Source
Instrument or event: kick, cello, room tone, footsteps, machine hit, riser, vocal phrase.
Plain-English sample search
Type what you mean. Hear the best matches.
Search “metallic impact with a long dark tail,” “70s dry snare,” or “124 BPM synth loop in F minor.” Sample separates hard constraints from descriptive intent and searches the audio—not just its filename.
1search field for filenames, descriptions, BPM, key, and instrument intent
40–200supported BPM filter range after safe clamping of explicit values
24major and minor key spellings normalized to canonical pitch classes
∞descriptive combinations across texture, mood, material, era, and character
Search patterns that carry intent
Write a brief, not a tag list.
Results depend on what exists in your library. Descriptive negatives can steer semantic intent; exact exclusion behavior is not guaranteed for every phrase.
Four kinds of language, one result set.
Strong queries do not need every category. Start with the property you can hear most clearly.
Character
Warm, brittle, close, wide, dusty, hollow, wet, intimate, unstable, saturated, restrained.
Music
Explicit BPM, BPM ranges, key, mode, loop versus one-shot, or a request to preserve tempo/key around a reference.
Direction
More organic, less bright, shorter, heavier, softer, or between two known reference sounds.
Filename search still matters.
Semantic search is additive. Exact filenames, pack names, and familiar tokens remain useful when you know them.
| What you remember | Best query | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The exact file | kshmr_clap_017 | Filename evidence is the fastest route when the token is known. |
| The sound, not the name | tight layered clap with a bright room | Semantic audio meaning can bridge poor filenames. |
| The musical slot | 124 BPM bass loop in F minor | Structured tempo/key constraints narrow semantic candidates. |
| A reference file | Find similar → more organic → lock BPM | Audio-to-audio retrieval starts closer than text alone. |
A better query in 15 seconds.
If results are vague, add one discriminating property—not a paragraph of conflicting adjectives.
Name the event
“Percussion” is wide. “Metallic hand percussion hit” removes entire irrelevant families.
Add the unusual thing
“With a papery attack” is more discriminating than five generic mood words.
Constrain only what is real
Add BPM or key when your arrangement requires it. Do not over-constrain one-shots with metadata that may not apply.
A strong query is a hypothesis, not a commandment. Audition the top results, then switch to a reference-led search when one candidate is close enough to express the target more precisely than another sentence.
One-time purchase · $129 launch price
Search the sound—not the naming convention.
Sample searches and analyzes locally on Apple Silicon. Your audio stays on your Mac. Use it offline after activation, drag results into any DAW, and request a refund within 14 days if it does not improve your workflow.