So you’ve decided to start creating custom maps in Beat Saber.
First of all, great choice. Second of all, what have you gotten yourself into 😅
Beat Saber Mapping is one of those things that looks super easy when you’re playing a good map. You think to yourself, “yeah, this looks super easy to make. I could do this.” and then you open the editor to try it yourself and suddenly your brain forgets what music even is.
Don’t worry. I’ve been there and, truthfully, I am still there sometimes.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to get started mapping in Beat Saber without immediately questioning your life decisions.
Beat Saber notes on the timeline
What Is Beat Saber Mapping?
In simple terms, mapping is the process of creating the levels you play in Beat Saber. However, making the maps yourself gives you full creative control to do whatever you want. Use this power wisely…
By making custom maps in Beat Saber, YOU are in charge of placing:
- Notes (the blocks you slice)
- Bombs (the things you accidentally hit anyway)
- Obstacles (the walls aka “why am I crouching right now”)
But that’s not all of it. You are also in charge of:
- Finding and converting the music track to the right file type
- Finding the beats per minute (BPM) of the track and using it to sync your map to the track
This seems like a lot, and for your first map, it definitely is. But you’ll soon develop a workflow and everything will become second nature, I promise.
What You Need to Start Mapping
Enough talk, what do you actually need to start mapping in Beat Saber? There are 3 things:
1. A Modded Version of Beat Saber
Yeah… this is unavoidable.
While the actual process of custom mapping in Beat Saber doesn’t require mods, test playing your work in progress (WIP) maps does.
Starting with a simple modded version of the game allows you to do two important things:
- Load custom songs (drafts, finished, or otherwise)
- Test your maps (this is really important and we’ll talk more about it later)
If your game isn’t modded yet, pause here and get that set up first. You can find my preferred way to mod the game with BSManager here.
2. Mapping and Audio Editing Software
This is where the magic (and confusion) happens. Every mapper has their own preference as to what software works best.
For mapping, some like Mediocre Mapper Assistant (MMA2), others swear by Chromapper, and there are numerous others out there too. However, software like this often locks you to creating maps for the latest moddable version ONLY. So if a new environment or feature in the base game drops, it may be a while before you have access to it.
This is why, if you’re just starting out, I recommend you use the built in Beat Saber editor.
This editor is built into the base game by default, so if you own Beat Saber (on Steam or Meta Quest), you own the editor. You can find out how to access it here.
I prefer Beat Saber’s built in editor for three reasons:
- The UI and lighting system are really easy to navigate if it’s your first time and you don’t have to worry about things breaking with updates.
- You don’t have to mess with the game files directly if you don’t want to, meaning you can go back to Beat Saber in its natural state at any time.
- It’s one less thing to download, which we love.
Inside the Beat Saber level editor
For audio, most mappers (myself included) end up using this combo:
- ArrowVortex – for BPM detection and syncing
- Audacity – for editing and exporting your audio
You can use other tools, but this setup is kind of the “don’t overthink it” starter pack.
ArrowVortex is where you:
- Figure out the correct BPM
- Line the song up so notes actually hit when they’re supposed to
- Fix timing so your map doesn’t feel cursed
If your timing is off, nothing else matters. Your map will feel bad no matter how good your patterns are. No pressure 🙂
Audacity is where you:
- Add silence at the beginning (super common)
- Adjust volume if your song is too quiet or loud
- Trim the song if needed
- Export your file as an .ogg (which Beat Saber uses)
It’s not glamorous, but it saves you from a lot of headaches later.
3. A Song You Actually Like
This sounds obvious, but it matters more than you think.
You’re going to listen to this song over and over and over again, so maybe don’t pick something you already barely tolerate. You can pull music from pretty much anywhere, and as long as you convert it to an .ogg file, you’re good to go.
Tealie playing a custom Beat Saber map
Your First Map: Where Things Get Real
Alright, you’ve got everything installed. You open the editor.
Now what?
Step 1: Audio Setup
Before you even think about placing notes, you need to wrangle your audio.
This is the part I ignored when I started.
And by “ignored,” I mean I spent 2 hours wondering why everything felt off, only to realize my song was basically… lying to me.
So yeah. Let’s not do that.
Here’s a simple version of what you’ll actually do:
- Download your song and convert it to an .ogg file (this allows both ArrowVortex and the Beat Saber editor read it properly)
- Open the file in ArrowVortex
- Find and set the correct BPM
- Line everything up so the beats actually… you know… line up (take note of the offset here)
- Open the same file in Audacity
- Add your offset number as silence to the beginning of your file
- Adjust volume if needed
- Export as .ogg 🎉
That’s it.
Simple in theory. Slightly less simple the first time you do it.
Adjusting and syncing BPM in ArrowVortex
Common Mistake (I absolutely did this)
Whatever you do, do not skip BPM syncing.
You’ll think, “Eh, it’s close enough.”
It is not close enough.
If your BPM is even slightly off:
- Notes will slowly drift out of sync
- Your map will feel worse the longer it goes
- You will question your sanity
Take the extra few minutes here. Future you will be very grateful. If you still find that you are having issues, check out this guide about why your Beat Saber map feels off.
Step 2: Start Simple (seriously)
Import your new .ogg file into the editor, set your BPM, and name your project. Once you’re in the editor, I’m sure your first instinct will be to go wild.
I did. All I can say is don’t.
Start with:
- Basic rhythms
- Simple patterns
- Notes that match obvious beats
If it feels good to play, you’re doing it right. If it feels like chaos… congrats, you’re mapping like the rest of us did at the start.
Step 3: Playtest Constantly
This is the part beginners skip. Don’t just place notes, play your map. A lot.
Things that look fine in the editor can feel:
- Awkward
- Uncomfortable
- Physically illegal (probably)
Playtesting is where your map actually becomes good. This can be done physically through your headset or visually using first person flying controller (FPFC) mode where no headset is required.
Playtesting a custom Beat Saber map via FPFC
Common Beginner Mistakes (I made all of these)
Let me save you some time and layout some things to keep in mind and avoid if possible.
Overmapping
Not every sound needs a note. Silence is allowed. Your players will survive.
Ignoring Flow
If your arms feel like they’re fighting each other, something’s wrong. Good maps feel smooth. Bad maps feel like you’re being attacked (or attacking yourself).
Have no idea what I mean by “flow”? Neither did I. Check out what flow actually means here.
Making Everything Too Hard
You don’t need to prove anything. A fun, playable map is 100 times better than a map that only 3 people on Earth can beat.
Not Finishing Maps
This one hurts. Your first maps won’t be perfect. Finish them anyway. You learn way more from completing a map than abandoning 10 “almost good” ones.
Final Thoughts And How to Improve
Mapping in Beat Saber is one of the most rewarding (and occasionally frustrating) things you can do in the game.
Your first map won’t be amazing, and if I’m honest, your second one probably won’t be either.
But, I promise, eventually things start to click, and you won’t be able to get enough. Continue to learn new things, play good maps and pay attention to why they feel good. Watch other mappers’ work (and steal—uh, learn from—their ideas) and how they play their own maps. You can learn more about learning from others here.
Keep making maps, even when they’re bad. Especially when they’re bad. Because that’s kind of the whole process, and worse case scenario, you learn something from it.