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Setting up Obsidian and Syncthing with external storage to document piano training, lessons, media, etc.

Obsidian Piano Learning System Documentation

Created: January 27, 2026 System: Obsidian with Sync thing for cross-device sync
Devices: Linux Mint laptop (lpt-hp), Ubuntu VM (obsidian-vm at 192.168.1.83), iOS (planned)

My Obsidian Main Piano Vault Page

Table of Contents

  1. System Overview
  2. Why Syncthing vs Rsync
  3. Current Setup
  4. Vault Structure
  5. Templates
  6. Next Steps
  7. Troubleshooting

System Overview

This system provides a comprehensive documentation platform for piano learning that syncs across devices: - Linux Mint laptop: Primary note-taking and practice documentation - Ubuntu VM (obsidian-vm): Central sync hub running Syncthing in Docker - iOS devices: Mobile access for practice session notes (pending setup)

The vault contains structured folders for daily practice logs, music theory concepts, lesson notes, song analysis, and sheet music.

Why Syncthing vs Rsync

Rsync is designed for one-way backups - pushing data from source to destination on a schedule (like your Samsung T7 backups).

Syncthing provides two-way, real-time sync needed for this workflow: - Write practice notes on iPad/iPhone at the piano - Review and expand those notes on laptop - Reference notes on phone while at piano - All devices need to both read AND write, staying in sync automatically

Rsync cannot do this - it's unidirectional and requires manual execution. Syncthing watches for changes on all devices, syncs bidirectionally in real-time, and handles conflicts automatically.

Think of it as: - Rsync = scheduled backup truck (one direction, on schedule) - Syncthing = self-hosted Dropbox (bidirectional, real-time, on your infrastructure)

Current Setup

Network Configuration

Linux Mint Laptop (lpt-hp)
    <--> Syncthing sync
Ubuntu VM (obsidian-vm)
    - IP: 192.168.1.83
    - Tailscale IP: 100.78.230.66
    - Docker container running Syncthing
    <--> Syncthing sync (planned)
iOS devices
    - Will connect via Mobius Sync app
    - Uses Tailscale IP for secure connection

Docker Configuration (obsidian-vm)

Location: /home/mark/syncthing/docker-compose.yml

services:
  syncthing:
    image: syncthing/syncthing:latest
    container_name: syncthing
    hostname: obsidian-vm
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    volumes:
      - ./config:/var/syncthing/config
      - ./vault:/var/syncthing
    network_mode: host
    restart: unless-stopped

Key points: - network_mode: host enables proper local device discovery (recommended by Syncthing official docs) - Volume mapping: ./vault:/var/syncthing means files in container's /var/syncthing are stored at /home/mark/syncthing/vault/ on VM - restart: unless-stopped ensures Syncthing starts automatically after VM reboots

File Paths

Laptop: - Vault location: /home/mark/Piano/ - Syncthing config: ~/.config/syncthing/ - Syncthing runs as systemd user service

VM (obsidian-vm): - Container path: /var/syncthing/Piano/ (inside Docker container) - Actual filesystem: /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/ (on VM) - Accessible via: sftp://192.168.1.83/home/mark/syncthing/vault/

Installation Steps

Part 1: Install Tailscale on VM

Why first: Tailscale provides the secure connection that iOS will use to reach the VM.

  1. SSH into obsidian-vm (192.168.1.83)

  2. Install Tailscale: 

    curl -fsSL https://pkgs.tailscale.com/stable/ubuntu/noble.noarmor.gpg | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/tailscale-archive-keyring.gpg >/dev/null
curl -fsSL https://pkgs.tailscale.com/stable/ubuntu/noble.tailscale-list | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tailscale.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt install tailscale

  3. Start and authenticate Tailscale: 

    sudo tailscale up

  4. This will give you a URL to authenticate in your browser

  5. Complete authentication

  6. Verify and get Tailscale IP: 

    tailscale ip -4

  7. Result: 100.78.230.66 (save this for iOS setup later)

  8. Set hostname (optional but recommended): 

    sudo tailscale set --hostname obsidian-vm

  9. Enable on boot: 

    sudo systemctl enable tailscaled

Part 2: Install Syncthing on VM (Docker)

Why Docker: Keeps Syncthing isolated and easy to manage/update.

  1. Still SSH'd into obsidian-vm, create directories: 

    mkdir -p ~/syncthing/{config,vault}
cd ~/syncthing

  2. Create docker-compose.yml: 

    nano docker-compose.yml

  3. Paste this content (based on official Syncthing Docker documentation): 

    services:
  syncthing:
    image: syncthing/syncthing:latest
    container_name: syncthing
    hostname: obsidian-vm
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
    volumes:
      - ./config:/var/syncthing/config
      - ./vault:/var/syncthing
    network_mode: host
    restart: unless-stopped

  4. Save: Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X

  5. Note: network_mode: host is recommended by Syncthing for proper device discovery

  6. Start Syncthing: 

    docker compose up -d

  7. Verify it's running: 

    docker ps

  8. Should show syncthing container with status "Up"

  9. Access web UI from your laptop browser:

  10. Go to: http://192.168.1.83:8384

  11. Set authentication (critical security step):

  12. Click "Actions" (top right) → "Settings"
  13. Click "GUI" tab
  14. Scroll down to "GUI Authentication User" and "GUI Authentication Password"
  15. Enter username and password
  16. Click "Save"

  17. Sign in with credentials you just created

  18. Note the Device ID:

  19. On main dashboard, look at "This Device" section
  20. Device ID: NFKAIYI-ON7FS3R-U2P7BK7-DKNM6QS-KFN5A2K-CJVQ7JV-XKSNDXI-HHZGIQB
  21. You'll need this to connect other devices

Part 3: Install Syncthing on Laptop

  1. On Linux Mint laptop, open terminal: 

    sudo apt install syncthing

  2. Enable Syncthing to run as a user service: 

    systemctl --user enable syncthing
systemctl --user start syncthing

  3. Verify it's running: 

    systemctl --user status syncthing

  4. Should show "active (running)"

  5. Access laptop's Syncthing web UI:

  6. Open browser on laptop

  7. Go to: http://localhost:8384

  8. Set authentication:

  9. You may be prompted immediately, or:
  10. Click "Actions" → "Settings" → "GUI" tab
  11. Set username and password
  12. Save and sign in

Part 4: Connect Laptop to VM

  1. On laptop's Syncthing (localhost:8384):
  2. Click "+ Add Remote Device" (in Remote Devices section)
  3. In "Device ID" field, paste VM's device ID: 
    NFKAIYI-ON7FS3R-U2P7BK7-DKNM6QS-KFN5A2K-CJVQ7JV-XKSNDXI-HHZGIQB
  4. In "Device Name" field, enter: obsidian-vm

  5. Click "Save"

  6. On VM's Syncthing (192.168.1.83:8384):

  7. You should see a notification popup: "New Device"
  8. Shows device ID starting with LPTHP
  9. Click "Add"
  10. In "Device Name" field, enter: lpt-hp

  11. Click "Save"

  12. Verify connection:

  13. On laptop: Remote Devices should show "obsidian-vm" as "Connected"
  14. On VM: Remote Devices should show "lpt-hp" as "Connected"

Part 5: Create and Share Piano Vault

  1. On laptop, create Piano directory: 

    mkdir -p ~/Piano

  2. On laptop's Syncthing web UI:

  3. Click "+ Add Folder"
  4. Folder Label: Piano
  5. Folder Path: ~/Piano (or /home/mark/Piano)
  6. Note the auto-generated Folder ID (example: zsczc-mtjtp)
  7. Click "Sharing" tab
  8. Check box next to "obsidian-vm"

  9. Click "Save"

  10. On VM's Syncthing web UI:

  11. You should see notification: "New folder shared from lpt-hp"
  12. Click "Add"
  13. Important: In "Folder Path" field, enter: /var/syncthing/Piano
    • This is the path inside the Docker container
    • Maps to /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano on the VM's actual filesystem

  14. Click "Save"

  15. Verify sync is working:

  16. Both dashboards should show Piano folder as "Up to Date"

  17. Test the sync: 

    # On laptop
echo "test" > ~/Piano/test.txt

  18. Check on VM via file browser or SSH:
    • Path: /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/test.txt
    • Or via sftp: sftp://192.168.1.83/home/mark/syncthing/vault/
  19. File should appear within seconds

Part 6: Create Vault Structure

  1. On laptop, create folder structure: 

    cd ~/Piano
mkdir -p Daily-Practice Concepts Music-Lessons Songs Sequences Sheet-Music templates

  2. Create practice session template: 

    nano ~/Piano/templates/practice-session.md

  3. Paste the template content (see Templates section below)

  4. Save: Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X

  5. Create song template: 

    nano ~/Piano/templates/song.md

  6. Paste the template content (see Templates section below)

  7. Save: Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X

  8. Verify sync:

  9. All folders and templates should sync to VM automatically
  10. Check both Syncthing dashboards show "Up to Date"

Installation complete! Laptop and VM are now syncing the Piano vault.

Current System Status

VM (obsidian-vm): - IP: 192.168.1.83 - Tailscale IP: 100.78.230.66 - Syncthing Web UI: http://192.168.1.83:8384 - Device ID: NFKAIYI-ON7FS3R-U2P7BK7-DKNM6QS-KFN5A2K-CJVQ7JV-XKSNDXI-HHZGIQB - Running: Docker container with Syncthing - Vault location: /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/

Linux Mint Laptop (lpt-hp): - Syncthing Web UI: http://localhost:8384 - Running: systemd user service - Vault location: /home/mark/Piano/ - Connected to: obsidian-vm

Sync Status: - Piano folder syncing successfully between laptop and VM - Folder ID: zsczc-mtjtp - Both devices show "Up to Date"

Shared Folders

Piano vault: - Folder ID: zsczc-mtjtp - Laptop path: /home/mark/Piano/ - VM path: /var/syncthing/Piano/ - Status: Syncing successfully between laptop and VM

Test verification: 

# On laptop
echo "test" > ~/Piano/test.txt

# Check on VM via sftp
sftp://192.168.1.83/home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/test.txt
Result: VERIFIED: File syncs successfully

Vault Structure

Piano/
          �    � Daily-Practice/          # Daily practice session logs
          �    � Concepts/                # Music theory concepts, techniques
          �    � Music-Lessons/           # Lesson notes from piano teacher
          �    � Songs/                   # Individual song analysis and notes
          �    � Sequences/               # Chord progressions, patterns
          �    � Sheet-Music/             # PDF storage for sheet music
          �    � templates/               # Note templates
              �    � practice-session.md
              �    � song.md

Folder Purposes

Daily-Practice/ - One note per practice session - Use practice-session.md template - Link to concepts and songs practiced - Track progress over time

Concepts/ - Music theory topics (inversions, voicings, progressions) - Technique notes - Referenced from daily practice notes

Music-Lessons/ - Notes from each lesson - Homework assignments - Teacher feedback

Songs/ - One note per song/piece - Use song.md template - Link to sheet music - Document chord progressions, voicings used

Sequences/ - Chord progression patterns (ii-V-I, etc.) - Practice sequences - Referenced from songs that use them

Sheet-Music/ - PDF storage - Linked from song notes

Templates

practice-session.md

Location: ~/Piano/templates/practice-session.md

---
date: 
duration: 
tempo: 
---

## Warm-up
- 

## Focus Areas
- 

## New Concepts
- 

## Chord Work
**Progressions practiced:**
- 

**Voicings:**
- 

**Inversions:**
- 

## Songs/Pieces
- 

## What I Learned
- 

## Next Session
-

Usage: - Create new daily note in Daily-Practice/ - Copy template content - Fill in as you practice - Link to concepts: [[Chord Inversions]] - Tag progressions: #ii-V-I

song.md

Location: ~/Piano/templates/song.md

---
title: 
composer: 
key: 
tempo: 
difficulty: 
---

## Sheet Music
- Location: [[Sheet-Music/]]

## Chord Progression
- 

## Sections
### Intro

### Verse

### Chorus

## Practice Notes
- 

## Voicings Used
- 

## Related Concepts
-

Usage: - Create new note in Songs/ folder - Name it after the song - Link to sheet music PDF - Document chord progressions used - Link to related concept notes

Next Steps

Immediate (Next Session)

  1. Install Obsidian on Linux Mint laptop 

    # Download latest .deb from https://obsidian.md
wget https://github.com/obsidianmd/obsidian-releases/releases/download/v1.7.7/obsidian_1.7.7_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i obsidian_1.7.7_amd64.deb

  2. Open Obsidian and create vault

  3. Launch Obsidian
  4. Select "Open folder as vault"
  5. Navigate to /home/mark/Piano

  6. Vault will open with existing folder structure

  7. Configure Obsidian settings

  8. Enable core plugins:

    • Templates (set folder: templates/)
    • Daily notes (set folder: Daily-Practice/, template: templates/practice-session.md)
    • Graph view
    • Backlinks
    • Tags

  9. Install community plugins:

    • Templater (enhanced templates)
    • Calendar (visual practice tracking)
    • Dataview (query practice sessions)
    • Excalidraw (draw chord diagrams)

  10. Configure useful hotkeys

  11. Daily note: Default or customize
  12. Quick switcher: Ctrl+O
  13. Search all notes: Ctrl+Shift+F

  14. Create link: [[

  15. Test workflow

  16. Create a daily practice note
  17. Use template
  18. Add some content
  19. Verify it syncs to VM
  20. Check VM at: sftp://192.168.1.83/home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/

iOS Setup (Future Session)

  1. Configure Mobius Sync on iOS
  2. Open Mobius Sync app
  3. Add device using VM's Tailscale IP: 100.78.230.66
  4. Enter VM's Device ID when prompted
  5. Accept connection on VM's Syncthing dashboard

  6. Share Piano folder with iOS device

  7. Configure Obsidian on iOS

  8. Open Obsidian app
  9. Create/open vault pointing to Mobius Sync folder
  10. Piano folder should appear
  11. Test creating a note on iOS

  12. Verify it syncs to laptop and VM

  13. Workflow testing

  14. Create note on laptop → verify on iOS
  15. Create note on iOS → verify on laptop
  16. Edit same note on both → test conflict resolution

Optional Enhancements

  1. Backup strategy
  2. Piano vault already syncs to VM

  3. Consider adding rsync backup from VM to Samsung T7 

    # Add to existing backup script
rsync -avz /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/ /path/to/t7/backups/Piano/

  4. Access from other devices

  5. Syncthing can run on any device
  6. Could add Windows machines, other Linux systems

  7. All would sync through obsidian-vm hub

  8. Version control

  9. Could add git repository for vault
  10. Track changes over time
  11. Not necessary with Syncthing's file versioning, but adds extra safety

Troubleshooting

Syncthing Not Syncing

Check connection status: 

# On laptop
systemctl --user status syncthing

# On VM
cd ~/syncthing
docker ps
docker logs syncthing

Verify devices are connected: - Open both Syncthing web UIs - Check "Remote Devices" section - Should show "Connected" not "Disconnected"

Check folder status: - Should show "Up to Date" or sync percentage - If "Stopped" or "Error" - check folder paths

Permission Issues on VM

If Syncthing can't write to vault: 

# On VM
cd ~/syncthing
sudo chown -R 1000:1000 vault/

Syncthing Not Starting After Reboot

Laptop: 

systemctl --user enable syncthing
systemctl --user start syncthing

VM: 

cd ~/syncthing
docker compose up -d

Files Not Appearing in Obsidian

Possible causes: 1. Syncthing not running 2. Folder not shared with device 3. Path mismatch in Syncthing config

Verification: 

# Check if files exist on filesystem
ls -la ~/Piano/
ls -la /home/mark/syncthing/vault/Piano/  # On VM via SSH

Conflict Resolution

When same file edited on multiple devices simultaneously: - Syncthing creates .sync-conflict files - Both versions preserved - Manually merge changes - Delete conflict file after merging

Web UI Not Accessible

Laptop (localhost:8384): - Check if Syncthing running: systemctl --user status syncthing - Check firewall (shouldn't affect localhost)

VM (192.168.1.83:8384): - Check Docker container: docker ps - Check network_mode: host in docker-compose.yml - Verify authentication credentials

Maintenance

Regular Tasks

Weekly: - Check Syncthing dashboards for any errors - Verify all devices showing "Connected" - Check disk space on VM

Monthly: - Review and organize vault structure - Archive old practice sessions if desired - Update Syncthing (both laptop and VM container)

Updates

Laptop Syncthing: 

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade syncthing
systemctl --user restart syncthing

VM Syncthing (Docker): 

cd ~/syncthing
docker compose pull
docker compose up -d

Obsidian: - Updates automatically on launch - Or download latest .deb and reinstall

Important Device Information

Syncthing Device IDs

obsidian-vm: 

NFKAIYI-ON7FS3R-U2P7BK7-DKNM6QS-KFN5A2K-CJVQ7JV-XKSNDXI-HHZGIQB

lpt-hp (laptop): - Device ID visible in laptop's Syncthing UI at localhost:8384 - Listed as "This Device"

Network Addresses

obsidian-vm: - Local IP: 192.168.1.83 - Tailscale IP: 100.78.230.66 (for iOS connection) - Syncthing Web UI: http://192.168.1.83:8384

lpt-hp: - Syncthing Web UI: http://localhost:8384

Additional Resources

Obsidian: - Official docs: https://help.obsidian.md/ - Forum: https://forum.obsidian.md/

Syncthing: - Official docs: https://docs.syncthing.net/ - Docker README: https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/blob/main/README-Docker.md - Forum: https://forum.syncthing.net/

Markdown Reference: - Basic syntax: https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/ - Obsidian flavor: https://help.obsidian.md/Editing+and+formatting/Basic+formatting+syntax

Change Log

2026-01-27: - Initial setup completed - Syncthing deployed on obsidian-vm (Docker) - Syncthing configured on lpt-hp laptop - Devices connected and syncing - Piano vault structure created - Templates created - Documentation written

Next session planned: - Install and configure Obsidian on laptop - Test workflow - iOS setup if time permits

End of documentation