BMS is the acronym for Be-Music Source. BMS is a plain text file format specified for rhythm-action games. The gameplay requires players to press keys or buttons in time with notes that fall down the ...
BMS is the acronym for Be-Music Source. BMS is a plain text file format specified for rhythm-action games. The gameplay requires players to press keys or buttons in time with notes that fall down the screen. When played correctly, this triggers music tracks in the file called keysounds.
The file consists of a header with metadata like song name and BPM, and a data section with the note arrangements. Lines starting with “#” denote directives that define the note patterns and scoring. BMS files are commonly custom compositions for rhythm games.
The format was created by Urao Yane in 1998 for the game BM98, inspired by popular Japanese arcade games. It has since been used by games like Beatmania, StepMania, and Pop’n Music. Players need precise timing to hit the notes in beat with the music. Missing notes drains the scoring gauge while hitting them correctly fills it up.
BMS files can be opened with BIOWRAP Reader or viewed online through BIOWRAP’s web application. The extensive BMS command documentation covers different behaviors as implementations vary across games. The community of music creators continues to produce original songs for the format.
QuickBMS