Software and Services
Every tool referenced across the site - the software you might install and the services you might use - with one-line descriptions and links
Every piece of software and every service named anywhere across these docs is collected here, with a one-line description, platform availability, and a link. When an article references a tool, this page is where the reader can find what it actually is.
The list is grouped by what the tool does, not by alphabetical order - tag editors first, audio CLI second, broadcasting and playout third.
Software
Tag editors
- Mp3tag. (Windows, donationware · Mac, paid) - The workhorse. Open a folder, edit fields in a panel, save. Handles FLAC, WAV, MP3, M4A.
- MusicBrainz Picard. (Windows, Mac, Linux, free) - Heavier than Mp3tag, ships with lookup features that auto-fill metadata from the MusicBrainz database.
- kid3. (Windows, Mac, Linux, free) - Lightweight and fast. Good when Mp3tag and Picard feel like overkill.
- Metadatics. (Mac, free) - Native Mac app.
Audio CLI
- flac and metaflac. (Windows, Mac, Linux) - The reference encoder, decoder, and tag editor for FLAC.
- ffmpeg. (Windows, Mac, Linux) - Audio and video processing. Convert, re-encode, normalize, repackage.
Broadcasting and playout
- BUTT. (Windows, Mac, Linux, free, open source) - The simplest way to send audio from your computer to an Icecast or Shoutcast server.
- RadioDJ. (Windows, free) - Playout automation.
- RCS Sound Software. (Windows, proprietary) - Industry-grade playout Zetta and music scheduling GSelector.
- MusicMaster Scheduling. (Windows, proprietary) - Music scheduling. A competitor to RCS GSelector from a separate company.
- Thimeo Stereo Tool. (Windows, Mac, Linux, free and paid) - Broadcast audio processing - the chain of compression, EQ, and limiting that sits between playout and transmission. Free for evaluation; sound-shaping features unlock with a paid license.
- MetaRadio. (Windows, paid) - Takes the track metadata from your playout system and pushes it out to streaming servers, RDS encoders, websites, and apps from one place.
Services
- ISRC Search. (isrcsearch.ifpi.org) - IFPI's database lookup for ISRCs. Free to query.
- Caster.FM. (caster.fm) - "Free" Icecast server hosting. The quotes are there because the free tier is bait - expect to upgrade.
- n8n. (n8n.io) - Automation service.
- Telegram. (telegram.org) - Messaging service.