How to add custom music to ULTRAKILL (Cyber Grind)

With the release of layer 7, support for custom music within the cyber grind has been added however there's no extra information provided on the process of adding custom music within the game itself. I figured out how to add custom music and this guide details the process of adding custom music to the cyber grind in ULTRAKILL

Custom music now works

Disclaimer

I have had reports that when using custom music the game lags a ton.
so bare in mind that could be a problem but if you encounter this problem try these:

use a different format like: .mp3 or .wav or .ogg

If your game is on a HDD move it to your SSD (your SSD is usually your C drive and D drive tends to be HDD depending on your hardware config)

Try a different song

I am not sure exactly what causes these problems but try these.
It most likely stems from how the custom music system was implemented in the first place.
you can always mod the game if you know your way around a mod manager.

Step 1: Obtain Music

You will first need some music to add to the game .(SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU HAVE ALREADY GOTTEN A MUSIC FILE)

PSA please pay for your music

NOTE: the music must be a file on your computer otherwise this won't work. (Using platforms like Spotify/YouTube Music will not work Unless you obtain a local file of that music)

lots of games sell their music on steam (when you download the music just go to the local file location of the music and you will be able to use it as a regular file)

(Right click on the album in the steam client)

heres some examples


Rimworld OST: https://store.steampowered.com/app/990430/RimWorld_Soundtrack/

Bugsnax OST: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1955130/Bugsnax_Soundtrack/

and there are thousands more examples.

Bandcamp can be a great place to start since you will get downloadable versions of the music as files (Note this does cost money but its worth it)

https://bandcamp.com/

There are more options out there but i don't need to list them all here.

Just please use legal methods. For the safety of your own PC In the past even the legal methods had their flaws. Anyone remember "StarForce"

The reason the guide only shows legal methods of obtaining music since its easiest way and the safest way and i didn't want to link to any sketchy websites for YT downloads because i could be held responsible for damages done to peoples computers.
Also it supports the artists as well.

Supported Formats for audio in ULTRAKILL

I have had several reports that there are more formats supported in ULTRAKILL (not just .OGG) and also .OGG has lag spikes according to multiple reports.
So i am adding this section so you can now know what formats could be used

Remember to have ULTRAKILL on a SSD if you want to do this a decently fast HDD since i have had reports of slow down when loading music that persists after the music has been loaded

Supported Formats

.mp3
.wav
.ogg (Lag spike at the start of a cybergrind round)

if you know anymore supported formats then post them in the comments

Also the conversion steps are the same no matter the format

Step 2: Converting your music to .OGG or .mp3 or even .wav

Update: I have had reports that .mp3 and also .wav files work as well but I would still recommend converting to .ogg but if you like try .mp3/.wav the converting process is the same but if using audacity (if the song is not already in .mp3/.wav) just push “export as mp3” to export it as such file


NOTE: when downloading from bandcamp you can have it download as a .OGG/.wav/.mp3 file (Make sure you do that also .wav is the best since it's uncompressed and to people with expensive headphones the music would sound much better)

Now you got your music. But we can't insert it since it maybe in the wrong format since you need a .OGG or .mp3 file for it to be playable in game so we are going to need to convert it to such format.

there are 3 ways:

Method 1: Have the audio file be .OGG or .mp3 or even .wav already
If the audio file is already .OGG/.mp3/.wav skip to the next section

Method 2: A online converter
There are many options out there but i will link to one here: https://convertio.co/mp3-ogg/

Method 3: Use Audacity (Or any other kind of audio editing software)

Audacity download: https://www.audacityteam.org/

Step 1: Open Audacity

Step 2: Import the file of choice into Audacity


Step 3: open the "file" menu and press "export" then press "Export as OGG" or "Export as .mp3 or even "Export as .wav""


Step 4: Save it somewhere on your PC (The Drive does not matter)
Side note: you could place it into the game directory right now
File Directory (WINDOWS): C:\Steam\steamapps\common\ULTRAKILL\Cybergrind\Music
(If you store ULTRAKILL anywhere else just replace the C with the drive letter where the game is located. I will tell you how to easily find the games files in a moment)

Step 3: Importing it into the game

Now we are ready to add it to the game

Step 1: Open steam and find ULTRAKILL in your library

Step 2:

right click on it and go to "Manage" then "Browse Local files"

Step 3: once you done that file explorer (Or equivalent for steam deck) will open.
Go to the "Cybergrind" folder then "Music"

Step 4:


Find the music file you created/downloaded and then drop it into the "Music" folder that is within the Cybergrind directory

Step 5: Your almost done just open ULTRAKILL and enter the cybergrind

Step 6:
Go over to the blue machine (Not yourself) and interact with it

Step 7: Push the music option

Step 8:

Press the plus option to add more music (If not there you may need to go another page)

Step 9:
Press "Custom"
Now find your music within the list and click on the song you want to add

If you've done everything correctly then congrats you've added custom music to the cybergrind


Playlist management/Controls for the music system:
Above is a image explaining how to operate the playlist controller thing

Step 4: Outro

If all went well then you have added music to ULTRAKILL


If this worked then leave a like/favourite and if your feeling nice today then maybe give this an award

Thank you for reading i hope this helps

[Judgement Kazzy]

How it feels to pirate indie music and buy from big record labels

[Moon Mann]

@good
if you tag the music with album art, it should show up
it did before ultra_revamp, but i haven't tested it yet

[good]

@Nes Custom icons for custom songs never existed. Its just gonna be a note icon like in every media player app

[good]

ITS BACK BABY

[Rob The Robot Guard]

@Krasnal imieniem Gimli

I have included a temp fix that should fix the custom music system

[Rob The Robot Guard]

@marioant25 I have heard of it but I’m not in the discord

[marioant25]

theres a fix in the newblood discord btw

[Rob The Robot Guard]

@gameju47

No its not just you its everyone. the custom music system is broken at the moment.

[gameju47]

hey, sorry to bother but it seems the song doesn't even show up after clicking + and "custom" on my end, my ultrakill is the latest version and i have my .ODD files inside cybergrind -> music.
any other ideas or is that a bug ?

[good]

they fixed the fucking terminal music not playing but not custom music