Fast checks (2 minutes)
Is Smooth online in the member list? Are you in voice? Does the bot show Connected in that channel? Is another music bot also connected?
- Bot online
- Same voice channel
- Connect + Speak allowed
- No duplicate music bots fighting
Permission deep dive
Category overrides silently deny Speak even when the role looks fine. Check channel → Permissions → Smooth/roles → Connect/Speak/Use Voice Activity as relevant.
Queue and source failures
Try a different platform link. Private playlists fail more often. If YouTube search errors, retry once, then switch to a direct URL.
Nuclear options
Disconnect Smooth, move it to a public test voice channel, play a short track, then move back. Re-invite only after that fails.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Smooth joined but there is silence?
Confirm Speak permission, your user is in the same voice channel, and Discord is not deafening the bot locally.
Slash commands missing?
Re-invite with applications.commands, wait for sync, or try another channel. Command caches can lag after invite.
Still broken?
Join the Smooth support Discord with your server ID, channel permissions screenshot, and the exact command used.
Why is my Discord music bot not playing audio?
Check that you are in the same voice channel as the bot, Smooth has Speak permission, no duplicate music bot is connected, and the source link is public and supported.
Is Smooth free to use as a Discord music bot?
Yes. Smooth Main is a free Discord music bot with HD-focused playback, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, SoundCloud, playlists, filters and 24/7 listening. Premium tiers are optional for larger servers.
Try it on your server
Invite Smooth, join voice, and test the steps from this guide live.