Thread: ABC songbook 101

Okay, I got tired of explaining once at a time to everyone how to play music in lotro, so I have decided to write how to do it. I am aware a document of this sort may already be cirulating around, but I have decided nonetheless to make one, a simple one, that you can follow step by step and be able to play music on lotro. Here it is, enjoy.

In order to be able to use ABC songbook, make sure you have the following:
• Windows 7 (I have never tried anything else, but for my demonstration, its used with windows 7)
• Notepad (I think all windows computers have this application)
• An internet browser
• LOTRO

1. So, if you read this sentence, it means you’re ready to start! First thing to do is open my documents folder of the computer. Then, open the folder named: The Lord of the Rings Online. Now if you read all the files in that folder, you have all your screenshots, lotro.keymap, User preferences and Plugin Data. Click on the new folder icon and name your folder: music. It has to be written without capital M. Now, recheck everything to make sure you didn’t forget anything. Your music folder is well in the Lord of the Rings Online folder which is located in my documents? Perfect.
2. Now, you are ready to find your song! Open your internet browser and search: the Fat Lute. You can also simply take this link: http://www.thefatlute.com/. First thing, don’t make an account, it is useless. Now, look at top of page, you see the fat lute written in nice writing. Read down a bit, you see a sort of menu. Click on SONG BOOK. You now have access to all the ABC songs that the Fat Lute can supply to lotro musicians. There are two search boxes above list if you don’t want to ready the entire song list. You can search an artist or his song. If you do not have any idea of song, take one of mine so we can play it together. Search Bryan Adams in artist box. Now you see a smaller list of songs. Select the one called Run to you. Now you see a white box filled with strange writing. You need to copy ALL the text written in the white box. Just select it from top to bottom and right click copy. Now, the NOTEPAD time. Open Notepad application and copy the content of the white box on your new pad. Once the text is on notepad, do SAVE AS. Now, you have to save your notepad file in the music folder you had made earlier. Once you’ve selected music folder, choose a name for your song. I suggest taking the name of the song without any spaces. For Run to you, I named it runtoyou. Finally, one of the most important things, select file type! DO NOT CHOOSE .TXT!!!!! Select the other option which should be something like all files. NICE! YOU’RE READY TO BE A MUSICIAN!
3. Now, open Lotro. Take an instrument, if you don’t have one, go find a bard! Equip your instrument and type /music. That will put you in music mode; you’re ready to start song. Now, type /play runtoyou(or any other thing you named it when saving with notepad). Good job, you passed the test, you’ll see, second song’ll be easier to get! Have fun!


If you have trouble with the instructions or you are still unable to play music in lotro, please send a message. Thank you and make me a feedback if you want.

Originally Posted by Charlesdp

Okay, I got tired of explaining once at a time to everyone how to play music in lotro, so I have decided to write how to do it. I am aware a document of this sort may already be cirulating around, but I have decided nonetheless to make one, a simple one, that you can follow step by step and be able to play music on lotro. Here it is, enjoy.

In order to be able to use ABC songbook, make sure you have the following:
• Windows 7 (I have never tried anything else, but for my demonstration, its used with windows 7)

Windows 7 is not necessary. It works on XP, and I assume on any other version of Windows as well.

• Notepad (I think all windows computers have this application)
• An internet browser
• LOTRO

1. So, if you read this sentence, it means you’re ready to start! First thing to do is open my documents folder of the computer. Then, open the folder named: The Lord of the Rings Online. Now if you read all the files in that folder, you have all your screenshots, lotro.keymap, User preferences and Plugin Data. Click on the new folder icon and name your folder: music. It has to be written without capital M. Now, recheck everything to make sure you didn’t forget anything. Your music folder is well in the Lord of the Rings Online folder which is located in my documents? Perfect.

Folder can be named with or without a capital letter. Mine works just fine named Music.

2. Now, you are ready to find your song! Open your internet browser and search: the Fat Lute. You can also simply take this link: http://www.thefatlute.com/. First thing, don’t make an account, it is useless. Now, look at top of page, you see the fat lute written in nice writing. Read down a bit, you see a sort of menu. Click on SONG BOOK. You now have access to all the ABC songs that the Fat Lute can supply to lotro musicians. There are two search boxes above list if you don’t want to ready the entire song list. You can search an artist or his song. If you do not have any idea of song, take one of mine so we can play it together. Search Bryan Adams in artist box. Now you see a smaller list of songs. Select the one called Run to you. Now you see a white box filled with strange writing. You need to copy ALL the text written in the white box. Just select it from top to bottom and right click copy. Now, the NOTEPAD time. Open Notepad application and copy the content of the white box on your new pad. Once the text is on notepad, do SAVE AS. Now, you have to save your notepad file in the music folder you had made earlier. Once you’ve selected music folder, choose a name for your song. I suggest taking the name of the song without any spaces. For Run to you, I named it runtoyou. Finally, one of the most important things, select file type! DO NOT CHOOSE .TXT!!!!! Select the other option which should be something like all files. NICE! YOU’RE READY TO BE A MUSICIAN!

Make sure not only that you set the file type to All Files, but that the file extension for your music file is .abc

3. Now, open Lotro. Take an instrument, if you don’t have one, go find a bard! Equip your instrument and type /music. That will put you in music mode; you’re ready to start song. Now, type /play runtoyou(or any other thing you named it when saving with notepad). Good job, you passed the test, you’ll see, second song’ll be easier to get! Have fun!

If you're not a minstrel, check your Passive skills to find out which instruments you were automatically granted when you made the character. Each class automatically gets Lute and a wind instrument. If you want more instruments, ask around for a friendly minstrel who can train you in the others.


If you have trouble with the instructions or you are still unable to play music in lotro, please send a message. Thank you and make me a feedback if you want.

There likely is another similar thread somewhere, but it probably doesn't hurt to have one here as well. Nicely done in general, a few notes added in red for clarification.

Would this not be better in the music subforum?