Play your own music in Phase on your iPod

Start with the latest iOpenPod and install Phase through Games on a compatible iPod. Installing the game and preparing songs for it are separate steps.

Before you create the playlist

• Phase must already be installed on the selected iPod.
• The songs you want to play must be in its music library. Use Sync with Host to add local music from your computer first.
• Set up FFmpeg through Settings → Media Tools so iOpenPod can decode the music for analysis. See the media-tool setup steps.
• Keep the iPod connected while the playlist and analysis are saved.

Create or select a Phase Playlist

1. Select your iPod in iOpenPod. Confirm that Phase appears in Games and that the songs you want are in the music library.
2. Create or edit a playlist. In the playlist editor, select Use as the Phase Playlist. The designated playlist has a Phase marker.
3. Add your songs and choose their order. You can edit it like an ordinary playlist. iOpenPod uses the actual audio, not just track titles, for analysis.
4. Save the changes. Library edits save automatically by default. If you use Draft all changes, apply the pending changes to prepare the playlist. Watch the status bar while iOpenPod analyzes new or changed songs and saves the game’s companion data.
5. Wait for completion, then eject. Launch Phase on the iPod and check the playlist in the game.

Is the optional instrument analyzer required?

No. Acoustic analysis works without the optional model. It measures the music’s rhythm and attacks, with an emphasis on audible percussion.

For additional instrument analysis, choose Settings → Media Tools → Set Up Phase Analysis. This downloads a separate analysis runtime and model and can use several gigabytes. It can use GPU acceleration where supported and available; CPU and acoustic fallbacks remain available. A GPU is not required to prepare a Phase Playlist.

The optional model estimates instrument and vocal parts to provide more musical evidence. It is not a promise of perfect note charts for every song. If optional analysis fails, iOpenPod can use acoustic analysis. Unreadable or undecodable audio still needs attention.

Why does the first save take longer?

New songs require audio decoding and analysis. Duration depends on the songs, device connection, computer, and selected analysis method. Start with a few songs to check the workflow on your iPod before preparing a large playlist.

iOpenPod reuses matching analysis on later saves. Changing playlist order does not necessarily require analyzing every song again. Older cached analysis can need validation or regeneration after an application update.

Phase does not show my songs

Check that Phase is installed, that the intended playlist is designated as the Phase Playlist, and that the Library save finished successfully. An ordinary playlist with the word “Phase” in its name does not by itself establish that the required game data was prepared.

If preparation reports an audio-decoding error, check FFmpeg in Media Tools and the affected song. If the device disconnected, reconnect it and follow any recovery instructions before saving again. Then eject and check the game on the iPod; desktop analysis checks do not establish playback on every physical device.