Installing Fret Beam on Windows

This is for teachers setting up Fret Beam on a Windows PC for the first time. It covers the download, running the installer, the first launch, and entering your membership key. Setting up a Mac instead? See Installing Fret Beam on a Mac.

Before you start, check that your PC runs Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, with about 1.5 GB of free disk space. An audio interface with an ASIO driver is recommended. The full list is in System requirements.

Download the installer

1. Open the download page. Go to the download page. The link in your welcome email and the Download Fret Beam button on your account page both open it with your key already filled in.
2. Pick Windows. Under Which computer is this for?, choose Windows. The page picks Windows for you when you visit from a Windows PC, and you can switch it either way.
3. Check the key field. If it is empty, paste the key from your welcome email. It starts with FB-.
4. Click Download for Windows. The file that downloads is the installer, named FretBeam-Setup-<version>.exe.

Run the installer

1. Open the installer. Double-click FretBeam-Setup-<version>.exe in your Downloads folder.
2. If you see "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway. This can appear the first time you run the installer.
3. If Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes to your device, click Yes. Fret Beam installs for every user on the PC, so Windows asks once.
4. Follow the installer's screens to the end.

The first launch

1. Open Fret Beam.
2. Enter your membership key. A Welcome to Fret Beam screen asks for your key. Click Enter my key, paste the key from your welcome email, and click Save. More detail is in Your membership key.
3. Pick your guitar input. Open Settings → Guitar input, choose your audio interface, and play until the level meter moves. The full walkthrough is Getting your guitar into Fret Beam.
4. Try one take. Press Record, play a short lick, then press Stop. The tab appears on screen.

Updates

To check for a new version yourself, open the Help menu in the app window and choose Check for Updates…. Updates are offered while your membership is active or in its free trial.

Common questions

Does Bluetooth MIDI work for a footswitch on Windows? Not without extra bridge software. On a PC, a wired USB MIDI pedal is the dependable route. See Setting up a footswitch.

Where are my saved tabs? Saved tabs go to the Guitar Tabs folder in your Documents folder.

What does uninstalling remove? Uninstalling removes the app. Your saved tabs in Documents\Guitar Tabs and your settings stay on the PC.