Sight Reader

Browser support

Sight Reader uses the Web MIDI API to talk to your keyboard. Browser support:

Chrome / Edge / Brave / Opera — fully supported on desktop and Android.
Safari — supported on macOS 14.5+ and iOS 17.4+. No extra setup required.
Firefox — supported on desktop (104+). Enable in about:config if it isn't on by default.

If you can't connect, switch to Chrome or Edge first — they have the longest, most reliable Web MIDI history. You can still play with the on-screen keyboard while you sort the connection out.

Plug in the keyboard

Use the USB-B to USB-A (or USB-C) cable that came with your piano. The port on the keyboard is usually labelled USB TO HOST, not USB TO DEVICE (that one's for thumb drives — won't work).

If you don't have the original cable: any data-capable USB-B cable works. Power-only "charging" cables don't carry MIDI data — that's the single most common cause of "the browser doesn't see my keyboard".

Wireless options (Bluetooth MIDI) work in Chrome and Edge if your keyboard advertises BLE MIDI, but a wired connection is more reliable. Pair via the OS first, then load Sight Reader.

Grant browser permission

When you open a practice page, the browser asks for permission to use your MIDI devices. Click Allow. The prompt looks slightly different per browser, but the permission is per-site — once granted, you won't see it again on this site.

If you accidentally hit "Block": click the lock icon in the address bar → Site settings → MIDI devices → Allow. Then reload.

Manufacturer-specific notes

Yamaha (P-45, P-125, P-225, YDP, Arius, Clavinova)

Plug-and-play. Some older P-series models advertise as "Digital Piano" or "USB-MIDI" rather than the model name — that's fine.

Roland (FP-30X, FP-90X, RD-88, GO:PIANO)

The newer firmware switches between "Driver Mode 1" (generic) and "Driver Mode 2" (custom Roland driver). For Web MIDI, you want Mode 1. Set via Menu → Function → USB Driver → Generic. Power-cycle the keyboard after changing.

Casio (CDP, PX, AP, Privia)

Plug-and-play. Older Privia models (PX-150 and earlier) sometimes need a few seconds after power-on before the browser sees them — wait, then refresh the Sight Reader tab.

Korg / Nord / Kawai

All work plug-and-play in our testing. Kawai's CN/CA series sometimes ships with a "Local Off" mode that suppresses the speaker — turn local back on if you want to hear what you play.

Troubleshooting

"No MIDI device detected"

Check the cable is data-capable, not power-only (see Plug in above).
Make sure the keyboard's USB output is set to Generic / Class compliant, not a custom driver.
Close every other tab using MIDI — only one app at a time can hold the device on most systems.
Reload Sight Reader after plugging in. The browser only re-scans on permission grant + reload.

Wrong notes appear

If keys are an octave off, your keyboard may be transposing. Check Function → Transpose = 0 and Function → Octave = 0.

If "wrong" notes show up that you didn't play, you may have a damper pedal stuck on — set the sustain pedal aside, plug in a known-good one, or unplug it entirely while diagnosing.

Notes stick / sustain

MIDI "stuck note" usually means a NoteOff message was dropped (cable wiggle, hub glitch). Press any key once to send a fresh NoteOff. If it keeps happening, plug the keyboard directly into your computer's USB port, not via a hub.

Latency feels off

Sight Reader doesn't add latency — it scores notes immediately on receipt. If you hear a delay in the piano sound itself, that's the keyboard or external speakers, not us. Headphones plugged into the keyboard's headphone jack will sound earliest.

Still stuck?

Email [email protected] with: your keyboard model, your browser, your OS, and what happens when you load a practice page. We typically reply within one business day.