Harmonix, the studio behind Rock Band, Dance Central, and the upcoming Kinect game Fantasia: Music Evolved, is opening up the alpha for a new title, Chroma.

Joining forces with Hidden Path Entertainment, the developers behind Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Harmonix is trying to combine two very different genres: the first-person shooter and rhythm games.

As Game Informer explains, “If you choose the sneak class and are using the sniper rifle, firing on the downbeat will result in a one-hit kill and generate a short sonic burst that alters the musical tapestry. Similarly, the tank is outfitted with a powerful rocket launcher, and if you tap to the beat after locking onto your enemy and firing the heat seeking missiles, the rocket will hone in on its target to deal massive damage.”

Essentially, a good sense of rhythm can be just as rewarding as an accurate rifle.

Apart from the musical bonuses, the game is mostly basic FPS fare. Players can choose from five different classes, each designed with different FPS and rhythm strengths. You can also pick from two game modes: one in which you fight for control points and the other a “tug of war” mode in which you battle to push a cart. At the moment, multiplayer caps at teams of 8 vs. 8.

Chroma will be free-to-play and available exclusively on Steam. Interested gamers can sign up for the closed alpha here. Although Harmonix hasn’t set a release date yet, the developer has promised the game will be available sometime in the fall.