Music Guide

Stream your world
with Monochrome.

Build a minimalist, high-fidelity music streaming portal using Monochrome — an open-source TIDAL web UI. No ads, no clutter, just pure lossless audio.

  Low Difficulty   ~25 min read   Updated 2026
Soundtrack your experience.
On this page
01

Overview & Architecture

Monochrome is a high-performance music application built to provide a clean, ad-free experience for music lovers. It functions as a minimalist web UI for [TIDAL](https://tidal.com), leveraging its massive API to deliver millions of tracks in Hi-Res FLAC quality.

The architecture is designed for speed and privacy. It's a Progressive Web App (PWA) that can be installed on your device, offering a native-like experience with offline capabilities and system-level media control integration.

Architecture tip Monochrome uses a modern stack including Vite, TypeScript, and Bun for development, ensuring that the application is both lightweight and extremely responsive.

02

Key Features

Monochrome isn't just a player; it's a complete music ecosystem. Here are the core features that make it stand out:

Lossless Audio

Stream Hi-Res FLACs and unreleased tracks directly from TIDAL and ArtistGrid. Quality without compromise.

Hi-Fi

Minimalist UI

A beautiful, dark-themed interface focused on what matters: your music. No distractions, no ads.

Design

Lyrics Support

Synced lyrics with karaoke mode powered by Genius integration. Sing along with every track.

Karaoke

Listening Parties

Listen together with friends in real-time. Sync playback across different devices instantly.

Social

03

Using Monochrome.tf

The easiest way to get started is by using the official hosted instance. This version is always up-to-date and supports account syncing via Discord, Google, and GitHub.

Account Syncing Accounts and cloud syncing only work on the official `monochrome.tf` domain due to authentication security restrictions. Self-hosted instances operate as standalone apps.
1

Visit the site

Navigate to monochrome.tf in your browser.

2

Search & Listen

Use the search bar to find your favorite artists. No login is required for basic streaming.

3

Install PWA

Click the "Install" icon in your browser's address bar to add Monochrome to your desktop or mobile home screen.


04

Self-Hosting Guide

For those who want full control or want to host Monochrome on their own network/proxy, self-hosting is a great option. Monochrome can be deployed via Docker or manually using Bun/Node.js.

prerequisites
# Required tools
- Docker & Docker Compose (Recommended)
- Bun (Preferred for manual install)
- Node.js v20+

05

Docker Installation

Docker is the recommended way to self-host Monochrome. It's fast, isolated, and easy to manage.

deploy with docker
# 1. Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/monochrome-music/monochrome.git
cd monochrome/docker

# 2. Spin up the container
docker compose up -d

# 3. Access the app
Visit http://localhost:3000

To allow external access (e.g. via Tailscale or a reverse proxy), you may need to update the `vite.config.ts` to allow specific hosts.


06

Site Integration

Integrating Monochrome into your own website is straightforward. Depending on your needs, you can either embed it directly using an <iframe> or provide a high-visibility action link.

Pro Tip: For the best user experience on mobile, we recommend using a direct link that opens in a new tab, as it allows the browser's native media controls and PWA installation features to work correctly.

Method 1: Iframe Embedding

Use this method if you want to keep users on your domain. Note that the official `monochrome.tf` instance may have restricted framing; this method works best with your own self-hosted instance.

HTML Iframe Code
<!-- Embed Monochrome directly into your page -->
<iframe 
  src="https://your-instance.com" 
  style="width:100%; height:700px; border:none; border-radius:18px; box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);"
  allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture"
  allowfullscreen
></iframe>

Method 2: Styled Action Link

This is the most reliable method for UBG sites, as it avoids "X-Frame-Options" issues and allows for full-screen PWA functionality.

HTML Button Code
<!-- A premium button to launch the music hub -->
<a href="https://monochrome.tf" target="_blank" class="music-launcher">
  <i class="fa-solid fa-circle-play"></i>
  Launch Music Hub
</a>

<!-- CSS for the button -->
<style>
  .music-launcher {
    display: inline-flex;
    align-items: center;
    gap: 12px;
    padding: 14px 28px;
    background: #d4a24e;
    color: #fff;
    text-decoration: none;
    border-radius: 50px;
    font-weight: 600;
    transition: transform 0.2s;
  }
  .music-launcher:hover { transform: translateY(-2px); }
</style>

07

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigate Monochrome like a pro with these built-in keyboard shortcuts. Efficiency is key to a great listening experience.

Space

Play / Pause toggle

→ / ←

Seek forward/back

Shift + →

Next track

L

Toggle Lyrics

M

Mute / Unmute

Ctrl + K

Command Palette


08

Next Steps

Now that you have a high-fidelity music hub, why not integrate it further with your other NetDocs tools? You can add AI-powered music recommendations or link your game sessions to your playlists.

Ready to deploy?

Learn how to host your music portal on Netlify, Vercel, or your own VPS.

Go to Deploy