Getting songs
AetherStar plays UltraStar songs, the format UltraStar Deluxe and other fan-made karaoke games use. It doesn't come with any, so here's how to build a library.
What a song is
An UltraStar song is a folder. Inside is a text chart with the notes, timing and lyrics, plus the audio, and if you have them a video and a cover. Put all your song folders in one place and add that folder in AetherStar.
Songs/
Artist - Title/
Artist - Title.txt the chart
Artist - Title.mp3 the audio
Artist - Title.mp4 optional video
Artist - Title [CO].jpg optional coverDuets, separate vocal and instrumental stems and older Windows text encodings work. A song that can't play, for example because its audio file is missing, is marked in the list instead of stopping the scan.
USDB, the song database
USDB is the community database for UltraStar charts. Fans write the charts and share them there. You need a free account to download.
A chart from USDB is only the text file: notes, timing and lyrics. The music, video and cover aren't part of it, and the chart says which recording it was timed to.
USDB Syncer
USDB Syncer is a separate open-source app that downloads charts from USDB and keeps them up to date when their authors fix something. It can also fetch the media a chart points to, and it writes one folder per song.
AetherStar reads those folders as they are. Point it at USDB Syncer's song folder and every song you sync turns up after a rescan.
Add the folder in AetherStar
Open Settings › Song Folders, choose Add a folder and pick the top folder of your songs. AetherStar scans it with all its subfolders and remembers it. After you add or change songs, use Rescan. You can add more than one folder.
If no songs are set up yet, the song list shows an Add library folder button too.
Mind the copyright. Charts are made by fans, but the songs, videos and cover art belong to their rights holders. Only use files you're allowed to use, for example music you bought, recorded yourself, or that is in the public domain. AetherStar only plays files you already have and downloads nothing.
Tags AetherStar reads
| Tag | Use |
|---|---|
#TITLE, #ARTIST | Song name and artist |
#MP3, #AUDIO | The audio file. #AUDIO wins if both are there. |
#BPM, #GAP | Tempo, and the delay before the first note |
#VIDEO, #VIDEOGAP | Background video and its offset |
#COVER, #BACKGROUND | Cover art, and a picture behind the lyrics |
#START, #END | Start or stop part-way through |
#PREVIEWSTART | Where the preview starts in the song list |
#VOCALS, #INSTRUMENTAL | Separate stems |
#LANGUAGE, #EDITION | For filters and search |
#RELATIVE, #ENCODING | Older chart styles and text encodings |
Got a few songs?
Then all that's missing is the app.