Frieve EffeTune

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A real-time audio effect processor designed for audio enthusiasts to enhance their music listening experience. EffeTune allows you to process any audio source through various high-quality effects, enabling you to customize and perfect your listening experience in real-time.

Introduction video

Concept

EffeTune was created for audio enthusiasts who want to elevate their music listening experience. Whether you’re streaming music or playing from physical media, EffeTune lets you add high-quality effects to customize the sound to your exact preferences. Transform your computer into a powerful audio effects processor that sits between your audio source and your speakers or amplifier.

No audiophile myths, Just pure science.

Features

• Real-time audio processing
• Drag-and-drop interface for building effect chains
• Expandable effect system with categorized effects
• Live audio visualization
• Customizable Visualizer layouts with animated graphs, artwork, and track details
• Audio pipeline that can be modified in real-time
• Offline audio file processing with current effect chain
• Music Library for browsing local subfolders, metadata, and playlists
• Compact, always-on-top mini player for the desktop app
• Frequency response measurement and correction for system calibration
• Multi-channel processing and output
• Mobile-friendly web layout for phone and tablet use

Setup Guide

Choose the setup below that matches the audio source you want to listen to.

Music File Player Setup

• Open the EffeTune web app in your browser, or launch the EffeTune desktop app
• Open and play a music file to ensure proper playback
  • Click the Open music files button and select a music file
  • Or open a music file and select EffeTune as the application (desktop app only)
  • Or select Open music file… from the File menu (desktop app only)
  • Or drag the music file into the window
• For player-only use, set Input Device to None (music file player only) in Audio Configuration to avoid using a live audio input. This is the desktop app’s default; saved input device selections are preserved.

Music Player

Desktop Browser Setup

The desktop app’s Browser plays audio from websites through your current effects without a virtual audio device.

1. Click Browser in the header. This starts browser audio processing.
2. Enter an HTTP or HTTPS address, then sign in and play music using the website’s controls. An address without a scheme opens with HTTPS.
3. Switch to Effect Pipeline to adjust the sound. Switching views keeps browser audio playing.

Use Back, Forward, Reload, and Stop to navigate. Open Bookmarks to add the current page, open a saved page, rename a bookmark, or delete it. The browser menu contains Open in default browser, Use as start page, and Clear site data. Bookmarks and the chosen start page are saved. Website sign-ins are kept separately, so you can return to a site after restarting the app. Browser pages follow the app’s zoom level.

Opening or returning to Browser automatically selects browser audio. Browser audio is mixed with your selected input device. Choose None for the input device to listen to browser audio alone. The Player input option does not affect Browser playback. Local music playback can continue alongside browser audio. If audio capture stops, click Browser again to retry. Clear site data signs you out of websites and clears their stored data while keeping bookmarks.

Use Close on the browser toolbar to stop browser audio processing and return to Effect Pipeline. The page and browsing history are kept. Open Browser again to resume audio processing on the same page.

In Settings > Config… > Browser:

• Start page sets the HTTP or HTTPS address shown when Browser first opens. The field is blank by default; when blank, it opens the EffeTune streaming guide. Reset clears the field without changing the current page.
• Open new tabs in the default browser is enabled by default. Turn it off to open new-tab links in EffeTune’s Browser instead. Separate windows, such as sign-in windows, stay inside EffeTune either way.
• User-Agent is the browser identification sent to websites. The default identifies Browser as Chrome-compatible and includes the EffeTune name. Leave the field blank or click Reset to restore the default. After changing it, reload the page in Browser.

Some websites do not allow embedded browsers, sign-in, protected playback, or audio capture. Availability depends on the website and operating system; DRM playback is not guaranteed. If sign-in is refused, try another sign-in method offered by the site or use your normal browser. Signing in there does not sign you in inside EffeTune. The Browser feature is available only in the desktop app.

Browser Extension Setup

Process up to four Chrome or Edge tabs with separate effect pipelines, URL-based preset selection, and a selectable sample rate, without a virtual audio device. See the Browser Extension guide.

1. Install the EffeTune extension for Chrome or Edge.
2. Play audio in the tab you want to process, open EffeTune from the browser toolbar, and choose Start on this tab.
3. Choose Edit pipeline to add effects and adjust the sound.

Streaming Service Setup

To process audio from streaming services (Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.):

In the desktop app, first try Desktop Browser Setup. To use a separate streaming app or a source that the built-in browser cannot play, use the audio-device setup below.

1. Prerequisites:
   • Install a virtual audio device (e.g., VB Cable, Voice Meeter, or ASIO Link Tool)
   • Configure your streaming service to output audio to the virtual audio device
2. Configuration:
   • Open the EffeTune web app in your browser, or launch the EffeTune desktop app
   • Select the virtual audio device as the input source
     • In Chrome, the first time you open it, a dialog box appears asking you to select and allow audio input
     • Open Audio Configuration from the Settings menu to choose input/output devices and audio format
   • Start playing music from your streaming service
   • Verify that audio is flowing through EffeTune
   • For more detailed setup instructions, see the FAQ

Physical Audio Source Setup

To use EffeTune with CD players, network players, or other physical sources:

• Connect your audio interface to your computer
• Open the EffeTune web app in your browser, or launch the EffeTune desktop app
• Select your audio interface as the input and output source
  • In Chrome, the first time you open it, a dialog box appears asking you to select and allow audio input
  • Open Audio Configuration from the Settings menu to choose input/output devices and audio format
• Your audio interface now functions as a multi-effects processor:
  • Input: Your CD player, network player, or other audio source
  • Processing: Real-time effects through EffeTune
  • Output: Processed audio to your amplifier or speakers

Usage

On your first launch, a short tour shows you where to play music, add effects, and adjust your sound. You can reopen it anytime with Take the tour in the settings menu, the desktop app’s Help menu, or the menu button on mobile.

Building Your Effect Chain

1. Available effects are listed on the left side of the screen
   • Use the search button next to “Available Effects” to filter effects
   • Type any text to find effects by name or category
   • Press ESC to clear the search
2. Drag effects from the list to the Effect Pipeline area
   • On mobile, open the Effects tab and tap the + button to add effects from the full-screen list
3. Effects are processed in order from top to bottom
4. Drag the handle (⋮) or click the ▲▼ buttons to reorder the effects
   • For Section effects: Shift+click the ▲▼ buttons to move entire sections (from one Section to the next Section, pipeline beginning, or end of pipeline)
5. Click an effect’s name to expand/collapse its settings
   • Shift+click on a Section effect to collapse/expand all effects within that section
   • Shift+click on other effects to collapse/expand all effects except for the Analyzer category
   • Ctrl+click to collapse/expand all effects
6. Use the ON button to bypass individual effects
7. Click the ? button to open its detailed documentation in a new tab
8. Remove effects using the × button
   • For Section effects: Shift+click the × button to remove entire sections
9. Click the routing button to set the channels to be processed and the input and output busses
   • More about bus functions
10. Click an effect’s Effect Presets button to save or apply settings for that effect only

Browsing Your Music Library

You can organize the music files stored on your device in a library.

1. Open Music Library from the PC header, the mobile Library tab, or View > Music Library in the desktop app.
2. Select Add Music Folder to index a folder of music files. External CUE sheets can divide WAV or FLAC album files in the same folder into individual tracks.
3. Browse Tracks, Albums, Artists, Genres, Subfolders, Folders, Recently Added, or Playlists, and use Search library to filter your collection.
4. Use Play to listen through the current effect pipeline, or use Play Next, Add to Queue, and Add to Playlist to manage playback.
5. Use Rescan after changing files, and Reconnect if a browser or folder permission is lost.
   • More about Music Library

Visualizer

You can enjoy visualizations based on the music that is playing.

Open Visualizer from the PC header, the mobile Player tab, or the desktop View menu. Choose a built-in layout or select Edit to arrange audio graphs, artwork, and track information. Changes take effect immediately and return at the next launch; use the preset dialog to save a named copy. Hover over or tap the display and select ⛶ to fill the app window. See the Visualizer guide for editing, effects, and display options.

Using Presets

You can save and load the effect pipelines you create.

Click the Pipeline Presets button in the Effect Pipeline header to open the preset dialog.

1. Load a preset by selecting it from the saved preset list. This restores the complete effect chain, including effect order, settings, and ON/OFF states.
2. Save the current effect chain by entering a name and selecting Save.
3. Rename a saved preset with its rename button.
4. Select one or more saved presets, then choose Delete Selected and confirm to remove them.
5. Press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on macOS) to open the dialog with the current preset name ready to edit.

Each effect also has its own Effect Presets button. It opens system presets when the effect provides them and lets you save, rename, load, or remove your own settings for that effect. Effect presets change only that effect’s parameters; they do not change its ON/OFF state or routing.

The existing .effetune_preset file import, export, and sharing features continue to use complete effect-chain presets.

Common Effect Controls

• For fine slider adjustment, hold Shift while dragging; the value changes by one minimum step at a time
  • For sliders with both negative and positive values, the fill extends from 0 to the current value. Ratio sliders use 1.0 as their starting point.
• On supported frequency and note graphs, drag along the graph’s axis to preview the selected frequency through the effect chain. In Config > General > Frequency Preview Sound, choose Sine Wave (default, -12 dB) or Band-pass Noise, which plays noise centered on that frequency. Note Spectrogram, Pitch Meter, Chroma Spiral, and piano-key displays always use a sine wave. Piano-key displays snap to the nearest semitone; dragging over a key previews that key’s pitch

Control effect parameters with MIDI, gamepads, or the keyboard

Using Section Features

You can group multiple effects and control them together.

1. Section Effect Usage:
   • Add a Section effect at the beginning of a group of effects
   • Enter a descriptive name in the Comment field
   • Toggling the Section ON/OFF bypasses or restores that section while preserving each effect’s own ON/OFF state
   • Use multiple Section effects to organize your effect chain into logical groups
   • More about control effects

Using AB Pipeline Features

You can switch between two effect pipelines to compare how they sound.

1. AB Pipeline Overview:
   • EffeTune can maintain two separate effect pipelines: Pipeline A and Pipeline B
   • At startup, only Pipeline A is loaded; Pipeline B is created when needed
   • All processing, saving, loading, and editing operations work on the currently selected pipeline
2. AB Toggle Button:
   • Located to the right of the Effect Pipeline header
   • Shows “A” by default (Pipeline A active)
   • Click to switch between Pipeline A and Pipeline B
   • If Pipeline B doesn’t exist when toggling, Pipeline A’s settings are copied to Pipeline B
3. AB Menu (Dropdown Button):
   • Located to the right of the AB toggle button
   • “A → B”: Copy Pipeline A settings to Pipeline B and switch to Pipeline B
   • “B → A”: Copy Pipeline B settings to Pipeline A and switch to Pipeline A
4. Double Blind Test:
   • Compare Pipeline A and Pipeline B by ear without knowing which one is playing
   • Run an ABX test to check whether you can really tell the two pipelines apart, or an A/B preference test to find out which one you prefer, with a statistical significance check
   • Open it from the ▼ pipeline menu to the right of the AB toggle button (also available from the File menu in the desktop app)
   • More about the Double Blind Test

Effect Selection and Keyboard Shortcuts

1. Effect Selection Methods:
   • Click on effect headers to select individual effects
   • Hold Ctrl while clicking to select multiple effects
   • Click on empty space in the Pipeline area to deselect all effects
2. Keyboard Shortcuts:
   • Ctrl + Z: Undo
   • Ctrl + Y: Redo
   • Ctrl + S: Save the current pipeline
   • Ctrl + Shift + S: Save current pipeline as
   • Ctrl + X: Cut selected effects
   • Ctrl + C: Copy selected effects
   • Ctrl + V: Paste effects from clipboard
   • Ctrl + F: Search for effects
   • Ctrl + A: Select all effects in the pipeline
   • Delete: Delete selected effects
   • ESC: Deselect all effects
   • T: Toggle between Pipeline A and Pipeline B
   • A: Switch to Pipeline A
   • B: Switch to Pipeline B
3. Keyboard Shortcuts (when using the player):
   • Space: Play/Pause
   • Ctrl + → or N: Next track
   • Ctrl + ← or P: Previous track
   • Shift + → or F or .: Fast-forward 10 seconds
   • Shift + ← or R or ,: Rewind 10 seconds
   • Ctrl + M: Toggle Repeat mode
   • Ctrl + H: Toggle Shuffle mode
   • T: Toggle Pipeline A/B
   • A: Switch to Pipeline A
   • B: Switch to Pipeline B

Processing Audio Files

You can apply the effect chain to music files and save the processed audio as new files.

1. File Drop or File Specification Area:
   • A dedicated drop area is always visible below the Effect Pipeline
   • Supports single or multiple audio files
   • Files are processed using the current Pipeline settings
   • Effects are processed at the Pipeline’s sample rate; any output sample-rate conversion happens afterward
2. Processing Status:
   • Progress bar shows current processing status
   • Processing time depends on file size and effect chain complexity
3. Download or Save Options:
   • In Settings > Config > Offline file output, choose WAV or FLAC, plus its sample rate and quality. For FLAC, choose 16-bit or 24-bit lossless encoding. The default is WAV at 96 kHz with 24-bit PCM
   • Formats have different channel limits. EffeTune stops with guidance instead of automatically downmixing a file that exceeds the selected format’s limit
   • For multiple files, select an output folder before processing begins; each file is saved directly to that folder as it completes
   • On older browsers without folder selection support, multiple files are packaged into a ZIP file for download

Sharing Effect Chains

You can share your effect chain configuration with other users.

1. After setting up your desired effect chain, click the “Share” button in the top-right corner of the Effect Pipeline area
2. The web app URL will be automatically copied to your clipboard
3. Share the copied URL with others - they can recreate your exact effect chain by opening it
4. Shared URLs store the effect settings needed for reproduction; the web app also restores your normal working state from browser storage
5. In the desktop app version, export the settings to an .effetune_preset file from the File menu
6. Share the exported .effetune_preset file. The .effetune_preset file can also be loaded by dragging it into the web app window

Backing Up and Restoring Saved Data

Open Settings > Backup / Restore to move saved pipeline presets, effect presets, impulse responses, and measurements between the web app, desktop app, and browser extension. In the web and desktop apps, named Visualizer presets can also be included. Selecting a preset automatically selects any measurement or impulse-response data it uses.

Include measurement data and Include impulse response data are enabled by default so backups are self-contained. Turn either option off only when the destination already has the matching measurement or impulse-response files. Restored impulse responses are added to EffeTune’s Impulse Response Library. Restoring a backup does not change the current pipeline, volume, selected preset, device settings, Music Library, or extension URL rules. Each .effetune_backup file supports up to 256 MB; split larger backups into separate files if needed. If restoration stops, completed items remain and you can safely restore the same file again.

Before sharing a backup, review the selection: it can contain preset names and comments, original impulse-response files, and measurement details. Music files, Music Library data, application preferences, device choices, URL rules, credentials, and an unsaved current pipeline are not included.

Application Settings

Open Settings > Config… to choose Language, set Startup view: (Effect Pipeline (Default), Music Library, or Visualizer), configure Effect Pipeline at startup:, and select a Theme (Graphite, Paper, Midnight, Ember, or Mint). When Startup view: is set to Music Library, you can also choose which library category opens first. In the desktop app, you can also select Browser as the startup view.

For Effect Pipeline columns, choose Manual to adjust the column count with the +/− buttons, or Automatic (default) to fit the columns alongside the effect list within the window width. Automatic mode adjusts the column count when you resize the window.

The Microsoft Store edition receives updates through Microsoft Store. In Settings > Config…, use Open Microsoft Store updates to check for updates and Open Windows startup settings to choose whether EffeTune starts automatically. This edition stores its settings and Browser sign-ins separately from other desktop editions.

Frequency Response Measurement and Correction

Measure your audio system with a microphone and create a correction EQ that can be imported into EffeTune; see Frequency Response Measurement and Correction and the Pipeline Analyzer guide.

Audio Reset

If you experience audio issues (dropouts, glitches):

1. Choose “Reset Audio” from the Settings menu or mobile overflow menu. In the desktop app, you can also select Reload from the View menu
2. The audio pipeline will be rebuilt automatically
3. Your effect chain configuration will be preserved

OpenHome Remote Control (Desktop App)

Supported desktop builds can be controlled by OpenHome apps on the same local network. This is off by default; see OpenHome Remote Control for setup, network access, compatibility, and limitations.

Control EffeTune with an AI Assistant (MCP)

Codex or Claude Code can set up MCP and then help you add effects, adjust their settings, and load or save presets in the EffeTune desktop app. Use an agent that can run commands on your computer.

1. In the EffeTune desktop app, open Settings > Remote Control…, turn on Allow remote control, and select Copy link.
2. Paste the prompt below into your AI agent, replacing the placeholder with the copied link:

Set up EffeTune MCP following the official guide below.
https://github.com/Frieve-A/effetune/blob/main/mcp/README.md
Pairing link: <paste the copied link here>

After setup, follow any restart instructions, then try asking, “Show my current effects.” Keep the pairing link private; if you select New token or change the port, repeat setup with the new link.

Common Effect Combinations

Here are some popular effect combinations to enhance your listening experience:

Headphone Enhancement

1. Stereo Blend -> RS Reverb
   • Stereo Blend: Adjusts stereo width for comfort (60-100%)
   • RS Reverb: Adds subtle room ambience (10-20% mix)
   • Result: More natural, less fatiguing headphone listening

Vinyl Simulation

1. Wow Flutter -> Noise Blender -> Saturation
   • Wow Flutter: Adds gentle pitch variation
   • Noise Blender: Creates vinyl-like atmosphere
   • Saturation: Adds analog warmth
   • Result: Authentic vinyl record experience

FM Radio Style

1. Multiband Compressor -> Stereo Blend
   • Multiband Compressor: Creates that “radio” sound
   • Stereo Blend: Adjusts stereo width for comfort (100-150%)
   • Result: FM-radio-style polished sound

Lo-Fi Character

1. Bit Crusher -> Simple Jitter -> RS Reverb
   • Bit Crusher: Reduces bit depth for retro feel
   • Simple Jitter: Adds digital imperfections
   • RS Reverb: Creates atmospheric space
   • Result: Classic lo-fi aesthetic

Troubleshooting and FAQ

If you encounter any issues, please refer to the Troubleshooting and FAQ. If the problem persists, report it through GitHub Issues.

Available Effects

Technical Information

Browser Compatibility

Frieve EffeTune has been tested and verified to work on Google Chrome. The application requires a modern browser with support for:

• Web Audio API
• Audio Worklet
• getUserMedia API
• Drag and Drop API
• Service Worker, for installable/offline web app support

Browser Support Details

1. Chrome/Chromium
   • Fully supported and recommended
   • Update to latest version for best performance
2. Firefox/Safari
   • Limited support
   • Some features such as output device selection, Wake Lock, install behavior, or audio file formats may vary by browser
   • Consider using Chrome for best experience

Recommended Sample Rate

Set EffeTune’s Sample Rate to 96 kHz. This reduces audible aliasing from nonlinear effects such as saturation. This setting controls EffeTune’s internal processing rate and works independently of your OS, audio interface, or virtual audio device sample rate. Check the effective Sample Rate shown in the app: until you save a setting, it may follow the OS or browser default, and the web app may fall back to another rate if 96 kHz is unavailable. If playback drops out, first disable demanding effects or shorten the chain; lower the sample rate only if needed.

Development Guide

Want to create your own audio plugins? Check out our Plugin Development Guide.

DSP Library

EffeTune’s DSP engine is also an independent, deterministic MIT-licensed library for Python, JavaScript, and browser AudioWorklets. Its public Chain schema and generated effect catalog can be used without the EffeTune app. See the EffeTune DSP Library documentation.

Use the package quickstarts for installation and complete runnable examples:

• Python package
• JavaScript and AudioWorklet package

The DSP Library guide covers effects, schemas, processing behavior, and required assets.

Links

Version History

Source Code

YouTube

Discord

Support on Ko-fi