Question 1

Do I need to install anything? What devices does it run on?

Accepted Answer

No installation needed. Mouta runs in the browser: sign in at app.moutastudio.com and start. It works on computers (Chrome, Edge) and tablets. Phone screens are too small for comfortable songwriting, so we don't recommend them.

Question 2

What languages is the interface available in?

Accepted Answer

Six: Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, German and Spanish. For the languages the virtual singer can sing, see "Can Mouta sing the melody I wrote?".

Question 3

Is Mouta still in beta?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Mouta is currently in beta, and features are updated regularly.

Question 4

If I switch computers or devices, do my projects come with me?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Projects save to the cloud automatically, and your Skills sync too. Sign in to the same account on another computer or tablet and pick up where you left off.

Question 5

What are the ways to get a melody into Mouta?

Accepted Answer

Six: import a MIDI file, hum into your microphone, play it on a MIDI keyboard, edit notes directly in the editor, or let the AI generate one, either at random or based on your Skill.

Question 6

What is a Skill?

Accepted Answer

A Skill is your taste profile. Select passages you like in a melody and mark them as hooks; Mouta analyzes them across 20+ musical dimensions, including rhythm, intervals, harmonic tension and phrasing, and builds a Skill that is yours. From then on, melody generation and Replace suggestions follow it. You can export a Skill as a .lsk file for backup.

Question 7

How does Replace work? Where do the candidate melodies come from?

Accepted Answer

Select a passage you are not happy with in the editor, and Mouta generates 8 candidates on the spot based on your Skill. Audition them one by one and swap one in with a click. The new melody is automatically shifted to the range of the passage it replaces, and candidates are ranked by how smoothly they connect to what comes before and after. Candidates are generated by rules in real time, not pulled from any song library. Every candidate you adopt is recorded in Ledger.

Question 8

What is Hook Score?

Accepted Answer

Hook Score is a tool Mouta designed in-house that scores each line by its melodic structure. It rates 8 dimensions, such as contour, rhythmic distinctiveness and motif, and sorts each line into one of four types: Flat, UP, HOOK or DOWN. The score updates live as you edit notes, so you can see which lines to keep and which to rework. It is available on every plan, including the free trial.

Question 9

What is Hit Board?

Accepted Answer

Hit Board lays out your whole song, section by section. You can also upload reference songs of your choice and compare their structure with yours. Mouta does not supply any songs.

Question 10

What can AI Mentor help me with?

Accepted Answer

It helps you design song structure and section layout, analyze your phrases to sharpen your hooks, and break down the melodic makeup of reference tracks. It also draws an energy curve of the whole song, so you can see where your hooks sit and adjust them if you want to.

Question 11

Reveal tells me which songs have used a melodic pattern. Where does that data come from?

Accepted Answer

From a third-party song database, used only for lookup, not for training any AI. Reveal shows only the song title and artist. It does not play or display the original melody.

Question 12

Was Mouta's melody engine trained on other people's songs?

Accepted Answer

No. The engine has no songs and no weights inside it, and no LLM. It doesn't learn from copyrighted recordings.

Question 13

Can Mouta sing the melody I wrote? Which languages does it support?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The virtual singer is an a cappella voice for demo listening: it sings your melody and lyrics so you can check how well they fit before you finalize. It supports Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean, and you can export the vocal on its own as a WAV.

Question 14

My Japanese lyrics contain kanji. Can they be sung?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Paste Japanese lyrics containing kanji into the lyrics window and press Apply: Mouta first converts them to kana readings and lists every character it changed. Check or edit the readings, then apply again to write them in. Readings are guessed automatically and will sometimes be wrong, for example when a lyric sings 本気 as マジ, so please check before applying. The particles は and へ are written as they are sung, わ and え, the same convention used by VOCALOID and other singing synthesizers.

Question 15

Will Mouta write lyrics for me?

Accepted Answer

No. Mouta does not generate lyrics, but it can produce a prompt based on your melody to make writing lyrics with other AI tools easier.

Question 16

Can I make a fully arranged, release-ready song in Mouta?

Accepted Answer

Not on its own. Mouta produces the melody (a single track with no arrangement) plus an a cappella virtual vocal; arrangement, recording, mixing or rendering happen in tools of your choice. You can release the finished track through another distributor or through Mouta's distribution service, which is included in paid subscriptions at no fixed extra fee (Pro: 5 tracks a month; Pro+: 15 tracks a month).

Question 17

Can Mouta make a music video?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Mouta has a built-in lyric video maker: lyrics appear in sync with the melody, and you can export MP4 in landscape or portrait. You upload the background image or video yourself; Mouta does not generate visuals. The video carries a QR code for the song's .llg, so viewers can scan it to see the creation history report.

Question 18

What files can I export?

Accepted Answer

Melodies export as MIDI or WAV, and the virtual vocal can be exported on its own as a WAV. Skills export as .lsk files, and the creation record exports as an .llg file.

Question 19

Can I release audio made with an external AI music generator (such as Suno or Udio) through Mouta?

Accepted Answer

Yes, as long as the melody was written in Mouta. When you submit, include the .llg that Mouta generated for the track; Mouta compares the release audio with that .llg and only accepts the track if they match. If the melody wasn't written in Mouta, or the audio doesn't match the .llg, it won't pass. If it doesn't pass, you can fix it and resubmit, or request one manual review within 14 days of receiving the result. It's up to you to check the external tool's terms (for example, whether commercial use is allowed), and keep a record of the plan you were subscribed to when you generated the audio. You also need to disclose your AI use accurately when you release. For the master (recording) rights declaration, go by the tool's terms: if they assign the rights in the output to you, choose that you own the recording; if they only license it to you, choose that you have obtained a license.

Question 20

How do I fill in the AI usage level?

Accepted Answer

Composition (music and lyrics) and recording are filled in separately, based on what AI actually did in the finished track. There are four levels. If no AI was used, choose "No AI use". If AI only helped with things like polishing, translation, sound design or mixing, choose "Some AI use". If the melody, lyrics, vocals or recording were mainly produced by AI but built on your own creative work, choose "Substantial AI use". If AI produced it from scratch, not built on your own creative work, choose "Entirely AI-generated". For example, if you wrote the melody in Mouta, wrote the lyrics yourself and polished them with ChatGPT, and generated the audio and vocals from your melody with an external tool, the composition is "Some AI use" and the recording is "Substantial AI use". There's no percentage threshold tied to your work report: the percentages on the report support your creative process but don't decide which level you choose. If you're unsure, choose the higher level. Inaccurate disclosure can lead to the track being taken down or royalties being stopped.

Question 21

How do I fill in rights holders and contributors?

Accepted Answer

If you wrote the lyrics and music and did the arrangement and production yourself, put yourself in every contributor role, and as both the publishing (composition) rights holder and the recording rights holder, at 100% each. Splits only need to be divided when there are two or more rights holders. AI tools aren't contributors or rights holders, so don't list them; what AI did is covered by the AI usage level. The main artist is the name the song is released under, so even if the vocals were generated by AI, enter your artist name. If other people took part, such as a co-writer or a vocalist, list them and enter the splits you agreed on. You also warrant that you have their permission.

Question 22

Who owns the copyright in songs I make with Mouta?

Accepted Answer

Under the Terms of Service, you keep all copyright and other intellectual property rights in music you create with Mouta, including the lyrics, melodies and arrangements you write yourself. If you release through Mouta, we only receive the limited license needed to distribute each track, not ownership. You do, however, grant Mouta a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual license, limited to playing and displaying your work on the platform, Mouta's own promotion, marketing and advertising, and training our AI models in aggregated or transformed form. Works made with AI features also carry a 10% royalty obligation (see the next question). And keep in mind that whether AI-assisted content can be protected by copyright is still unsettled in current law and practice; the final word belongs to the courts or the competent authorities.

Question 23

If I used AI features on a song but don't release it through Mouta, do I still owe 10%?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If a work contains content that Ledger recorded as generated by, or adopted from, any Mouta AI feature (such as AI generation, Replace, lyric-tone substitution, melody library suggestions, AI Mentor suggestions or Skills), 10% of all its royalty income (streaming, downloads, physical sales, public performance and sync included) is payable to Mouta, whichever platform or distributor releases it. The obligation is perpetual and irrevocable. It doesn't depend on whether you keep your subscription, and for works created before your account ends, it continues after termination. For income Mouta doesn't collect, the 10% is based on the net amount you actually receive after each channel, distributor and collecting society takes its share; if that income adds up to less than US$100 for a year, there's nothing to report or pay for that year.

Question 24

How do I report and pay the 10% on income earned outside Mouta (other distributors, publishing, performance royalties, sync)?

Accepted Answer

By March 31 each year, report to Mouta the previous year's income of this kind, listing the works involved, and pay the 10% within 30 days of reporting. If that income totals less than US$100 for the year, you don't need to report or pay. The 10% is calculated on what you actually receive, net of fees taken by each channel, distributor and collecting society. Keep records of this income for 5 years; Mouta may audit your reports after giving reasonable notice. Late payments accrue interest at the statutory rate under Taiwan (R.O.C.) law, and Mouta may also offset the amount against royalties it owes you under Article 5.2 of the Distribution Service Agreement. Sync income from deals Mouta negotiated for you, where Mouta has already taken its 20% agency fee, isn't subject to the 10%. Royalties Mouta collects through its own distribution service have the 10% deducted at source, so you don't report those.

Question 25

Can I release covers or adaptations of someone else's songs?

Accepted Answer

Not through Mouta's distribution service: it accepts only original compositions and lyrics, and covers or adaptations of other people's songs are not accepted. Mouta reviews submissions and may reject or suspend any release that doesn't meet its rules. If such a track does get released and a license or usage fee has to be paid to a collecting society or rights holder, whatever Mouta has to pay may be deducted from that track's royalties. The Terms of Service also prohibit uploading, generating or distributing content that infringes anyone else's intellectual property.

Question 26

Can the same song be on DistroKid or another distributor at the same time?

Accepted Answer

No. From the day you submit a track to Mouta for release until it has been removed from every DSP (the exclusive period), that track, including the same recording, can't be delivered through any other distributor or platform. If Mouta temporarily takes a track down over an infringement dispute or irregular activity, the exclusive period keeps running. Other recordings of the same composition, such as a re-recording, remix or live version, can only be released through Mouta during that period too. If you want to switch, take the track down from Mouta first under the agreement. The exclusive period ends at the latest 90 days after your takedown notice, though you still can't deliver the track to any DSP that hasn't finished removing it. It also ends if Mouta rejects the submission, if you withdraw it before it goes live, or if it still isn't live on any DSP 90 days after submission. Songs you haven't submitted to Mouta are yours to release wherever you like.

Question 27

Why do I have to wait 3 days before agreeing to the distribution agreement?

Accepted Answer

It's the review period set out in Article 14.8 of the Distribution Service Agreement. We email you the full agreement when you sign up, and it's always published on the platform, where you can read, download and save it. You can only complete the consent step once 3 days have passed since the full text was first provided to you, so you have time to read it before deciding. Mouta keeps a record of when the text was provided, when you agreed, and which version you agreed to.

Question 28

Can Ledger or an .llg file prove a song is mine?

Accepted Answer

Not as legal proof. Ledger records how you made the work (your editing history, the degree of AI involvement and the sources of materials you used) for transparency and reference only. It isn't legal proof of authorship or a final determination of who owns the copyright. Mouta makes no promise about whether a recorded work qualifies for copyright or whether your human contribution meets the threshold for protection; that is for the courts or competent authorities to decide. When an .llg passes verification at release, it only means the track meets Mouta's acceptance criteria, not that Mouta vouches for its ownership, originality or non-infringement.

Question 29

If I use AI (such as ChatGPT) outside Mouta to write lyrics, what records should I keep?

Accepted Answer

The following is practical advice, not legal advice; for a specific dispute, please consult a lawyer. What you do in Mouta is recorded automatically in the .llg; what you do outside it you need to keep yourself. Save the original files as you go, with dates: your prompts (they show you didn't ask the AI to imitate a particular song or artist), the AI's first drafts (keep them as they are), every revised version (writing lyrics in Google Docs keeps version history automatically), and the plan and subscription records for any external tool. If a similarity or rights dispute comes up, records written after the fact are far less convincing. Together with the .llg, these records make up the full story of how the song was made.

Question 30

If an AI-generated melody sounds like someone else's song, who's responsible?

Accepted Answer

You are. Mouta doesn't guarantee that AI-generated content is original or that it isn't similar to existing works. You're responsible for making sure what you create, publish or distribute with Mouta is lawful, and Mouta isn't liable for third-party intellectual property claims arising from your use of AI-generated content. If a third party brings a claim against Mouta over it, you'll need to cover Mouta's losses, including reasonable legal and court costs; Mouta will notify you once it learns of the claim, you can take part in the defense, and you won't owe any settlement amount you didn't agree to. If a track you released through Mouta faces an infringement claim, Mouta may take it down first and hold back that track's royalties up to the amount being claimed.

Question 31

What similarity checks can I do myself before releasing?

Accepted Answer

The following is practical advice, not legal advice; for a specific dispute, please consult a lawyer. You can't compare your song against every existing song, but you can check the places most likely to cause problems: hum the hook into Google's hum to search or SoundHound; run the full track through Shazam; search distinctive lyric lines on Google in quotation marks; and have two or three friends who listen to a lot of music hear it blind and ask, "What song does this remind you of?" If something sounds too close, it's best to change it. These checks lower the risk but can't guarantee there's no infringement, and you're responsible if a work infringes.

Question 32

How often are royalties paid, and how?

Accepted Answer

Payment cycles follow our distributor's actual settlement cycle. Mouta posts the current cycle on the platform and will let you know if it changes. Within 60 days of receiving a period's settlement from the distributor, Mouta pays you using the method you registered on the platform (cross-border payments go through Airwallex) and posts your royalty statement in your dashboard. Royalties are calculated in US dollars; if you're paid in another currency, it's converted at the payment provider's rate at the time of payment. If you're owed less than US$50 for a period, it rolls over to the next one. You can ask to be paid early at any time, but you'll cover the transfer fee.

Question 33

I'm outside Taiwan (or not a Taiwan tax resident). How much tax will be withheld?

Accepted Answer

The agreement doesn't set a fixed rate. Mouta withholds only where Taiwan (R.O.C.) tax law requires it, and gives you a withholding certificate or equivalent proof afterwards. You'll need to provide proof of identity and tax residence; if you don't, or the information is false, the non-resident rate applies. If a tax treaty lets you claim a reduction or exemption, it's up to you to apply and supply the documents. If the tax authority or Mouta's accountant confirms that too much was withheld, Mouta returns the excess; if it has already been paid to the government, Mouta will file for the refund on your behalf or help you do so, and pass it on in the settlement cycle after the refund arrives.

Question 34

What happens if my streams are flagged as fake or artificially boosted?

Accepted Answer

If Mouta, the distributor or a DSP detects irregular activity such as bot traffic or fake plays, Mouta may suspend payouts, take the track down or restrict your account, and will email you the reasons and evidence within 7 days. You have 30 days to respond with an explanation and supporting evidence, and Mouta will reply within 14 days of receiving it; if it turns out nothing was wrong, the track goes back up and the withheld payments are released. In serious cases, Mouta may terminate the distribution agreement without prior warning. Separately, if a DSP or the distributor claws back royalties already paid because of artificial streaming, Mouta may, after notifying you, deduct that amount from your future royalties (from any track). Anything left over must be repaid within 30 days, as must any fines or fees caused by boosting. You can file a written objection within 90 days of the notice.

Question 35

I want to take a song down. How long does it take?

Accepted Answer

You can ask Mouta to take down any or all of your releases at any time, and Mouta will send the takedown request to the distributor within 10 business days of your notice. When each DSP actually removes the track depends on that platform's own schedule, which Mouta can't control, but we'll keep you updated. If you take everything down, the agreement ends on the date Mouta sends the full takedown request to the distributor, and you can still export the files and .llg records of your released tracks for at least 30 days from then. Note that royalty income the work earns after the takedown is still subject to the 10% under Section 5.2 of the Terms of Service, which you report and pay yourself.

Question 36

Does my subscription renew automatically? How do I cancel?

Accepted Answer

Yes. At the end of each billing period, monthly or annual, your subscription renews at the price in effect at that time until you cancel. Paddle emails a renewal reminder and receipt for every charge to the address you used at checkout. You can cancel for free at any time: in your account settings in Mouta, through the subscription management link in any Paddle receipt, or at paddle.net. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period and stops all further payments; you can keep using Mouta until then. Mouta gives 30 days' notice before changing prices.

Question 37

Can I get a refund?

Accepted Answer

Refunds are handled by Paddle, which sells Mouta subscriptions as Merchant of Record, under Paddle's Refund Policy. Mouta doesn't add any conditions or exceptions of its own, and nothing limits the rights you have under the consumer protection law where you live. To request one, use the link in your Paddle receipt or go to paddle.net. You can also email support@moutastudio.com with the subject Refund Request, your account email and purchase date, and we'll pass it to Paddle. Refunds go back to your original payment method.

Question 38

Do annual plans follow the same refund rules?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Monthly and annual plans, Founding Member included, are all covered by the same policy: refunds are handled by Paddle under Paddle's Refund Policy, with no extra conditions from Mouta.

Question 39

Will my work be used to train AI?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Under the license in Section 5.4 of the Terms of Service, Mouta may use what you create and generate in Mouta (including musical structure, AI interaction patterns and generated results) in aggregated or transformed form to train and improve its AI models. Mouta doesn't hand your work to third parties as-is, and doesn't label it as yours. Mouta also uses de-identified, aggregated data about how you create, such as Skill usage patterns and Replace interactions, to improve its models. Audio files you upload from outside sources are not used for training unless you separately agree.

Question 40

Can I opt out of AI training?

Accepted Answer

Yes. A notice under the Terms of Service covers only work you create going forward. You can email Mouta at any time asking that works you create after your notice (including their generated results) not be used for AI training, and Mouta will stop including them in new training within 30 days of receiving it; a work counts as created when its project was first set up. Works created before your notice can still be used under the license, and models already trained aren't affected. De-identified data about how you create (such as Skill usage and de-identified AI interaction patterns) is outside the scope of the notice. You can withdraw the notice at any time, and works created while it was in effect still won't be used for training. If the data protection law where you live gives you a separate right to object, you can also exercise it under Section 9 of the Privacy Policy by contacting support@moutastudio.com.

Question 41

What happens to my data and released songs if I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

After your account is deleted, your personal data is deleted or de-identified within 90 days. Data we're legally required to keep, or that's needed to perform the distribution agreement, collect or pay royalties, or pursue or defend legal claims, is kept only as long as necessary and only for those purposes, and royalty-related records (Ledger data and transaction records) are kept for at least 7 years. If you've used the distribution service, Mouta will email you before deletion to choose: (a) take everything down, or (b) treat your tracks as if your subscription ended on the deletion date, under the same retention rules that apply when you stop subscribing. If you don't choose within 14 days, (a) applies, and the account is only deleted after you choose or the 14 days are up. Mouta lets you export your released tracks' files and .llg records before deletion, and you can still request an export through support for 30 days afterwards. Mouta also keeps your payout details and contact email until your final royalty payment, sending statements to that address. So if you choose (b), keep it active; if it bounces, a notice posted on our site counts as delivered after 30 days, after which the track can be taken down under the retention rules. Finally, the 10% royalty obligation on works you've already created and the license you granted Mouta (including AI training) survive account termination, though you can still ask Mouta to stop promotional use or give notice that your works not be used for AI training.

Before you start, know where you stand.

Getting started

Creative tools

Before you release

After release

Billing and refunds

Your data