Welcome to Farrago

Farrago provides the best way to quickly play sound bites, audio effects, and music clips on your Mac. Podcasters can use it to include sound effects and music during recording sessions, while theater techs can run the audio for all manner of live performances. Whether you want quick access to a library of sounds or you need to run through a defined list of audio, Farrago is here to assist.

Getting Started

This manual provides you with a useful overview of the application, including an outline of the interface, as well as details on using the application. We recommend a quick read-through, but you can also just dive in if you like. Refer back to this online manual for assistance at any time, right from Farrago's Help menu.

Additional Assistance

The following resources will supplement a read-through of the manual and help you get the answers you need.

Information for Users of Previous Versions

If you've used Farrago before, this information should prove helpful.

Tiles and Sound Sets

With Farrago, each sound file you wish to play gets its own tile in the main interface. Each tile has individually customizable settings for playback as well as a defined keyboard shortcut. Tiles are then contained within a collection called a set.

You can group your tiles and sets by any criteria you choose. Within a single set, sort based on color, location, title, or emoji art. You can also create multiple sets, distinguished by mood, the specific podcast you're creating or show you're performing, or anything else you like.

Adding Tiles to a Set

Creating a new tile in a set is as easy as dragging your desired sound into Farrago from the Finder. When you do so, Farrago will display a visual grid representing your keyboard layout so you can decide what key you'd like the sound linked to. Drop the sound on the desired slot, and a new tile will be made.

Sounds can also be added via the Add Sound button or menu item. This method enables you to find the desired file on your hard drive. Once you've selected your sound, Farrago will create a tile in the earliest available slot of your current set.

Sound Storage

Farrago makes a copy of all sounds that you add to it, so you don't have to worry about file management. To remove a sound, just delete its tile in Farrago. The copy of the file will automatically be removed from Farrago’s storage, while any other copies you may have on your Mac will be untouched.

Multiple Sound Sets

Each sound set in Farrago holds up to 80 tiles, and you can create as many sets as you need. To create a new set, click the New Set button at the bottom of the Sets list, then choose New Set. You can also select New Set from the Sound Set menu.

To customize the order of your sets in the Sets list, just drag individual sets up and down to re-order. Note that the first nine sets receive fast-access keyboard shortcuts (Command-1 through Command-9).

The Now Playing Indicator

When you have two or more sets in Farrago, you may wish to play audio from multiple sets at once. To determine which of your sets are currently playing audio, look for the Now Playing indicator. It will appear next to the name of all sets which have a tile actively producing audio.

Moving and Copying Sounds Between Sets

It's easy to copy a tile into another set, or to move a tile from one set to another. To copy a tile to a second set, just drag it from one set to another. Farrago will create a second tile using the same settings.

If you wish to move a tile between sets instead, hold the Command key as you drag it from one set to another. Farrago will then transfer the tile to the new set, rather than making a copy.

When a sound file is used by multiple tiles, Farrago preserves disk space by storing just a single copy on your hard drive. If you use the built-in editor to modify the audio, a duplicate is made containing the edited audio. In this way, it’s possible to revert to the original audio at any time.

Smart Sets

In addition to manually managing sets, Farrago offers smart sets which update automatically based on rules you configure. To create a new smart set, click the New Set button at the bottom of the Sets list, then choose New Smart Set. You can also select New Smart Set from the Sound Set menu.

Give your smart set a name, then apply whatever rules you like. You’ll see the number of currently-matching tiles in the lower left of the window. When you’re ready, click OK, and the set will be created and listed in the Smart Sets section of the Sets list. As you make changes in Farrago, smart sets will update automatically.

The Inspector area will list the rules for a specific smart set, in the Smart Set Rules section. To adjust a smart set’s rules after creating it, just click the Edit Rules… button found there.

Locking Sets

You can lock sets to prevent accidental edits and changes. When a set is locked, audio within it can be played, but modifications are disabled. For even stronger protection in shared environments, set a password to prevent unauthorized changes. Locking settings can be adjusted via controls in the Security section of the Inspector.

Secondary Set Windows

You can find all your sets in the Sets list on the left-hand side of Farrago’s main window. When you highlight a set, its contents will be shown in that main window by default. If you wish to have multiple sets visible at the same time, it’s possible to load a set in a secondary window. To do this, click the Secondary Set button next to the set’s name.

When the Secondary Set button is clicked, a secondary window containing the set will open. In this way, you can view multiple sets. Do note that keyboard shortcuts always apply to the foremost set window.

Importing and Exporting Sound Sets

After you've precisely configured a set, you may find it useful to share it with others. Whether you have a podcasting partner or just someone you're trying to assist, Farrago makes this easy with shareable sets.

To export a set, just highlight it in the Sets list of the main window, then select Export Set from the Sets menu. You can also drag a set right out from the Sets list and into the Finder.

Farrago will save your set as a .farragoset file, which contains the relevant audio and settings. You can then email this to a friend, publish it on your website, or share it however you like.

Importing a set is a snap too. As long as you have Farrago installed, you can just double-click the .farragoset file in the Finder. Farrago will launch and import the set instantly. You can also select Import Set from the Sets menu in Farrago, or just drag it onto the Sets list. However you import a set, it will appear right in your Sets list, ready for use.

Exporting Individual Sounds

As noted in the “Sound Storage” section above, Farrago makes a copy of all sound files you import. If you find yourself needing to export a copy of a sound file from Farrago, you can do so from the Tile menu. Just highlight the tile in question, then select Export Selected Sound…. You'll then be prompted to select a location to save the sound file to.

For even faster exporting, click and drag a tile from Farrago to the Finder. The sound file will then be copied to your specified location.

Farrago's Sample Sound Sets

Farrago includes three sample sound sets. “Sample Music” features 20 free-to-use music loops created by Rogue Amoeba, while “Sample Sound Effects” provides common sound effects made by others. The “Sample List Mode Set” uses a small number of sound effects to provide an example of a more scripted scenario that tells a simple story.

The main purpose of these sound sets is to help demonstrate the features of the app, but you're welcome to use them in any way you desire. For more details, please see the Acknowledgements page.

The sample sound sets can be modified, or deleted entirely. If you want to start fresh with them, you can restore them using the Add Sample Sound Sets option in the Help menu.

Grid Mode Basics

Sound sets in Farrago can be used in two distinct ways: Grid mode or List mode. A set’s mode can be changed from the Sound Set menu, as well as with the Grid/List mode toggle in the bottom toolbar.

This page provides a brief overview look of Grid mode.

Grid mode is best for non-linear playback, where you don’t know exactly what sounds you’ll want ahead of time. Tiles correspond directly to your keyboard, with shortcuts assigned to each tile automatically. Playback is thus as straightforward as pressing the relevant key on your keyboard.

Tiles in Grid Mode

A set in Grid mode displays up to 80 tiles, in up to 8 rows containing up to 10 columns. Tile widths are automatically resized for visibility. Each tile face displays information about the tile, including its title and optional emoji, a waveform visualization of the sound it will play, length and playback information, as well as the tile’s keyboard shortcut.

List Mode Basics

Sound sets in Farrago can be used in two distinct ways: Grid mode or List mode. A set’s mode can be changed from the Sound Set menu, as well as with the Grid/List mode toggle in the bottom toolbar.

This page provides a brief overview look of List mode.

List mode is geared toward sequential playback, and offers a great way to run a more linear performance. This can be useful while recording a podcast with a predefined sequence of audio files (such as a theme song, a pre-recorded introduction, and an outro). It’s also great for theater use and other scripted performances.

Tiles in List Mode

A set in List mode displays up to 80 tiles, in a vertical list.

To the left of each tile, you’ll see the Playback Indicator. When a tile has yet to be played, this indicator will show a filled-in dot. As a tile is playing, the indicator will show a spinner. When the tile has finished playing, it will show a hollow dot.

The tile itself displays the title, optional emoji, and a waveform visualization of the sound it will play, as well as length and playback information.

To the right of each tile, Notes are shown. Notes can be edited inline, as well as in the Inspector.

List Mode Controls

The bottom of any set in List mode contains several controls.

Playback Mode

A set in List mode uses one of two different playback modes, Continuous or Queued. In Continuous mode, as one tile finishes playing, the next tile will automatically begin playing. In Queued mode, when one tile finishes, the next tile will not play automatically. Instead, it will be automatically highlighted, ready to begin playback with a press of the Return key.

Cross-Fade

When the Playback Mode is set to Continuous, the Cross-Fade slider controls how much cross-fade will occur between tiles. Note that for tiles with very short sounds, the maximum fade will be one-half the audio’s length, even if this slider is set to a higher duration.

Reset List

In its default state, a set in List mode will have all tiles set to unplayed, and the first list item will be selected. After a tile is played, it will switch to a played state, useful for visually tracking where playback is in a sequence. Played tiles will also be skipped over when playing through the list.

The Reset List button will return a set to its default state, great for when you’ve played through a list, or if you wish to start over. Once reset, all tiles in a list return to an unplayed state and the selection moves back to the first list item.

Audio Playback

Farrago's main window provides access to all sounds currently available within the program. The left side of the window allows you to switch between sets, while the center displays all sounds contained within the selected set. Each set in Farrago can contain up to 80 sounds, one per tile on the screen, and you can have as many sets as you need.

Audio playback of your sounds can be triggered in three different ways. You can press a tile's keyboard shortcut. You can also highlighting a tile and press the Return key. Finally, if you wish to use the mouse, you can instead click on a tile to play it. See “Triggering Sounds via the Mouse” below for more details.

Farrago's Toolbar and Now Playing LCD

The top of Farrago's main window provides useful controls and information, including app-wide volume settings, the Now Playing LCD area, and app-wide playback controls.

Master Volume Control

Farrago's Master Volume control can be found on the left-hand side of the toolbar. This slider controls the level at which audio from Farrago plays. To make it easy to duck audio down, Farrago offers two master volume levels, Volume A and Volume B. These can be set to distinct volumes, after which you can fade between them by clicking their respective flags. If you wish to mute all playback entirely, click the speaker icon to the left of the slider.

Now Playing Bubbles

The LCD in the center of the toolbar shows bubbles for each tile that's currently active. When a tile is playing audio, its bubble will appear in color in the LCD, with playback progress indicated visually, and a clickable Stop or Pause control available. Paused tiles are shown in a dimmed state.

Playback Controls

Finally, the right-most section of the toolbar shows standard playback controls. The Pause All button will pause or unpause any currently active tiles. The Stop All button will immediately end playback of all active tiles. The Fade All button will fade out playback of all active tiles over 2 seconds.

Triggering Sounds via Keyboard

Farrago provides fast and powerful keyboard-based playback when it’s in the foreground. You can press 40 different keys (On a QWERTY layout, these are 1 -> 0, Q -> P, A -> ;, and Z -> /) to trigger a unique sound in the foremost set window. Another 40 sounds can be accessed by adding the option key.

With Farrago, your keyboard itself becomes a sound effects machine. Simply press a key once to trigger the sound. Press it again while playback is occurring to stop or pause it (depending on the tile's Pausable setting, adjustable in the Inspector). A third press will cause the sound to play once again.

Example

This screenshot shows a simple set of 4 sounds, arranged in a convenient 2x2 grid. The “W” on the keyboard has triggered playback of the “Bike Bell” sound. Pressing “E” would trigger the “Train Whistle” sound, pressing “S” would trigger “Robot”, and so on.

For many more details on using the keyboard to control Farrago, see Keyboard Controls.

Triggering Sounds via the Mouse

Farrago is geared toward keyboard usage, but it's also possible to trigger sounds using the mouse. This works similarly to keyboard-based playback. Double-clicking on a tile will cause the sound to play, and double-clicking again will stop or pause it (depending on the tile's Pausable setting, adjustable in the Inspector). Double-clicking the tile a third time will again initiate playback, or unpause the tile.

Additional Notes

To prevent inadvertent audio, mouse-based playback requires a double-click on the tile by default. If you intend to operate Farrago via the mouse, you may wish to set tiles to play with just a single click. This can be done by enabling the Single click to trigger sounds checkbox in Farrago's Settings.

When controlling Farrago with your mouse, the Playback menu will be helpful for accessing tile playback options.

Previewing Audio

When using Farrago in a live setting, you may wish to preview audio before playing it through the main output. Farrago offers a Preview output device setting to accomplish this. To begin, configure the Preview output device in Farrago's Settings window.

To preview audio, hold the Shift key then press the tile’s keyboard shortcut or click to play the tile. You can also preview by highlighting a tile, then pressing Shift+Return or selecting Preview from the Tile menu or contextual menu.

When using Farrago’s search, you can use similar controls to preview results before adding them to your sets. Hold the Shift key then click to play the tile. Alternately, highlight a tile, then press Shift+Return or select Preview from the contextual menu.

While a tile is being previewed, it will show a small headphones icon on its face to indicate audio is playing through the preview device (which is often a pair of headphones). This same indictor will be visible in the LCD bubble at the top of Farrago’s main window.

When using Farrago’s built-in editor, audio playback occurs through the preview device, so you can edit a sound prior to playing it through the main output.

Throughout Farrago, the preview functionality makes it easy to be sure you’ve got the exact sound you want, before you play it live.

Inspector

The Inspector provides settings for customizing tiles and sets. It can be found on the right side of both Farrago’s main and secondary set windows. When a tile or set is selected, the Inspector provides access to available options.

Tile Controls

When a tile is selected, the following options will be available.

Basic Controls

The Name field should be self-explanatory. To the right of it is the Favorite button. Enable this to add a tile to the automatically created Favorites smart set. The Emoji picker allows you to add up to five emoji to a tile’s face, making it easier to spot. With the Color adjuster, you can set the tile to one of nine available colors for use in sorting and organizing tiles visually.

Audio Waveform & Playback Controls

The waveform shows the levels for the audio associated with the tile. When the tile is played, progress will be shown on this waveform. The level meters next to it will also activate.

Below the waveform are the tile’s standard playback controls. The Back button will start audio over from the beginning (if the audio was playing), or move the playhead back to the beginning (if the audio was paused). The Play button will start audio if the tile is inactive, and stop or pause (depending on the tile’s Pausable setting) it if it’s already playing. The Fade Out button will fade out playback over 2 seconds.

Finally, the Edit button opens the built-in editor, which can modify the audio associated with the tile. See the Editor page for more.

Playback Tab

The Playback tab contains a number of controls which can be adjusted on a per-tile basis.

Loop (Grid Mode Only)

When the Loop button is on, a tile will continue playing until manually stopped or the button is turned back off.

Solo (Grid Mode Only)

When Solo is turned on, starting the tile will cause all other audio to immediately cease playing.

Pausable (Grid Mode Only)

By default, a playing tile will stop and reset its playhead when its keyboard shortcut is pressed a second time, when it’s clicked again, or when the Stop button is pressed. If you’d instead like the playhead to halt and then resume in the middle of playback, turn on the Pausable button.

Hold to Play (Grid Mode Only)

By default, starting playback of a tile will cause it to play fully. When Hold to Play is enabled, however, playback will only occur while the tile’s associated shortcut is pressed and held or while the tile is clicked and held.

Tile Volumes

This volume slider enables two different tile playback volumes, A and B, to be set for a tile. It is then possible to switch between the volumes by clicking the corresponding volume flag.

Output Device

When the Output Device selector is set to Default, a tile’s audio will play through the Main device set in Farrago’s Settings. If you wish to send a tile’s audio to a different device, it can be specified here. In this example, the tile’s audio will be set to the “USB Audio Device”.

Channels

In addition to selecting a specific output device for a tile’s audio playback, you can also control which channels of that device are used. When left on the Auto option, the device’s default stereo channels will be used.

Notes Tab

The Notes tab provides a space to write anything you like related to a tile. This is particularly useful for sets in List mode, as these notes are shown in the main UI for easy reference.

Automation

On MacOS 12 and up, you can create and customize automations for your tiles. These automations cause tile playback to trigger the running of independent shortcuts.

For more details, see the Automation and Scripting page of this manual.

File Selector

The file selector area shows the current file associated with a tile and provides an easy way to replace it. Use this selector to keep your current settings while swapping an audio file itself.

OSC & MIDI Controls

When either OSC or MIDI are enabled in Farrago's Settings, the bottom of the tile inspector displays the current OSC path and MIDI command for the selected tile.

OSC

To see all the addresses relevant to the selected tile, click the drop-down menu and select a path. Once you’ve selected a pre-formatted path, you can copy and paste it directly into software such as TouchOSC. This helps ensure you’re sending/receiving from the correct address.

For more information on using OSC with Farrago, see the OSC Support page of this manual.

MIDI

MIDI controls can be assigned to tile playback by clicking the Learn button, followed by pressing the desired key on an attached MIDI device.

For more information on using MIDI with Farrago, see the MIDI Support page of this manual.

Set Controls

When a set is selected, the following options will be available.

Set Name

Name your set whatever you’d like.

Set Notes

The Set Notes area provides a space to write anything you like related to your set.

Security

You can prevent edits and changes from being made to a set using the Security settings. When a set is locked, audio can be played, but modifications are disabled.

Lock This Set

When enabled on a set, no edits will be possible and the background of the set will change to indicate its locked state. To lock or unlock a set, simply click the slider. This option provides basic protection against making accidental changes.

Require Password to Unlock

For more secure protection, a password can be required to unlock a set. This is useful for shared environments like radio stations and theaters.

Smart Set Rules (Smart Sets Only)

When a smart set is selected, the Smart Set Rules section will be shown. This section provides a listing of the currently configured rules, as well as an Edit Rules button to amend them. For more details, see the Tiles and Sound Sets page of this manual.

Automation

On MacOS 12 and up, you can create and customize automations for your sets. These automations cause events that occur within a set to trigger the running of independent shortcuts, useful when you wish to perform the same action across a broad range of events and tiles.

For more details, see the Automation and Scripting page of this manual.

OSC & MIDI Controls

When either OSC or MIDI are enabled within Farrago, the bottom of the tile inspector displays the current OSC path and MIDI command for the selected set.

OSC

To see all the addresses relevant to the selected set, click the drop-down menu and select a path. Once you’ve selected a pre-formatted path, you can copy and paste it directly into software such as TouchOSC. This helps ensure you’re sending/receiving from the correct address.

For more information on using OSC with Farrago, see the OSC Support page of this manual.

MIDI

MIDI controls can be assigned to a set by clicking the Learn button, followed by pressing the desired key on an attached MIDI device.

For more information on using MIDI with Farrago, see the MIDI Support page of this manual.

Editor

Farrago includes a built-in editor, accessible for each tile within the Inspector. This editor makes it possible to adjust sounds by removing portions of audio or applying fades.

To access the editor, highlight a tile, then click the Edit button in the Inspector or choose Edit from the Tile menu.

Within the editor, you’ll find standard editing controls in the toolbar at the top of the window, as well as helpful playback controls at the bottom of the window.

Editing Controls

These controls handle the actual editing of audio. For most, you’ll need to click and drag on the waveform to highlight a section of audio, after which you can use the desired toolbar controls.

Zoom Out/Zoom In

The editor window shows the entire waveform for a tile’s audio by default. Click to zoom in or out on the waveform, with the zoom centered on the playhead’s current location.

Remove Selection

When clicked, the highlighted audio will be removed.

Crop Selection

When clicked, all audio not highlighted will be removed. Only the audio which was highlighted will remain.

Fade In/Fade Out

When clicked, a fade (in or out) will be applied across the entirety of the selected audio.

Undo/Redo

These controls enable you to step backwards and forward while editing.

Revert to Original

Even after you edit, Farrago keeps an original copy of your audio. This makes it possible to revert to the original, unedited version at any time.

Timeline

Below the editing controls is the audio timeline. This shows the length of the file, as well as the current location of the playhead. Clicking and dragging the knob of the playhead will move its location around the file. You can also click anywhere in the timeline to move the playhead to that location.

Playback Controls

Volume Control

The volume control slider adjusts the level at which audio from the editor window is played.

Elapsed Time

This readout shows the time elapsed in the audio file.

Jump Back 5 Seconds

This button moves the playhead back 5.0 seconds.

Jump to Beginning

This button moves the playhead back to the audio’s beginning.

Play/Pause

This button toggles playback of audio.

Jump Forward 5 Seconds

This button moves the playhead forward 5.0 seconds.

Remaining Time

This readout shows the time remaining in the audio file.

Additional Editing Notes

• The Scan Forward and Scan Backward menu options, found in the Editor allow you to navigate a file with the arrow keys (or by selecting the menu items). Press the left and right arrow keys to scan backward or forward 1 second, respectively. Hold Shift while pressing an arrow key to jump 5 seconds or Option to jump 0.1 seconds.

• All audio playback from the editor window occurs through the preview device, configured in Farrago's Settings window. This enables you to edit a sound prior to playing it through the main output.

• When editing is complete, click the Save button to close the editor window and save the changes.

• Finally, if more powerful editing is desired, consider editing the audio file outside of Farrago with a full audio editing application. Our own audio editor Fission is, of course, highly recommended.

Keyboard Controls

For lightning-fast playback, Farrago provides extensive keyboard control. This page provides an overview of keyboard controls available in Farrago.

Global Keyboard Shortcut

With up to 80 different keyboard shortcuts available to play audio from the foreground set, providing global access to all tiles isn’t viable. Instead, we provide an option to set a global keyboard shortcut which instantly pulls Farrago's main window forward, after which you can use the in-app shortcuts.

Show Farrago

Configure this global hotkey in Farrago's Settings window. For example, you might press “Option-Shift-F” to pull Farrago forward, then press “A” to play a sound in the selected set. This two-step process is tremendously quick, and allows for easy playback of dozens of different sounds.

Fast Switching Between Sets

The first nine sets in your Sets list are always immediately accessible using the Cmd-1 through Cmd-9 keyboard shortcuts. Sort your sets to put the most important ones first, then use these shortcuts to rapidly jump between them.

Useful Playback Shortcuts

The following are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts related specifically to playback.

Play Selection/Play Queued Tile (Return): When using a set in Grid mode, the Return key triggers Play Selection, causing any selected sounds to be played. Select multiple tiles by clicking while holding the Command key, or by clicking in empty space between tiles and then dragging. Once multiple tiles are selected, press Return to fire them simultaneously.

When using a set in List mode with the Playback Mode set to Queued, the Return key triggers Play Queued Tile.

Pause All (Space bar): The Space bar triggers Pause All, immediately pausing all audio playback. Note that the Pause All command applies to all audio playing in Farrago, even if the tile is normally not set to pause its playback. If no playback is occurring but tiles are paused, Space bar switches to an Unpause All command.

Stop All (Escape): Pressing and holding the escape key for 300 milliseconds (3/10 of a second) triggers Stop All, stopping all audio. Use this to rapidly stop audio playback.

To immediately Stop All playback and reset all tiles, press Command-Escape.

Fade Out All (- (Dash)): The “-” key triggers Fade Out All, immediately fading out all audio playback in Farrago over a fixed 2 seconds. Use this to stop audio playback more gently.

Playback Modifiers

To adjust how playback occurs, Farrago offers several modifiers.

Solo (Option+Control): To stop playback of all other tiles when starting a new tile’s playback, hold down the Option and Control key while pressing the tile’s keyboard shortcut or clicking to activate the tile. This is effectively the same as having the “Solo” option enabled temporarily on the tile whose playback is about to begin.

For a slightly more subtle effect, the Shift key can be added to Option+Control. This will result in previously playing tiles fading to a stop, while the new tile gains “Solo” status.

Preview (Shift): A selected tile can be previewed by holding down the Shift key while beginning playback anywhere in Farrago. The audio will then be played through the Preview output device, set in Farrago's Settings window.

Settings

Farrago's settings can be accessed from the Farrago menu.

General Tab

Playback

Main

This setting adjusts the output device through which Farrago plays audio. By default, it will simply track your Mac's audio output device as set in your Sound System Setting. If you like, you can instead set this to a specific audio device.

Preview

This setting adjusts the output device through which Farrago previews audio. By default, it tracks the Main audio output device configured above. However, it’s likely you’ll want to set this to a secondary audio device.

See the Previewing Audio section of the Audio Playback page for more details.

Single click to trigger sounds

In the default state, triggering playback of a sound with the mouse requires double-clicking on a tile. When this setting is turned on, a single click on any tile will toggle playback.

The Triggering Sounds via the Mouse section of the Audio Playback page provides more details on mouse-based playback.

Global Hotkey

With this setting, you can configure a global keyboard shortcut which will immediately bring Farrago to the foreground, making it easy to operate Farrago using your keyboard.

The Keyboard Controls page provides more details on using the global hotkey.

Appearance

Theme Selector: This setting dictates how Farrago will appear. The Light theme is designed for everyday use, while the Dark theme is perfect for darkened spaces like theaters.

The default Match System setting follows the OS-wide Appearance setting for Light or Dark Mode. You can alternately force Farrago to use the Light or Dark theme, regardless of your system-wide settings.

While this manual uses the Light theme throughout, you can easily try either theme. Farrago will update immediately when you adjust this setting.

Software Update

Automatically check for software updates: With this option activated, Farrago compares itself to the most current version available from our server and alerts you when a new version is available. Leave this on and Farrago will help you stay up-to-date. You can also select Check for Updates from the Farrago menu to initiate a check manually.

To initiate a check manually, click the Check for Updates… button.

Controllers Tab

This tab provides settings for using external controllers with Farrago.

MIDI

Farrago can be controlled using MIDI. This table lists all the MIDI devices of which Farrago is currently aware. Enable or disable individual devices, and adjust settings for channels, output, and velocity support as desired.

The Channel selector will filter messages coming in and out of Farrago. If it's unset, Farrago will send and receive from any of the 16 channels.

When unchecked, the Output checkbox prevents Farrago from sending messages via MIDI. This can be helpful in addressing issues, such as a MIDI feedback loop, or an incompatibility between a controller and Farrago.

For more details on using MIDI hardware with Farrago, see the MIDI Support page.

OSC

Farrago can also be controlled using OSC. This section displays the IP addresses and ports for sending and transmitting OSC commands from Farrago to OSC-compatible hardware and software. Specific OSC addresses can be found in the Mappings tab of Settings.

For more details on using OSC with Farrago, see the OSC Support page.

Stream Deck

Finally, Farrago can be controlled using Elgato’s Stream Deck hardware. In this section of Settings, you can install and uninstall Farrago’s included Stream Deck plugin. Once the plugin is installed, customize the Stream Deck’s functionality using Elgato’s software.

For more details on using Stream Deck hardware with Farrago, see the Stream Deck Support page.

Mappings Tab

In this tab, specific MIDI controls can be assigned to control playback, bring Farrago forward, adjust volumes, and more. This table also displays the OSC addresses for the listed controls.

For more, see the MIDI Support and OSC Support pages.

Search Tab

Fromt his tab, you can adjust how search works within Farrago. For more information on Farrago’s search functionality, see the Searching for Sounds page of this manual.

The Search tab of Farrago's Settings window

Search Results

If you wish to adjust what results appear within Farrago search, you can do so here. When Apple Loops is enabled, Farrago will include audio from GarageBand and Logic Pro, if they’re installed on your Mac. When Freesound is enabled, Farrago will include sounds from the Freesound archive.

Freesound

Enter your Freesound account information for unrestricted searching of the Freesound archive. Need an account? Register with Freesound at no charge.

Permissions

Farrago’s Permissions window can be accessed from the Farrago menu. This window lists permissions which allow Farrago to run optimally.

Farrago’s Permissions window

Shortcuts Events Access [Optional]

When provided with Shortcuts Events access, Farrago will be able to run any automations you configure within the app. When you click the Enable button in the Shortcuts Events Access section of the Permissions window, you’ll see a brief explanatory dialog requesting permission:

Click OK to enable Shortcuts Events access for Farrago, so your automations can run as desired.

Purchasing

Quick Link: To buy a license key for Farrago, visit our online store.

Why should I buy Farrago?

Put simply, you should buy Farrago because it isn't free. We provide a free trial, so you can test out the program and all its features before you buy it. It's like test driving a car, for as long as it takes you to decide.

During the trial, all of Farrago's features are available to try, but it won't work for full-time use. While in trial mode, the quality of audio heard via Farrago is intentionally degraded after 20 plays per launch.

If you use Farrago and find you like it, please purchase a license key - support the software you use and love!

To purchase your license key, just visit https://rogueamoeba.com/store/.

What about upgrades?

If you purchased a license for Farrago 1 (your license key will start with FEBE-), you're eligible for a discounted upgrade to version 2.

Read about what's new in Farrago 2, then purchase your discounted upgrade.

After Purchase

How do I unlock the full version?

The download of Farrago from our site contains both a free trial of the software and the full version. To unlock the full, unlimited version, you just need a valid license key. When you purchase through our store, you'll immediately receive a license key in your browser as well as via email. Simply enter this key into Farrago to unlock it.

What's your upgrade policy?

While we don't have a hard and fast upgrade policy, our philosophy regarding paid upgrades is simple: We try to do what's right for you and what's right for us. We've got a great track record, with many years of very satisfied customers.

For more details on free updates and paid upgrades, please see this page.

What's your refund policy?

All Rogue Amoeba products are available to try before you buy. We believe that no customer should have to buy software in order to find out how well it works. Our software can be fully evaluated with no limitations in capabilities, prior to purchase. Customers are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these trials prior to purchase. You may also seek any needed technical support from us - we answer support emails rapidly and responsively for current and potential customers alike.

If you would like a refund, please contact our Support Team within 14 days of your purchase. Because we cannot recover the license key that was sold, refunds are issued on a case-by-case basis.

Advanced

Searching for Sounds

The Search field found at the top of Farrago's Sets List helps you locate audio already in Farrago, as well as audio from other sources.

Locating Existing Audio in Farrago

When you enter a term in the search field, Farrago will look for tiles that match it. If results are found in the currently visible set, Farrago will highlight them visually:

In addition, results located in other sets will be listed in the left sidebar, and available for fast playback:

Locating New Audio

Farrago’s search can also locate audio from other resources, as detailed below. You can play or preview audio right from Farrago’s search results, then drag audio into a Farrago set for future use.

You can navigate search results using the arrow keys on the keyboard. To play audio, highlight a result and press Return, or double-click it. If you wish to preview the audio, playing it through the Preview output device configured in Farrago's Settings window, hold the Shift key when starting playback via Return or clicking on the tile.

If you find audio you wish to save for future use, you can drag it from the left side of the window into the current set, and a new tile will be created.

Apple Loops

For your convenience, Farrago’s search includes Apple audio loops which are installed as part of GarageBand and Logic Pro. These loops are included in search results by default, but you can toggle their inclusion on or off from the Search tab of the Settings window.

Freesound

Freesound provides a fantastic resource which you can use to find sounds to use with Farrago. Freesound is a collaborative database that features hundreds of thousands of sounds, all released under Creative Commons licenses that allow for reuse. For more details on licensing, see the “Audio File License Types” section below.

Results from Freesound are included in Farrago’s search results by default. You can toggle their inclusion on or off from the Search tab of the Settings window.

Use Your Own Freesound Account

Farrago provides a limited number of complimentary searches of the Freesound archive each day. To remove the daily search limit, register for your own Freesound account. There’s absolutely no charge.

Once you’ve created a Freesound account, enter the relevant information into Farrago’s Settings to remove the search limitations.

Audio File License Types

All the sounds provided by Freesound are available free of charge. However, they have varying licenses which you must abide by. Freesound offers a detailed explanation of licenses on their site, but we've summarized the basics for Farrago.

Farrago’s search results include sounds with two distinct licenses, “Creative Commons Zero” and “Creative Commons Attribution”. When you import a sound into your set, the tile’s Notes tab will contain information on the sound’s license, as well as a link to the sound’s page on Freesound.

Creative Commons Zero (CC)

Sounds released under the Creative Commons Zero license are entirely unrestricted, and you can use them however you see fit, with no requirements.

Attribution (BY)

Sounds released under the Creative Commons Attribution license have no restrictions on usage, but you must give appropriate credit to the original creator.

Automation and Scripting

On MacOS 12 and up, it’s possible to control Farrago programmatically. Automatic actions can be configured to occur in response to certain events. Actions can also be executed via Apple’s Shortcuts application.

Automation

Within Farrago, you can create automations for specific tiles or specific sets. When a specific Event occurs, it will cause the automation to Run the selected Shortcut, previously configured in the Shortcuts application.

To configure an automation, highlight a tile or set. Locate the Automation section of the Inspector, then click New Automation.

Tile Automation

Tile automations are triggered based on tile playback. Adjust the Event setting to have the automation trigger when a tile begins playing (Playback Started), when a tile is paused (Playback Paused), or when a tile is stopped (Playback Stopped).

Tile Automation Example

The following example will trigger playback of another tile, based on the note “Play:{Tile name X}":

Set Automation

Set automations can be triggered based on even more actions. Adjust the Event setting to have the automation trigger based on:

• Any Playback Started - Triggered when playback of any tile in the set is started

• Any Playback Paused - Triggered when playback of any tile in the set is paused

• Any Playback Stopped - Triggered when playback of any tile in the set is stopped

• Any Tile Added - Triggered when a tile is added to the set

• Any Tile Removed - Triggered when a tile is removed from the set

• Set Selected - Triggered when the set is selected in the Sets list

• Set Deselected - Triggered when the set is deselected in the Sets list

Set Automation Example

In the following example, playback of any tile in a set will trigger a shortcut to track the date that a sound was played:

Shortcuts

Farrago also provides actions for use with the system's Shortcuts app, making it possible to hook Farrago into larger external workflows. The following actions are available within the Shortcuts app:

• Fade All

• Fade Between Master Volumes

• Fade Out Sound

• Get Playing Sounds

• Get Sound

• Get Sound Set

• Pause All

• Play Sound

• Set Master Mute

• Set Master Volume

• Set Sound Mute

• Set Sound Setting

• Set Sound Volume

• Stop All

• Unpause All

Advanced

When an automation is triggered in Farrago, it supplies a dictionary to the shortcut input with the following keys, and values.

• title - The title of the set or tile that triggered the action

• uuid - The unique identifier for either the tile or set where the automation was triggered

• action - The name of the action that was triggered, e.g. “Playback Started”

The information contained in the dictionary can then be used to determine the real sound or tile set reference upon which to perform other actions inside of Farrago.

External Controllers

MIDI Support

Using MIDI, it’s possible to control many aspects of Farrago. This page details the basics of using a MIDI device with Farrago.

Initial Setup

To get started, make sure your MIDI device is connected to your Mac, then enable it in the MIDI Controllers tab of Farrago's Settings.

Once your device is enabled, you'll be able to use it to control many aspects of Farrago.

Tile Playback

MIDI keys can be used to trigger a tile, causing it to play when the MIDI key is pressed. After you assign MIDI shortcuts to Farrago, they'll work even when Farrago is in the background.

To assign a MIDI key to a specific tile, highlight the tile and click the Learn MIDI button in the Inspector. Press a key on your MIDI device, and it will be assigned to that tile. For even faster setting, press Command-L on your keyboard when a tile is selected to trigger Learn MIDI.

Once a shortcut is set, it will be shown in the Inspector, as well as on the tile face (space permitting). The Inspector will show both the MIDI key, and the relevant MIDI device. Note that it's possible to set one MIDI key to trigger multiple tiles simultaneously.

To clear a MIDI assignment, highlight a tile, then click the Clear button in the Inspector, or select Clear MIDI from the MIDI menu. It’s also possible to clear MIDI assignments from multiple tiles at once, by selecting all the desired tiles then clearing in this same way. To clear all assignments for a particular MIDI device, uncheck the device in the Controllers tab of the Settings window, then confirm clearing the controls.

Set Switching

MIDI keys can also be assigned to a specific set. When the specified MIDI key is pressed, Farrago will switch to the desired set.

To assign a MIDI key to a specific set, highlight the set, then click Learn MIDI in the Inspector. Press a key on your MIDI device, and it will be assigned to that set.

Once a shortcut is configured, it will be shown in the Inspector, as well as in the Sets List. The Inspector will list both the MIDI key, and the relevant MIDI device.

Global Playback Controls

The Mappings tab of Farrago's Settings provides access to global shortcuts. Here, you can set MIDI shortcuts to control playback, bring Farrago forward, and adjust volumes.

Software MIDI Controllers

In addition to working with MIDI hardware, software-based MIDI controllers such as TouchOSC and MidiPad can also be used with Farrago. This provides a great way to use iOS or iPadOS to control Farrago running on a Mac.

To set this up, your iOS device and Mac must each be connected to the same local network. Your Mac must also be setup to receive MIDI information over the network, via the Audio MIDI Setup app. This article from Apple has more details on accessing and choosing the required settings.

Once your Mac and iOS device are set up for MIDI connections, enable control by following the above instructions. Once that’s done, you can configure controls just as you would with a hardware MIDI device.

OSC Support

The OSC (Open Sound Control) protocol allows for communication between computers and other multimedia devices, providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity. Using OSC, it’s possible to control many aspects of Farrago. This page details the basics of setting up an OSC device with Farrago, as well as providing an overview of how you can use OSC to control the app.

Initial Setup

To get started, ensure your OSC device is connected to your Mac, following the instructions provided by your device's manufacturer for setup. Ensure your controller’s IP address is set to publish to the same value listed next to OSC Input in the Controllers tab of Farrago’s Settings.

With your OSC controller connected to the same network as your Mac running Farrago, enable the checkbox next to OSC Input, then set the port number to match the outgoing port of your controller. The OSC Output setting can be configured manually, or by selecting your device from the dropdown menu.

Once your device is enabled, you'll be able to use it to control many aspects of Farrago.

OSC Address Endpoints and Patterns

OSC addresses are used to control various aspects of Farrago, and look similar to file paths. For example, the address pattern /set/0/tile/0/0/ points to the tile at the top left position on the board (tile 0,0) in the first set of the sets list (set 0).

EXAMPLE: To set the current selection state of the tile at x0,y0 on the selected set, you would send a value of 1 to /set/selected/tile/0/0/select

If you request the value at this address, and you get back a value of 1, you can use that to make a button appear highlighted in your OSC software or controller.

Tiles have several endpoints that allow you to control different aspects of the tile:

Tile endpoints

• allowPausing

• back

• color

• currentPosition

• currentTime (get only)

• duration (get only)

• fadeOut

• holdToPlay

• loop

• mute

• notes (get only)

• peakMeterL (get only)

• peakMeterR (get only)

• play

• remainingTime (get only)

• rmsMeterL (get only)

• rmsMeterR (get only)

• select (used in the above example)

• solo

• title (get only)

• toggleAB

• volume

Other OSC Addresses

Farrago also supports additional OSC addresses for sets and global controls:

• /set/{position}/

• /set/selected/ (follows the currently selected set)

• /transport/playPauseAll

• /transport/stopAll

• /transport/previous

• /transport/next

• /master/volumeUp

• /master/volumeDown

• /master/mute

• /master/volume

• /master/fadeAll

• /master/toggleAB

• /inspector/volume

• /inspector/volumeUp

• /inspector/volumeDown

• /inspector/toggleAB

• /inspector/mute

• /inspector/loop

• /inspector/solo

• /inspector/holdToPlay

• /inspector/pausable

• /inspector/color

• /list/reset

• /list/crossfadeDuration

• /global/bringForward

Pattern Matching

OSC addresses support regex-like pattern matching to control multiple tiles or sets simultaneously.

• ? in the address matches any single character.
  Example: /set/0/tile/0/?/ will match addresses like /set/0/tile/0/1/ and /set/0/tile/0/9/

• * matches any sequence of zero or more characters.
  Example: /set/*/tile/0/0/ will match addresses like /set/0/tile/0/0/, /set/1/tile/0/0/, and /set/99/tile/0/0/.

• [0-1] Square brackets (e.g., [0-1] or [a-c]) match any of the characters specified inside the brackets. The - character defines a range.
  Example: /set/[0-2]/tile/0/0/ will match addresses like /set/0/tile/0/0/, /set/1/tile/0/0/, and /set/2/tile/0/0/.

• Placing ! inside the opening bracket negates a match.
  Example: /set/[!0-2]/tile/0/0/ will match addresses like /set/3/tile/0/0/ and /set/9/tile/0/0/, but not /set/0/tile/0/0/, /set/1/tile/0/0/, or /set/2/tile/0/0/

• {foo, bar} A comma-separated list enclosed in curly brackets (e.g., {foo, bar}) matches an address pattern containing those strings.
  Example: /set/{0,1}/tile/0/0/ will match addresses like /set/0/tile/0/0/ and /set/1/tile/0/0/, but not /set/2/tile/0/0/.

A Complete Example

With all of the above in mind, we can take pattern matching for a spin. This one command will control the volume for the first, second, and last tile across the top row of set 1-3:

/set/[0-2]/tile/{0,1,9}/0/volume

This command will match and control the volume of tiles at positions (0,0), (1,0), and (9,0) in sets 0, 1, and 2.

Note: Pattern matching is not supported for the endpoint of an address.

Status Updates

A controller app can receive up-to-date values for all controls by sending a message to “/ping”. When Farrago receives this message it will send the current value for all shortcuts.

Stream Deck Support

Using Elgato’s Stream Deck hardware device, it’s possible to control many aspects of Farrago. This page details the basics of using a Stream Deck with Farrago.

Initial Setup

To get started, make sure your Stream Deck device is connected to your Mac, then install the Stream Deck software and follow the setup instructions provided by Elgato.

Once that’s complete, install Farrago’s Stream Deck plugin via the Stream Deck section of the Controllers tab of Farrago’s Settings.



Farrago Integration

Once your Stream Deck is set up, you'll be able to use it to control many aspects of Farrago. Farrago has a dedicated Stream Deck plugin, which provides the following actions:

• Play Tile: Play/Pause a specific tile

• Selected Tile Controls: Control features of the selected tiles(s)

• Select Set: Switch to a specific tile set

• Playback Control: Global playback controls for Farrago

• Master Volume Control: Control the output volume for Farrago

• Bring Farrago Forward: Activate and make Farrago the frontmost application

These actions provide a seamless integration between Farrago and your Stream Deck, allowing you to control various aspects of the software directly from the device. They will work even when Farrago is in the background.

To add these actions to your Stream Deck, follow these steps:

1. Open the Stream Deck software on your Mac.

2. Navigate to the "Farrago" category in the right-hand panel.

3. Drag and drop the desired action onto a button on your Stream Deck layout.

4. If necessary, configure the action’s settings in the Stream Deck software.

Example: To assign a Stream Deck button to play/pause a specific tile, drag and drop the "Play Tile" action onto a button in the Stream Deck software. You can then configure the action by selecting the desired tile from the dropdown.

Etcetera

Installing & Uninstalling

Installing Farrago

To install Farrago, drag it from your download folder to the Applications folder, then double-click its icon to begin using it.

Uninstalling Farrago

If you wish to remove Farrago, just quit the application, then place it in the Trash.



If you have any feedback to share, know that we’ll be glad to hear it. Contact us directly to make a feature request, report a problem, or to get assistance. We're always working to improve our products, so please don't hesitate to tell us what was missing or didn't work for you.

User License

Disclaimer

Farrago (“The Software”) is provided as is. Rogue Amoeba Software (“The Author”) is not responsible for any damage to the user's computer system or data and in no event will The Author, its officers, directors, employees or agents be responsible to the user for any consequential, incidental, or indirect damages (including damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, and the like) arising out of the use or inability to use the The Software, even if The Author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some locations do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability for consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may not apply to you. Further, the consumer agrees that using this software in any way illegal, or even for the purposes of assessing its viability for illegal usage, is prohibited.

What that said:

Be safe when you use the software. Be aware that it's simply a tool designed to make your life better. Don't use it to do illegal or evil things. If you do, be ready to take responsibility for your own actions.

Distribution

Unless explicitly stated in writing, Rogue Amoeba Software does not grant permission to sell The Software. Non-profit distribution of The Software in its trial form is generally acceptable, provided that The Software is not modified in any way, the complete works of The Software are included in the distribution package, and Rogue Amoeba has been contacted for confirmation.

What that said:

Don't sell this software. If you wish to distribute it in its trial state, get in touch with us to confirm permission.

Acknowledgements

Portions of this Rogue Amoeba software may utilize the following copyrighted material, the use of which is hereby acknowledged.

Sample Sound Effects

Farrago's default sound sets contains sounds created by many talented sound designers, who graciously share their work with the world at large through Freesound. The following sounds are used (usually with minor modifications to length):

• Dog bark: “single dog bark 3” by crazymonke9 [Link]

• Goat: “Bleating goats” by seenms [Link]

• Cat: “meow.wav” by SophieMezaM [Link]

• Bird of Prey: “Hawk Screech.wav” by JustinAmolsch [Link]

• Rooster: “20111206_02.rooster.wav” by dobroide [Link]

• Elephant: “44.wav” by y89312 [Link]

• Siren: “policeSiren.wav” by FatLane [Link]

• Bike Bell: “Bike bell 06.flac” by cdrk [Link]

• Train Whistle: “TrainWhislte.wav” by Ryding [Link]

• Helicopter: “Helicopter engine” by caquet [Link]

• Car Horn: “car horn.wav” by mariadrrs [Link]

• Jet: “CommercialJetTakeoffBinaural.WAV” by daveincamas [Link]

• Monster: “Cthulhu growl.wav” by cylon8472 [Link]

• Robot: “Robotic Transformer 4” by VectorSpace [Link]

• Wilhelm Scream: “Wilhelm 1.wav” by JarredGibb [Link]

• Swords: “Sword Fight 1.MP3” by FunWithSound [Link]

• Air Raid: “Alarm, Air Raid Siren, Test, Devonport, Sony PCM M-10.wav” by audiojacked [Link]

• Crash: “Crash” by bone666138 [Link]

• Sad Trombone: “Sad Trombone” by Benboncan [Link]

• Slide Whistle: “Slide Whistle, Descending, A” by InspectorJ [Link]

• Badum-Ching: “Drum_ComedyRimshot.wav” by xtrgamr [Link]

• Gong: “Gong Hit” by GowlerMusic [Link]

• Charmed: “Soundscape_07.Fade.wav” by TheSoundcatcher [Link]

• Cash Register: “Cash Register” by kiddpark [Link]

• Street Ambiance: “street 2” by outdoor_recordings [Link]

• Rain Ambiance: “Heavy Rain Loop” by D W [Link]

• Car Interior Ambiance: “Car Interior 3” by Meepalicious [Link]

• Night Ambiance: “q, Night Wildlife, A” by InspectorJ [Link]

• Crowd Ambiance: “Ambience, Large Crowd, A” by InspectorJ [Link]

• Forest Ambiance: “20160325_03.bird.chorus.day.PRIMO.wav” by dobroide [Link]

• Footsteps: “Footsteps, Concrete, A.wav” by InspectorJ [Link]

• Unlock the Door: “LockingUnlockingDoorWithKey.flac” by qubodup [Link]

• Door Opens: “Door_Opens_Fast.wav” by Tdude9000 [Link]

• Surprise!: “small crowd gasp shock surprise” by HowardV [Link]

These sounds are used under either the Attribution license or the CC0 license, both by Creative Commons.

All other sounds and music were created in-house, and are provided under the CC0 license. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Sparkle

Copyright © Andy Matuschak

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.

FFmpeg Project

Copyright © The FFmpeg Project ("FFmpeg")

Parts of this product contain certain software owned by FFmpeg and licensed by Rogue Amoeba. You may obtain a complete machine-readable copy of the source code for FFmpeg under the terms of GNU Library General Public License Version 2.1 ("LGPL"), without charge at https://rogueamoeba.com/opensource/.

The FFmpeg software is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the LGPL for more details, available at https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html.