Wishlist on SteamPlay songs
Guitar and bass parts become gameplay driven by your real playing.
Wishlist on Steam
Fretlore is a video game built around real electric guitar and bass playing
A real electric guitar or bass connects through an audio interface. Fretlore recognizes what you play in real time and turns your performance into gameplay.
Wishlist on Steam
How Fretlore works
Your guitar or bass sends live audio through a cable and audio interface. Fretlore recognizes the notes and chords you play and turns them into game events in real time.
- Guitar / Bass
- Cable
- Audio Interface
- Live Audio
- Note Recognition
- Game Response
What you can do in Fretlore
Songs, practice, instrument tone, and playing history live inside the same game.
Practice
Work with songs, passages, exercises, timing, and note accuracy.
Shape your sound
Built-in amps, effects, cabinets, and signal chains shape your guitar or bass tone.
Track your playing
Timing, note accuracy, scores, and previous attempts stay available over time.
Practice with songs and exercises
Practice can cover a full part or a short passage. A section can be looped, slowed down, played with a metronome, and repeated while Fretlore shows note and timing feedback.
From a song to a practice loop
A riff, chord progression, solo, or bass line can become a practice loop inside the game. Playback can run slower or with a metronome while Fretlore follows your real guitar or bass playing. Each attempt shows note and timing feedback, with previous results available for comparison.
Learning material becomes playable
Exercises, guided material, and a teacher’s own song parts can become material to play inside Fretlore. Guitar and bass players can work through a passage with looping and tempo controls, while the game responds to their playing and records each attempt.
Guitar and bass tone inside the game
Fretlore includes its own sound processing for the instrument you play. The same environment used for songs and practice also handles your guitar or bass tone.
Amps, effects, and cabinets
Amps, effects, and cabinets can be arranged into a configurable signal chain.
Built-in DSP
The built-in DSP processes the live instrument signal while you play, so the sound chain remains part of the game itself.
Songs, parts, and your own material
Fretlore turns guitar and bass parts into playable tracks. A track can contain a full song, a single part, or a shorter section used for practice.
Wishlist on SteamPlay your part
Your guitar or bass part sits inside the musical context of the track, alongside the backing.
Focus on smaller sections
Riffs, chord progressions, solos, and bass lines can become separate practice sections without leaving the song.
Guitar Pro and local tracks
Tabs from popular Guitar Pro formats can be converted into Fretlore tracks and loaded locally. This works with your own material and with music you have permission to use.
A real guitar or bass, a cable, and an audio interface
A real electric guitar or bass connects to Fretlore through a standard instrument cable and a USB audio interface with a Hi-Z instrument input. Windows uses an ASIO driver, while macOS uses Core Audio.
Electric guitar
Fretlore supports electric guitars with 6 to 9 strings, configurable tuning, and configurable fret count.
Bass guitar
Fretlore supports bass guitars with 4 to 8 strings, configurable tuning, and configurable fret count.
Alternate tunings and tuner
Guitar and bass setups can use alternate tunings. A built-in tuner helps check the pitch of each string.
No special controller
A standard quarter-inch instrument cable connects the instrument to the interface. Fretlore does not require a modified guitar, modified bass, or dedicated controller.
See your playing over time
Fretlore records results from your attempts. Timing, note accuracy, and scores create a history of how each part was played.
Timing and note accuracy
Feedback shows how your notes and timing compare with the track.
Attempts and scores
Each attempt keeps its own result, so repeated takes remain available for comparison.
Playing history
Past results show how your playing changes across passages, exercises, and full tracks.
Community and ARENA
Community features connect player-made tracks with the rest of Fretlore. ARENA is the competitive part of the game.
Shared tracks
Players can share tracks they create and have permission to distribute through Steam Workshop.
Community library
Shared tracks can become new material for playing, practice, and community challenges.
ARENA
ARENA uses tracks, scores, and rankings for competitive play. The same performance data used during normal gameplay becomes part of each challenge result.
Fretlore on Steam
Developed by RawWorld for Windows and macOS. The game is in development. Follow the official Steam page for current system requirements, updates, and wishlisting.
Wishlist on SteamFrequently asked questions
Do I need a special guitar or controller?
No. Fretlore uses a real electric guitar or bass, a standard instrument cable, and a USB audio interface with a Hi-Z instrument input. Windows requires an ASIO driver, while macOS uses Core Audio. No dedicated controller or instrument modification is required.
Which platforms is Fretlore being developed for?
Fretlore is in development for Windows and macOS. The official Steam page lists the current system requirements for both platforms.
Which guitars and basses does Fretlore support?
Fretlore supports electric guitars with 6 to 9 strings and bass guitars with 4 to 8 strings. Tuning and fret count can be configured for the instrument being used.
Can I use alternate tunings?
Yes. Fretlore supports alternate tunings for guitar and bass, and includes a tuner for checking individual strings.
How does Fretlore recognize what I play?
Fretlore receives live instrument audio through the audio interface and recognizes notes in real time. Notes and chord-based parts can then be used as gameplay events.
Can I use my own Guitar Pro tabs?
Yes. Popular Guitar Pro formats can be converted into Fretlore tracks and loaded locally. The source material should be something you have permission to use.
Is Fretlore only for experienced players?
No. Fretlore can be used with songs, exercises, slower playback, looping, and note and timing feedback at different levels of playing experience.
Can Fretlore be used in lessons?
Yes. Teachers can use their own learning material with Fretlore practice tools, tempo controls, looping, and playing feedback.
Has a release date been announced?
No release date has been announced. Project updates and the wishlist are available on Steam.
Wishlist on Steam