Settings
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The Settings window can be accessed from the Main Menu Bar by clicking "Edit" and then "Settings".
Enable tooltips: This option enables informational tooltips to appear when hovering over controls.
Enable master oscilloscope by default: This option enables the master output oscilloscope by default, so it is enabled whenever LMMS is opened.
Show fader ticks: This option enables volume faders to have small markers bordering the fader to mark specific decibel values. These markers are tiny and white and appear on either side of the length of the fader.
Enable compact track buttons: This option visually compacts tracks in the Song Editor by hiding track names and rearranging the solo & mute controls for each track. The track labels take up less width in the song editor.
Enable one instrument track window mode: This option allows only one open instrument window at a time, meaning LMMS will close the previous instrument window when you open another one. By default, LMMS allows multiple instrument windows to be viewed at a time.
Show sidebar on the right-hand side: By default, the sidebar in LMMS is on the extreme left of the window. Enabling this option places it on the extreme right.
Let sample previews continue when mouse is released: By default, when previewing a sample in the sidebar by holding down the left mouse button over it, releasing the button stops the sample playback immediately. Enabling this option means that samples in the sidebar, when previewed, continue to play even after releasing the mouse button. This allows full preview in cases where click-and-hold isn't convenient.
Mute automation tracks during solo: When a track is solo'd in the song editor, automation tracks are still left unmuted so that any automation upon the track has an effect. This means that automation like that of volume or other parameters of an instrument track doesn't stop and go static when solo'ing a track. Enabling this setting means that solo'ing an instrument track mutes all automation, disabling any changing parameters, and the track plays as though unautomated.
Show warning when deleting tracks: It is not easy or always possible to undo a track deletion in LMMS. So a warning is displayed when deleting tracks. Disabling this option means there are no longer any warnings. While we recommend enabling it, it may be convenient to disable when trying to delete several tracks. This option is tied to the "Don't show again" checkbox that is shown in the deletion warning dialogue box.
Show warning when deleting a mixer channel that is in use: Deleting a mixer channel cannot be undone at all. If any tracks or mixer channels are routed to the mixer channel you attempt to delete, then a warning is displayed when deleting the channel. This option is tied to the "Don't show again" checkbox that is shown in the deletion warning dialogue box.
Loop edit mode: This allows you to choose how loops points can be set in LMMS. This setting can also be changed by right-clicking on the timeline in the song editor. The loop mode can be accessed by holding shift. There are three loop edit modes:
Dual-button: This allows you to place the loop points by holding shift, and using the left and right mouse button to place the start and end points of the loop respectively. Holding down shift, clicking the left mouse button anywhere on the timeline places the loop start point there, and clicking the right mouse button places the loop end point there.
Grab closest: This allows you to place the loop points by holding shift and clicking the position on the timeline where you want the loop point to be placed. This moves the closest loop point to the position on the timeline clicked.
Handles: This allows you to directly move the loop points by holding shift and dragging the loop points with the mouse button.
Show restart warning after changing settings: This option enables or disables the warning pop-up window that appears after changing settings.
Display volume as dBFS: This option changes volume displays to use dBFS, a standard unit across many digital audio workstations, instead of the default 0-100.
HQ-mode for output audio-device: This option improves the quality of playback sound for some output devices.
Sync VST plugins to host playback: This option allows VST plugins to utilize the project tempo, effectively allowing them to synchronize with LMMS.
Compress project files per default: This option saves storage space by using the compressed .mmpz save file format rather than the larger .mmp format.
Create backup file when saving a project: When enabled, this option creates a backup save file whenever you save a project.
Reopen last project file on start: When enabled, this option opens the last project you worked on when opening LMMS, rather than a blank project.
As of 1.3, "Sync VST Plugins to host playback" and "Keep effects running even without input" have been moved to Performance settings, and "HQ-mode for output audio-device" has been moved to Audio settings.
This selects the language in which text is displayed.
Autosave interval: This slider determines the time between autosaves. It can range anywhere from one to twenty minutes.
Enable autosave: This setting enables LMMS to periodically save a backup of your project.
Allow autosave while playing: This setting allows LMMS to autosave during playback.
Display playback cursor in AudioFileProcessor: This setting enables the display of the playback cursor in AudioFileProcessor.
VST plugins embedding:
No embedding: display plugins outside of LMMS, as separate windows. This setting has an extra option "
Embed using Qt API: display plugins within LMMS using Qt API.
Embed using native Win32 API: display plugins within LMMS using Win32 API.
Keep effects running even without input: This option prevents effects from sleeping when they don't have input.
This option selects how LMMS outputs sound.
On macOS and Windows, SDL is the recommended interface.
Dummy (no sound output): This option disables audio output.
JACK (JACK Audio Connection Kit):
With this interface, you can choose Clients and Channels.
PortAudio:
With this interface, you can choose Backends and Devices.
SDL (Simple DirectMedia Layer): (Default for most platforms)
With this interface you can specify the devices.
OSS (the Open Sound System): (Linux only)
With this interface, you can choose Devices and Channels. Device needs to be inputted via a textbox. The default is /dev/dsp and this may not produce sound output.
ALSA (Advanced Linux Sound Architecture): (Linux only)
With this interface, you can choose Devices and Channels. Please note the default device is "null" and has no output.
PulseAudio (Linux only)
With this interface, you can choose Devices and Channels. Device needs to be inputted via a textbox. The default is default and plays output from the default playback device.
libsoundio (Linux only)
With this interface, you can choose Backends and Devices.
sndio (OpenBSD and FreeBSD)
With this interface, you can choose Devices and Channels. Device needs to be inputted via a textbox. If the textbox is blank, a device is automatically selected.
Buffer size determines the latency of the audio coming out of LMMS, but values too low for your computer may cause unwanted audio artifacts that render the program unusable. Faster computers will be able to handle smaller buffer sizes.
This option selects how LMMS receives MIDI input.
Dummy (no MIDI support):
This option disables MIDI support.
WinMM MIDI (Windows only)
Apple MIDI (macOS only)
Jack-MIDI: (Linux and macOS only)
Jack-MIDI only has one option, a text box where you can specify the device. This is lmms by default.
This drop-down allows you to choose a MIDI controller. When a device is chosen, then the MIDI signals are automatically sent to the currently open instrument window(s) or track. This may also send signals when LMMS is not in focus. By default, pressing the right keys on the computer keyboard plays notes on the piano roll of a focused instrument, and this option allows a chosen MIDI keyboard to do the same.
This option allows MIDI control of multiple instrument windows if they are open, unlike the computer keyboard would.
Auto-quantize notes in Piano roll: By default, when recording MIDI notes into the Piano Roll from a keyboard or MIDI device, the notes are recorded as they are played, accurate to timing. This checkbox, when enabled, automatically snaps inputted notes during recording to the closest snap lines, based on the quantization settings in the Piano Roll. Disabling the checkbox is the equivalent of enabling the checkbox with the Piano Roll quantization set at 1/192.
This is where the user's own samples, projects, presets, etc. are stored.
This is where the user's own .gig files are stored. This is typically somewhere in the working directory.
This is where the user's own .sf2 files are stored. This is typically somewhere in the working directory.
LMMS does not yet support VST3 plugins.
This is where the user's LADSPA plugins are stored.
This is where the user's STK RawWave files are stored.
Despite the name, this is actually points to where the current theme is stored. To change themes, set this path to the location of the desired theme.
This points to an image used for the background of the main LMMS window. Leave it blank to use the image provided by the current theme.
Enable all note labels in piano roll: This option labels notes with their note name in the piano roll when enabled. It can be accessed via the .
If your language is not included in the available options, learn how you can contribute to localization efforts .
Smooth scroll in Song Editor: This setting enables smooth scrolling in song editor. It toggles between instantly snapping to the next part of the project as the playerhead moves out of view of the song editor when playing the project, and a smooth transition. It can be accessed via the
This is where the user's VST plugins are stored. These can be either 32 or 64 bit plugins. Note that LMMS only recognizes VST effect plugins in this directory. VST instrument plugins must be .
This is the location of .sf2 files. If one is specified, the SF2 Player will automatically load a default SoundFont when an instance is created.
