The Song Is: Kanban project view The Song Is: project detail

See every song you're working on.

A visual project browser for music producers. Organize projects on a freeform pin-up board or move them through custom Kanban columns across 19 supported DAW formats.

Free · No newsletter signup required · Release notes · Open source under GPL v3 · View source on GitHub

Full disclosure: This is free, open-source, vibe-coded software and remains experimental. It hasn't been tested across every DAW, operating system, or computer. The app indexes project metadata and only references any audio previews you assign. It does not delete, move, rename, copy or modify your project or audio files.

What’s new in v1.2.0

Multiple project folders

Scan multiple project folders instead of a single library.

FL Studio ZIP support

FL Studio zipped projects are now detected and can be opened directly.

Creation and modified dates

Project cards show both creation and last-modified dates.

Your preferred date format

Choose European (DD.MM.YYYY) or American (MM/DD/YYYY) date formatting.

Assign audio previews

Manually assign WAV, MP3, M4A or AAC audio previews to projects.

Drag and drop audio

Drop audio directly onto project cards or browse from the project folder.

Preview from cards

Play previews directly from Pin-up and Kanban cards.

Master playback controls

Control preview volume or mute all preview audio.

Your audio stays untouched

Audio files are only referenced. The app never changes, copies or deletes them.

Organize the way you think

First-time users get a simple visual choice between Pin-up and Kanban. Switch at any time. Each mode keeps its own organization.

The Song Is Pin-up board with project cards, sticky notes and minimap

Pin-up board

The original freeform canvas for spatial, visual organization. Existing layouts remain compatible.

  • Place project cards anywhere on the canvas
  • Add and edit color-coded sticky notes
  • Navigate large boards with the live minimap
  • Drag new projects out of Unassigned to place them
The Song Is Kanban board with custom project columns

Kanban

Create a workflow that matches your music: “Club music,” “Guitar demos,” “Needs vocals” or “Ready to mix.”

  • Move and reorder cards vertically
  • Reorder columns horizontally with clear insertion lines
  • Rename or delete columns; deleted-column projects return to Unassigned
  • See a two-line notes excerpt on every card
  • Choose a project's column from its details

Click any project in either mode to open its rating, color, notes, project files and Kanban assignment.

Supports project formats from 19 popular DAWs

Select your DAW and one or more project folders during setup. The app understands both project folders and DAWs that keep project files or packages directly in a library folder.

FL StudioAbleton LiveBitwig StudioREAPER Mixcraft Pro StudioLUNALogic ProGarageBand Studio OneCubaseNuendoPro Tools ReasonCakewalkWaveformArdour LMMSRenoiseAdobe Audition

Support means The Song Is recognizes these project formats. This experimental app has not been exhaustively tested with every DAW, operating system and computer combination.

Made for large project libraries

One Unassigned inbox

Newly discovered projects and projects without a Kanban column live in one list. New items are clearly marked and open into project details.

Live Pin-up minimap

Cards, stickies and the viewport update as you scroll, zoom, filter, drag, resize and edit. Click to jump or hold and drag the viewport continuously.

Filters that combine

Filter by one or more colors, an exact rating, unrated projects, projects with notes or a missing main project file, alongside search.

Project details

Rate, color-tag and annotate a song, inspect its project files, assign its Kanban column and open it in your selected DAW.

Safe, local organization

Ratings, notes, colors, positions, stickies and Kanban organization stay locally on your computer. No account required.

Export and restore

Save your organization to a JSON file and restore it later. Your actual DAW project files are never deleted by the app.

How to use

1

Download the app

Download the latest free macOS or Windows build above, or build it yourself from the source code. Follow the instructions to install.

2

Install it

On macOS, move The Song Is to Applications and open it. If macOS blocks it, go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to Security, click Open Anyway, then confirm. On Windows, extract the ZIP and run The Song Is; if SmartScreen appears, choose More info → Run anyway.

3

Pick your DAW and project folders

Select one of the 19 recognized DAWs, then point the app at one or more project folders. Projects may be folders, individual project files or project packages, depending on the DAW.

4

Choose Pin-up or Kanban

Start with a freeform canvas or custom columns. You can switch whenever you like without losing either layout.

5

Organize and open

Move, search, filter, rate, color-tag and annotate projects. Click a project when you want to open it in your DAW.

Privacy & Safety

The Song Is is a local project organizer. It reads the information needed to list and open your projects, but it does not delete them.

FAQ

Was this app vibe-coded?

Yes. It's a weekend project I made for myself and wanted to share. I want to be transparent about that in case it's a turn-off when deciding whether to use the program.

macOS says "The Song Is cannot be opened because the developer cannot be verified."

Go to System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to Security, click Open Anyway, then confirm. You only need to do this once.

How do I install the Windows version?

Download and extract the ZIP, then run the included The Song Is executable. If SmartScreen appears, click More info → Run anyway.

Where is my data stored?

Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/The Song Is/data.json
Windows: %APPDATA%\The Song Is\data.json

Will upgrading rearrange my Pin-up board?

No. An existing library becomes the initial baseline, so the Unassigned inbox does not rearrange your current layout.

What happens when I delete a Kanban column?

The column is removed and its projects return to Unassigned. Their files are not changed or deleted.

Can I switch between Pin-up and Kanban?

Yes. Switch at any time; each mode keeps its own organization.

Can I contribute or report a bug?

Yes, open an issue or pull request on GitHub.

Got a feature idea? Email me! problem.industries@gmail.com