FarPlay Blog

When we got the first report that FarPlay app failed to connect after upgrading to Sequoia 15.0, we checked the logs and found that most users who upgraded hadn’t experienced issues, so we thought it might be a one-off case. But after receiving several more complaints it became clear: we had a problem.

FarPlay is an app that allows musicians to make music online interactively. This requires much lower latency than common audio/video conferencing apps provide. To make online jamming feel like you’re in the same room, end-to-end latency needs to be below 20-30ms. That’s why FarPlay relies exclusively on peer-to-peer (P2P) technology. It allows us to use the shortest and the fastest possible path to deliver audio data from one side to another. But P2P connectivity depends strongly on firewall behavior. Firewalls that are too restrictive or incorrectly configured can easily make P2P connections impossible.

Shortly after Apple released macOS Sequoia 15.0, reports of issues with different firewall and network software began popping up. Customers of large security software companies like CrowdStrike, ESET, and SentinelOne reported issues. Some VPNs stopped working too. For some FarPlay users, it looked as though their firewalls just started blocking audio traffic entirely even when their firewalls were turned off completely in system settings. At the same time, others didn’t experience any issues. I was not able to reproduce the problem on my test Mac.

We are a very small company, just a few people. If IT security giants couldn’t solve the issue, what could we do? About 60% of our users are on Mac, and even if only 10% were affected, it could have been disastrous for us. When P2P connectivity is broken, FarPlay simply can’t work. A music teacher can’t provide a scheduled lesson. Musicians can’t conduct their final rehearsal before a concert.

We began researching the changes in the new version of macOS and discovered that the new “Local Network” section in the “Privacy & Security” settings affects FarPlay connectivity. This setting has existed in iOS for a while and has now been added to macOS. Normally, it would only be required for connecting FarPlay clients within the same local network. However, we found that enabling this setting for the FarPlay app also resolved the connectivity issues for users affected by the Sequoia firewall problem.

So, if you have a networking issue with Sequoia, check out the Local Network section of Privacy & Security settings. I can’t say if this helps with other Sequoia issues, but it was a lifesaver for us. Shortly after we published this workaround on our support forum, other users confirmed that it worked for them as well.

Just recently, Apple released Sequoia bugfix version 15.0.1. As usual, its description is vague, it says it “improves compatibility with third-party security software”. We don’t have enough data yet to say if our problem was fixed with this update. Our users already had a solution at that point.

—Anton

Many thanks to everyone who enthusiastically tested FarPlay 1.3 beta. Team work pays off, and we’re thrilled to release FarPlay 1.3. This major update makes it easy to use multiple audio input devices at the same time, add reverb to individual tracks in the mixer, and make pristine recordings over a wider range of network connections thanks to built-in error correction. Version 1.3 also comes with design improvements that make it more convenient to access important features.

Upgrade here (FarPlay upgrades are always free).

Bring audio from multiple sources into FarPlay at the same time

FarPlay 1.3’s upgraded mixer, available to all users, lets you mix audio from multiple audio input devices. This makes it easy to bring in background music from another app, play on an instrument connected to an audio interface, and talk through a separate mic, all at the same time.

Simply use the Input pull-down menu for a track to select the device you want that track to use.

For step-by-step instructions, including how to send system audio on Mac and Windows to the input mixer, see our updated mixer instructions.

Reverb

FarPlay’s upgraded mixer also introduces ultra-low-latency reverb you can adjust on a track-by-track basis. Click the FX button for a track. Check the FarPlay Reverb checkbox and drag the slider to adjust the amount of reverb for the track. That’s it!

Pristine recordings over a wider range of network connections

FarPlay has been great for professional remote audio production and is even better at it now.

Since version 0.3.5, FarPlay’s recording feature has used a large buffer delay to produce high-quality recordings, even for network connections with unstable latencies. With version 1.3, we’re introducing a new packet re-requesting system to provide pristine recordings over an even wider range of network connections.

Learn more about these error-correction technologies here.

Improved design means more convenience

Subscribers can create a Persistent Meeting room by clicking the New Session button or through the Session menu. Either way, there’s no need to leave the app.

And, Broadcast Output is now easier to find and more intuitive to use with its own window and menu item.

These are just some examples of how we’ve made it easier to access important FarPlay features. For more information, visit our new accessibility page, which explains how to use FarPlay with a screen reader and keyboard navigation (including keyboard shortcuts).

Next monthly support session

Want to see how to send system audio into FarPlay? Watch the highlights from our July session below, or better yet, join us for the next one!

Sign up for our support session on Saturday August 24th 2:00pm-3:30pm New York time (8:00pm-9:30pm Central European time). Monthly tech-support sessions are available free to paid subscribers. 

Get in touch

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io.

Need help right away? Check out our FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide.

If you’d like to ask tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

We hope you enjoy FarPlay 1.3!

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

Seeking beta testers for FarPlay 1.3.0

We invite your feedback for FarPlay 1.3.0, now available in beta. This beta features an upgraded input mixer, which supports using multiple audio devices at the same time. We’ve also upgraded audio and video recording to provide pristine recording quality over a much wider range of network conditions (even with noticeable packet loss). Please note that the Mac version of this beta requires macOS 11 Big Sur or higher.

Download here: Mac | Windows | Linux

For critical uses, we recommend using FarPlay’s latest stable release, which remains version 1.2.7.

Teaching trumpet on FarPlay, “like in real life”

Davide Pianegonda explains why FarPlay is so important for teaching trumpet online: it allows him and his students “to play together, and it’s in real time.” Davide has played in prestigious orchestras, including as a Disney artist and on Italian national television. Find out more about Davide at Corso Di Tromba and watch his interview below.

Uptempo jazz, 400 miles apart

Saxophonist Petr Cancura in Ottawa and pianist Dan Tepfer in Brooklyn, NY play an uptempo version of the jazz standard Billie’s Bounce, in real time, 400 miles apart. Watch their performance below, a great demo of the level of intricate, rhythmic playing that’s possible over FarPlay at that distance.

Petr is Director of the Ottawa Jazz Festival Program, and Dan is co-founder of FarPlay. For more information about this session, read the rave review of FarPlay from Recording Magazine.

Next monthly support session: July 20

We had a great time at our May and June monthly support sessions. Did you know you can try to get more upload speed with a business internet plan? Watch the highlights from our May session below, or better yet, join us for the next one!

Sign up for our support session on Saturday July 20th 2:00pm-3:30pm New York time (8:00pm-9:30pm Central European time). Monthly tech-support sessions are available free to paid subscribers. 

Get in touch

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io.

If you’d like to ask tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

Need help right away? Check out our recently expanded FAQ & Troubleshooting Guide.

We hope you’ve been enjoying FarPlay 1.2.7 and look forward to your feedback for FarPlay 1.3.0 beta.

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

We’re proud to be featured in Recording Magazine, which has published monthly audio-technology news and reviews to help musicians “make the best recordings possible” since 1987. Writer Bill Stunt, a veteran radio production manager living near Ottawa, Canada, tested FarPlay out in real-world circumstances by playing a session with saxophonist Petr Cancura in Ottawa and pianist Dan Tepfer in Brooklyn, New York, 400 miles away. He gave FarPlay a rave review, remarking that “the sense of playing live was very real and akin to playing together in a studio,” and that “FarPlay would be ideal for remotely rehearsing and should be of genuine interest to music teachers.”

Read the full review here. To read the full May 2023 issue, head over to Recording Magazine.

Version 1.2.7 Out Now

This is an intermediate release — no shiny new features but some important improvements under the hood. We fixed a bug that occasionally affected webcam access for some Windows users. We’ve also made some minor improvements to stability. Please upgrade now (upgrades are always free).

Next monthly support session: May 25

Did you know you can reduce latency by quitting other applications on your computer? Watch the highlights from our last session below, or better yet, join us for the next one!

Sign up for our support session on Saturday May 25 2:00pm-3:30pm New York time (8:00pm-9:30pm Central European time). Monthly tech-support sessions are available free to paid subscribers. 

This brass duet is on fire!

Welcome back to Gomalan Brass Quintet members Marco Pierobon and Stefano Ammannati. Marco (trumpet, Parma, Italy) and Stefano (tuba, 120 km away, in Genova, Italy) used FarPlay to perform a killer brass rendition of Ennio Morricone’s version of “Crave” by Jelly Roll Morton. Watch their performance below.

Baroque improv over 210 miles

Tina Chancey plays the Baroque violin in Arlington, VA with Larry Molinaro on harpsichord in Falls Church, VA and our very own Dan Tepfer on piano in Brooklyn, NY. Watch their performance below. 

Get in touch

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

A few lucky users found out about FarPlay 1.2.6 before we announced its release in our last newsletter. How? They came to our March support session! Want in? There’s still time to sign up for our April 20th support session below. Support sessions are free to subscribers. 

If you haven’t already, upgrade to the latest version of FarPlay. Upgrading is always free!

Next monthly support session: April 20

We got a lot done (and had fun doing it) at FarPlay’s sixth monthly tech-support session on March 23rd. Corinne Bach and two of her voice students learned about using our QuickStart instructions to configure and test audio before lessons. Watch our highlights reel below to learn more. 

Sign up for our support session on Saturday April 20th 2:30pm-4:00pm New York time (8:30pm-10:00pm Central European time). Monthly tech-support sessions are available free to paid subscribers. 

Chopin, but make it jazz

We’re happy to feature another performance by Johan Eriksson’s jazz trio. This time, they’re playing a stunning rendition of Chopin’s Prelude in D Major. Just as before, all three players are playing together live, and their audio tracks have not been re-synched to each other after the fact. 

Johan is a composer from Falun, Sweden who uses FarPlay to rehearse and record online with Anders Teglund in Kungsbacka, Sweden and Marcus Innala in Kalix, Sweden. The trio’s rehearsals span 1100 km (680 miles). Watch their performance below.

Get in touch

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

We hope you’ve been enjoying FarPlay 1.2.6!

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

We’ve been amazed to see so many of you using FarPlay to make music together in large groups. We’re listening to your feature requests, and FarPlay 1.2.6 makes multi-user sessions easier by introducing collapsible user subpanels, persistent multi-user pan and gain settings, an audio limiter, as well as other design improvements. Upgrade here. Upgrading is always free!

Collapsible user subpanels

We’ve introduced the ability to collapse user subpanels. For larger ensembles, this means a lot less scrolling when navigating pan, gain, and latency settings for remote participants. FarPlay displays 10 collapsed user subpanels without scrolling.

To switch between full-sized and compact views of a participant’s subpanel, click the triangle next to that participant’s name.

To collapse all subpanels, hit Command + Left arrow (on Mac) or Control + Left arrow (on Windows). Expand all subpanels using Command/Control + Right arrow. You can also use the Session menu, as described in our tutorial for multi-user sessions.

Persistent multi-user pan and gain settings

FarPlay 1.2.6 can remember pan and gain settings from multi-user sessions. If you meet regularly with an ensemble, this feature lets you avoid readjusting pan and gain for each session.

To use, go to the Session menu and verify that Auto Load Last Multi-User Pan & Gain is checked. You can also save pan and gain settings to a file or load pan and gain settings from a file using the same menu. Learn more at our tutorial for multi-user sessions.

Audio limiter and 3D panning

FarPlay 1.2.6 helps make listening to multi-user sessions more comfortable.

When doing sessions with multiple people, the combined audio from everyone involved can sometimes get loud. To prevent clipping in your headphones, we’ve introduced a gain limiter to the output monitor. We’ve also added the limiter to the input mixer, mix recording, and broadcast output.

By default, FarPlay applies standard panning as found in most DAWS. We’ve also included the option to add a 3D effect to the panning so that remote participants can be positioned in space around you. If you choose to use this, you can adjust the strength of the 3D effect in preferences.

To explore settings for the limiter and 3D panning, go to the Preferences window and choose the Advanced tab. To learn more, see our instructions for the limiter and 3D panning.

Get in touch

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

We hope you enjoy FarPlay 1.2.6!

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

We’re hard at work getting the next version of FarPlay ready for you. If you haven’t yet, upgrade to the latest version of FarPlay. Upgrading is always free!

User spotlight: MJ Williams and Ann Tappan

Vocalist and trombonist MJ Williams explains that when she and pianist Ann Tappan use FarPlay, “it really does take us to a different level of listening.” MJ and Ann are world-renowned jazz musicians based in Montana who have appeared together on Montana Public Television’s 11th and Grant series. Watch their user spotlight video to learn more. 

Next monthly support session: March 23

We were so glad to meet everyone who came to our fifth monthly support session on February 18th. Kathy Schneider is the director of the New York City Bar Chorus and explained that they use FarPlay for all their auditions. Diana Leverington, in Sweden, and our own Dan Tepfer, in Brooklyn, played a saxophone-piano duet 3800 miles apart. Watch our highlights reel to learn more. 

If you’d like to join us, sign up for our next session, Saturday March 23rd 2pm–3:30pm New York time (7pm–8:30pm Central European time). Monthly tech-support sessions are available at no extra cost to paid subscribers. 

Spread the word about FarPlay

We’re grateful for your steadfast help with growing our social media community. We invite you to share how you use FarPlay and to tag us at @farplayapp on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech-support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

We hope you’ve been enjoying FarPlay 1.2.5 and FarPlay For Teachers!

—David Liao & the FarPlay team

We hope you’ve been enjoying FarPlay For Teachers and FarPlay 1.2.5. If you haven’t yet, upgrade to the latest version of FarPlay. Upgrading is always free!

#rondeauchallenge: FarPlay style

We love to see the amazing things people do with FarPlay! How do you participate in the #rondeauchallenge trending on social media? If you’re world-class Italian trumpet player Marco Pierobon, you use FarPlay to rehearse with three of your friends in Italy and Switzerland. Watch Marco, Francesco Gibellini, Stefano Ammannati, and Aldo Pizzagalli perform in tight rhythm together from four locations across 200 km. 

Hochschule für Musik Dresden features FarPlay

Under the direction of Anselm Vollprecht at the Hochschule für Musik (HfM) Dresden, students experimented with performing music online as part of the two-year project “Online Music Making and Teaching in the Digital University Space.” The project produced an illustrated setup booklet, setup tutorial videos, and samples of low-latency performances. FarPlay features heavily in these resources—all the performance samples were made with FarPlay. Access these free resources, which are fantastic for our German-speaking musicians, by visiting the project’s page.  

Project graphic design and layout: Tobias Retschke (bureau.fm)

Stay in touch

A heartfelt thanks to our users for helping us grow our community on social media. 

We invite you to share how you use FarPlay and to tag us at @farplayapp on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.

You can still sign up for our next monthly tech-support session, Sunday February 18th 2pm–3:30pm New York time (8pm–9:30pm Central European time). 

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

 —David Liao & the FarPlay team

Today, we’re introducing a new FarPlay tier. Ever since we introduced recording, we’ve had a recurring request from teachers. Many of you would like for your students, who may not have a subscription, to be able to record their sessions. FarPlay For Teachers allows this and more. Compare plans at our pricing page.

In addition to letting students record without subscriptions, this new subscription plan allows you to create up to 10 Personal Meeting Rooms. To enable full support for these new features, upgrade to FarPlay 1.2.5, out today. FarPlay For Teachers also features the same attentive support you’ve come to know through our Standard and Standard+ subscriptions.

All participants can record multitrack audio and video in sessions created by FarPlay For Teachers subscribers. Teachers no longer need to remember to make recordings for their students: teachers can leave it up to students to record their lessons.

Also, with a subscription to FarPlay For Teachers, you can create up to 10 Personal Meeting Rooms.

How will you keep track of so many rooms? Standard and Standard+ subscribers (who continue to be able to create 1 Personal Meeting Room) and FarPlay For Teachers subscribers can now give their meeting rooms any names they like–yes, even with emojis 🥳🎵!

Next monthly tech support session: Feb 18

Thanks to everyone who came to our fourth monthly tech support session on January 7th. Watch our highlights reel to listen to pianist and author Annik LaFarge explain how FarPlay is great for lessons and to enjoy Martin Waugh’s improvisation from Scotland with our own Dan Tepfer, in Brooklyn, over 3200 miles away!

If you’d like to join us, sign up for our next session, Sunday February 18th 2pm–3:30pm New York time (8pm–9:30pm Central European time). Monthly tech support sessions are available at no extra cost to paid subscribers. 

Early Music America features FarPlay

We’re proud to be featured this month in EMAg, the magazine of Early Music America. World-renowned classical vocalist and acoustic vocal pedagogy researcher Ian Howell argues that we don’t have to make music exclusively in person (or exclusively online) – “we can pick the solution that is financially, logistically, and artistically preferable on a case-by-case basis.” He writes, “today there are low-latency apps, like FarPlay, where it seems like you’re in the same room. I use these apps every day as a voice teacher and coach, and it is amazing.” Dr. Howell’s latest book is Advice for Young Musicians.

Research opportunity at Northwestern U.

You’re invited to share your experiences using FarPlay in a research study! Seth Adams, a PhD candidate at Northwestern University, is seeking English-speaking participants with 25+ hours of experience making music with others using FarPlay or other apps. Each participant will sit for a single interview conducted online. To learn more, please contact Seth at seth.m.adams@u.northwestern.edu.

Spread the word about FarPlay

We are a small company. Four people make up the core of our team: Dan Tepfer, Anton Runov, Martyna Goralska, and yours truly. We rely heavily on word of mouth to grow, and we invite you to share how you use FarPlay and to tag us at @farplayapp on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitter.

We’ve been loving featuring our amazing users. If you’d like to be included — whether you use FarPlay for lessons, rehearsals, jam sessions, or conversations — we’d love to talk to you. You can let us know by emailing us at contact@farplay.io. For tech support questions, our forum is the fastest way to reach us. If you need to reach us privately, email us at support@farplay.io — we’re happy to help!

We hope you enjoy FarPlay 1.2.5 and FarPlay For Teachers!

 —David Liao & the FarPlay team