What is Bandle?
Bandle is a daily music quiz that builds a song up layer by layer. You start by hearing just one part of a well-known song, usually the drums, and try to name it. Every wrong guess or skip adds another layer, such as bass, piano or guitar, until the whole band is playing. The singing only arrives near the end, so the real challenge is recognising a song from its rhythm and instruments alone. You have six chances, and the final one comes with an extra hint. It's surprisingly hard and very satisfying, because it makes you listen to familiar music in a new way and notice the parts you normally hear only in the background. Bandle was created by Johann Levy, a programmer in Marseille, and it has grown a large daily community. It suits music fans, musicians and anyone who loves a pop quiz, and it's best played with sound on.
How to play
- Listen to the first layer of the song and guess the title.
- Each wrong guess or skip adds another instrument.
- Name the song within six tries.
Quick facts
- Typical time
- 1–3 min
- Difficulty
- Medium · easier for musicians
- Price
- Free, supported by ads.
- Account
- Not needed. An account syncs your stats and streak.
- Past puzzles
- The past seven days can be replayed from the menu.
- On a phone
- Works in your phone's browser. Nothing to install.
- You need
- Sound on. Headphones help a lot.
Tips to get better
- Listen to the groove. The drum pattern and the tempo give away the style and the era before any tune arrives. A steady thump on every beat says disco or dance. A huge echoing snare says the 1980s.
- Hum over the bass. When the bass comes in, try humming choruses you know at that speed. The bass follows the chords, and the chords are the song.
- Wear headphones. Bass and quiet layers disappear on phone speakers.
- Notice the structure. How long is the intro? Where does it stop and start again? Breaks and build-ups are fingerprints too.
- Think of hits. The songs are well known. Don't go hunting for obscure album tracks.
Who it's for
Bandle rewards people who listen to music closely, and musicians have a real advantage. Hearing a song you've known for years as bare drums is strange and delightful. It's hard, and harder still if you didn't grow up with English-language pop and rock. You need the sound on, so it's not one for a quiet train.
