Question 1

How do I create an account?

Accepted Answer

Click "Sign Up" in the top-right corner. You can register with your email address, or sign in instantly with Google or GitHub. No credit card is required.

Question 2

Can I change my username?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Go to your Profile settings and update your username. Usernames must be unique and can only contain lowercase letters, numbers, and hyphens. Your profile URL will update automatically.

Question 3

How do I reset my password?

Accepted Answer

Click "Forgot password" on the sign-in page. You'll receive a reset link via email. If you signed up with Google or GitHub, you don't have a password — just use that provider to sign in.

Question 4

Can I delete my account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Reach out to us via the Contact page (/contact) and we'll delete your account along with all associated data, tracks, comments, and feedback.

Question 5

What happens after I sign up?

Accepted Answer

You'll go through a quick onboarding flow where you choose your artist type (Producer, DJ, Singer, etc.), set your username, and optionally select your genre preferences. This helps personalize your experience.

Question 6

Is Sinewav free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Sinewav is completely free during the beta period. All features — uploading, feedback, Focus Mode, messaging, playlists, and organizations — are available to every user at no cost.

Question 7

What audio formats are supported?

Accepted Answer

Sinewav supports WAV, AIFF, MP3, and FLAC files. After upload, all tracks are transcoded to 320kbps MP3 for streaming. If you upload a lossless file (WAV/FLAC), the original is preserved for downloads.

Question 8

What is the maximum file size?

Accepted Answer

Standard uploads support files up to several hundred MB. For DJ mixes and longer tracks, larger file sizes (up to 2GB for lossless files) are supported through direct uploads with progress tracking.

Question 9

What happens after I upload a track?

Accepted Answer

Your track enters a processing queue. The system transcodes it to 320kbps MP3, generates a waveform visualization, and detects BPM, key, loudness, energy, and mood. You'll see real-time progress updates on the track page — no need to refresh.

Question 10

What are the three track types?

Accepted Answer

Released: Finished tracks for sharing with the world. DJ Mix: DJ sets and live mixes, supporting larger files. Feedback: Works in progress where listeners can leave color-coded waveform feedback with categories (Needs Work, Could Improve, Great Job). All three types support versioning.

Question 11

How do tags work?

Accepted Answer

You can add up to 10 tags per track (30 characters each). Tags help others discover your music through search and browsing. As you type, popular tags are suggested. Use tags for moods, styles, instruments, and other descriptors.

Question 12

What are the cover art requirements?

Accepted Answer

Upload a square image in JPEG, PNG, or WebP format, maximum 5MB. The system automatically generates two sizes: 500x500 for the track page and 150x150 for thumbnails in lists and cards.

Question 13

Can I replace my audio file after uploading?

Accepted Answer

Instead of replacing, upload a new version of your track. This preserves the original version along with all its comments and feedback. Use the "Add Version" button on your track page.

Question 14

What are the waveform visualization styles?

Accepted Answer

Three styles are available: Frequency Bars (default, vertical bars), Standard (classic mirrored waveform), and SoundCloud-style (familiar bar layout). Switch between them using the settings icon on the waveform player.

Question 15

Can I customize waveform colors?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Click the settings icon on the waveform player to access customization. You can change the wave color, progress color, cursor color, and background. You can also adjust bar width, gap, and corner radius.

Question 16

Does playback continue when I navigate to other pages?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The global audio player at the bottom of the screen persists across all page navigation. You can browse the platform, read comments, and visit profiles without interrupting your music.

Question 17

How does the playback queue work?

Accepted Answer

The player supports context-aware continuous playback. When you play a track from a feed, playlist, or artist page, it automatically queues up the surrounding tracks. You can also manually add tracks to play next or at the end of your queue. Repeat (off, all, one) and shuffle modes are available.

Question 18

What are the playback keyboard shortcuts?

Accepted Answer

Space to play/pause, Left/Right arrows to seek 5 seconds, Up/Down arrows for volume, M to mute, L to toggle loop mode, and F to enter Focus Mode. Press ? on any page to see all available shortcuts.

Question 19

How do I leave feedback on a track?

Accepted Answer

On Feedback tracks, click and drag on the waveform to select a time range. A dialog will appear where you choose a category (Needs Work, Could Improve, or Great Job) and write your feedback. The feedback appears as a colored overlay on the waveform.

Question 20

What do the feedback categories mean?

Accepted Answer

Needs Work (red): This section needs significant changes. Could Improve (yellow): Good foundation but could be better. Great Job (green): This section sounds great. These categories help track owners quickly scan their waveform to identify areas that need attention.

Question 21

What is Focus Mode?

Accepted Answer

Focus Mode is an immersive full-screen experience for detailed audio review. It includes an expanded waveform, floating feedback markers, a heatmap visualization, version comparison (A/B testing), and an AI-powered insights panel. Enter it by clicking "Focus Mode" on any Feedback track or pressing F.

Question 22

Can I reply to feedback?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Each piece of feedback supports threaded replies up to 4 levels deep. Click on any feedback to expand it and see or add replies. This keeps discussions about specific moments in the track organized and contextual.

Question 23

What is the heatmap?

Accepted Answer

The heatmap is a Focus Mode feature that visualizes feedback density across the track. Areas with more feedback glow brighter. You can view it in three modes: Density (overall activity), Category (colored by Needs Work/Could Improve/Great Job), and Score (feedback quality). Toggle it with the H key.

Question 24

How do timestamp comments differ from feedback ranges?

Accepted Answer

Comments are tied to a single point in time (click on the waveform to place one) or are general (not tied to any timestamp). Feedback ranges cover a span of time and include a category rating (Needs Work, Could Improve, Great Job). Both support threaded replies.

Question 25

What is the reputation system?

Accepted Answer

Users earn reputation points by giving helpful feedback, receiving likes, and actively participating in the community. Higher reputation is displayed as badges on your profile and in comments, signaling that you're a trusted reviewer.

Question 26

What are the privacy levels for tracks?

Accepted Answer

Public: Anyone can find and listen; appears in feeds and search. Unlisted: Only accessible via direct link; doesn't appear in feeds or search. Private: Only you can see it; completely hidden from other users. You can change the privacy level at any time from the track settings.

Question 27

How do I share an unlisted track?

Accepted Answer

Unlisted tracks have a shareable link that you can copy and send directly to collaborators or friends. You can also generate private share tokens with the share button — each token creates a unique URL that you can revoke at any time.

Question 28

Who can download my tracks?

Accepted Answer

You control this per track. Options are: None (downloads disabled), Compressed (MP3 only), Original (your uploaded file only), or Both (listener chooses). Set this during upload or change it later in track settings.

Question 29

Can I make my profile private?

Accepted Answer

Profiles are currently public, but you have full control over individual track visibility. Set any track to Private or Unlisted to limit who can see it. Your profile page only shows your Public tracks to other users.

Question 30

How is my data protected?

Accepted Answer

We use Clerk for secure authentication (including OAuth providers), store data on AWS infrastructure with encryption, and never sell your personal information. See our Privacy Policy for complete details on data handling and your rights.

Question 31

What are organizations?

Accepted Answer

Organizations represent music businesses on Sinewav: Record Labels, Studios (recording/mixing/mastering), Collectives (artist groups), and others. They have separate profiles, can own tracks and playlists, and support multiple members with different roles (Admin, Editor, Contributor).

Question 32

How do I create an organization?

Accepted Answer

Go to the Organizations page and click "Create Organization." Choose a type (Label, Studio, Collective, or Other), add a name, description, and profile image. You'll be the Admin by default and can invite other members.

Question 33

What is identity switching?

Accepted Answer

When you belong to an organization, use the identity switcher in the header to toggle between your personal identity and the organization. All subsequent actions (uploads, comments, likes, feedback) will be attributed to whichever identity is currently active.

Question 34

What is the demo inbox?

Accepted Answer

Labels have a Demo Inbox where artists can submit tracks for consideration. As a label admin or editor, you can review submissions, listen to demos, provide feedback, and accept or decline them. Filter by status to manage your queue.

Question 35

Can organizations have their own playlists?

Accepted Answer

Yes. When acting as an organization (with identity switched), you can create and manage playlists owned by the organization. These appear on the organization's profile, separate from your personal playlists.

Question 36

What browsers are supported?

Accepted Answer

Sinewav works best on the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. We recommend Chrome or Firefox for the best experience, especially for audio playback and Focus Mode.

Question 37

Why is my track stuck on "Processing"?

Accepted Answer

Processing typically completes in under a minute. If your track is stuck, try refreshing the page — the real-time status should update automatically via WebSocket. If processing fails, you'll see an error message. You can try re-uploading the track or contact us for help.

Question 38

Why can't I hear audio?

Accepted Answer

Check these common fixes: 1) Ensure your browser tab has audio permissions (look for a muted speaker icon in the tab). 2) Check your system volume. 3) Make sure the player volume slider isn't at zero. 4) Try clicking the play button directly (some browsers block autoplay). 5) Try a different browser.

Question 39

How do I report a bug?

Accepted Answer

Use the Contact page (/contact) to let us know. Include details about what happened, your browser and operating system, and steps to reproduce the issue. Screenshots or screen recordings are helpful.

Question 40

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

A native mobile app for iOS and Android is currently in development. In the meantime, the web platform is fully responsive and works well on mobile browsers including Safari and Chrome.

Question 41

What are the real-time features?

Accepted Answer

Sinewav uses WebSocket connections for instant updates without page refreshes. This powers real-time processing status, message delivery, typing indicators, notification badges, and live feedback updates on track pages.

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