run straight from the disk image can’t replace itself — the banner links to the release page instead. Install Nota into Applications first.

Nota closed unexpectedly

Section titled “Nota closed unexpectedly”

On the next launch, choose Recover to get back the work since your last save. See First launch.

AI features can’t run

Section titled “AI features can’t run”

Settings ▸ Downloads ▸ AI Models says so when ONNX Runtime has no build for your computer.