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How to create FPS counter with Music addon in Scratch

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CE

CodeExplorer92

Posted on July 23, 2025 • Advanced

⚡ FPS Counter with Music Addon - Need Help!

Hey fellow Scratchers! I’m working on a performance monitoring system for my game and I want to create an FPS counter using the Music addon. I’m curious about:

  • How do the tempo & beat blocks actually work internally?
  • Will different FPS affect the music timing?
  • What’s the most accurate way to measure frame rate?

I’ve heard that music blocks might be independent of frame rate, but I want to understand the technical details. Any insights would be super helpful! 🤔

PT

PerformanceTuner

Replied 2 hours later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @CodeExplorer92! You’re absolutely right about the music blocks being independent of FPS. Let me break this down for you:

🎵 Music Addon & FPS Relationship

The Music addon in Scratch operates on a separate timing system from the visual frame rate. Here’s why:

flowchart TD A[🎮 Scratch Project] --> B[Visual Rendering 30 FPS Max] A --> C[Audio System Independent Timing] B --> D[Frame Updates] C --> E[Music Blocks] D --> F{FPS Drops?} F -->|Yes| G[Visuals Lag] F -->|No| H[Smooth Animation] E --> I[Tempo Blocks] E --> J[Beat Blocks] I --> K[Consistent BPM] J --> K G --> L[Music Still Plays Correctly] H --> L style A fill:#e1f5fe style C fill:#f3e5f5 style L fill:#e8f5e8

⚡ Accurate FPS Counter Implementation

Here’s the most reliable method to create an FPS counter:

    when flag clicked
set [current time v] to [0]
set [last time v] to [0]
set [frame count v] to [0]
forever
set [current time v] to (timer)
change [frame count v] by [1]
if <((current time) - (last time)) > [1]> then
set [FPS v] to (frame count)
set [frame count v] to [0]
set [last time v] to (current time)
end
end

🔧 Alternative: Instant FPS Method

For real-time FPS display (less stable but immediate):

    when flag clicked
set [current time v] to [0]
set [last time v] to [0]
forever
set [current time v] to (timer)
if <((current time) - (last time)) > [0]> then
set [FPS v] to (round ((1) / ((current time) - (last time))))
set [last time v] to (current time)
end
end

🎼 Music Blocks Behavior

Regarding your music addon question:

  • Tempo blocks: Set the BPM (beats per minute) independently of frame rate
  • Beat blocks: Trigger events based on musical timing, not visual frames
  • FPS impact: Music timing remains consistent even if visuals lag
    // Music timing example
when flag clicked
set tempo to [120] bpm
forever
play note [60 v] for [0.5] beats
wait [0.5] beats
end

// This will play consistently regardless of FPS

💡 Pro Tips for Performance Monitoring

  • Use the averaged FPS method for stable readings
  • Monitor FPS drops to identify performance bottlenecks
  • Music blocks are perfect for timing-critical game mechanics
  • Consider using cloud variables to log performance data

Hope this clears things up! The separation between audio and visual timing is actually a feature that helps maintain consistent gameplay experience. 🎯

CE

CodeExplorer92

Replied 45 minutes later

@PerformanceTuner This is exactly what I was looking for! 🎉

The averaged FPS method works perfectly - much more stable than the instant method. I’m also impressed by how the music system maintains timing independence. This opens up so many possibilities for rhythm-based games!

Quick follow-up: Would you recommend any specific FPS threshold for optimal gameplay?

GO

GameOptimizer_Dev

Replied 1 hour later

@CodeExplorer92 Great question about FPS thresholds! Here’s what I’ve found through testing:

  • 25-30 FPS: Smooth gameplay for most projects
  • 20-24 FPS: Noticeable but playable
  • Below 20 FPS: Consider optimization

Pro tip: Add visual indicators when FPS drops below certain thresholds to help with debugging! 🔧

    // FPS warning system
if <(FPS) < [20]> then
set [warning color v] effect to [100]
say [Low FPS detected!] for [1] seconds
else
clear graphic effects
end
VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🚀 Master Advanced Scratch Programming

Excellent discussion on performance optimization! For developers looking to dive deeper into advanced Scratch concepts, our community offers specialized guidance on:

  • ⚡ Performance optimization techniques
  • 🎵 Music addon advanced features
  • 📊 Real-time data visualization
  • 🔧 Custom debugging tools

📚 Related Advanced Topics

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