docs/user-facing/media-and-entertainment/droppedneedle.md

# DroppedNeedle: Music Discovery & Streaming

**DroppedNeedle** is the primary music discovery and streaming service for **The Nest**. It searches across multiple sources—including local storage, Usenet, and Soulseek peer-to-peer shares—to help you find, play, and build your music collection. Think of it as your personal, self-hosted streaming service powered by community-shared media!

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## 1. Getting Started & Signing In

1. Open **[heron.mynest.love](https://heron.mynest.love)** in your Web browser or mobile app.
2. Switch to the **SSO** tab on the sign-in screen.
3. Click **Continue with SSO**.
4. Authenticate using your central Nest passkey.

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## 2. Streaming Music & Mobile Apps

DroppedNeedle acts as a **Subsonic-compatible music server**. This means you can stream music directly in your Web browser or connect any Subsonic-supported mobile application!

* **Web Player:** Stream lossless audio directly from your Web browser with no setup required.
* **Mobile Apps:** Choose from any [Subsonic-compatible client](https://www.subsonic.org/pages/apps.jsp) (such as Symfonium, Feishin, or Ample) to stream on iOS or Android.
* **Automated Transcoding:** High-fidelity FLAC files are automatically transcoded to high-efficiency **160 kbps Opus** when streaming to save mobile data and storage space.

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## 3. How Music Discovery & Requests Work

Unlike movie or TV requests, DroppedNeedle lets you search and request music directly—no administrator approval needed!

1. Use the main search bar to search for a song, album, or artist.
2. DroppedNeedle queries multiple sources simultaneously:
   * **Local Library:** Music already stored in The Nest's shared collection.
   * **Usenet Indexers:** High-speed indexers for full releases and albums.
   * **Soulseek (slskd):** Peer-to-peer network search for rare tracks and obscure releases.
   * **YouTube:** Stream music directly from YouTube if it's available, or preview songs before adding them to your library.
3. Click **Play** to stream immediately, or **Download** to pull the track into the library.

> [!TIP]
> **Help Keep the Library Clean!**
> Occasionally, DroppedNeedle needs help matching a rare file. Visit the **Downloads** tab to review pending downloads, select correct releases, or verify track tagging. Helping review downloads ensures the library stays organized for everyone!

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## 4. Recommendations & Scrobbling (ListenBrainz & Last.fm)

Want weekly mixes and personalized artist recommendations? DroppedNeedle supports scrobbling (listening history sync) with **ListenBrainz** and **Last.fm**:

1. Create a free account on [ListenBrainz](https://listenbrainz.org) or [Last.fm](https://www.last.fm).
2. Navigate to your **Profile Settings** inside DroppedNeedle.
3. Log into your ListenBrainz and/or Last.fm account and enable **Scrobbling**.

Once connected, DroppedNeedle will automatically generate custom weekly mixes and artist recommendations based on your listening habits!

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## 5. Following Artists & Local Concert Tracking

Keep up with your favorite musicians directly inside DroppedNeedle:

* **New Release Alerts:** Follow an artist to receive notifications when new singles or albums are released.
* **Local Concert & Event Tracking:** Navigate to the **Following** tab and select **Coming Up**. Enter your location, and DroppedNeedle will aggregate upcoming concerts and live events near you via sources like Ticketmaster!

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## 6. Syncing Spotify Playlists

You can sync your existing Spotify playlists directly over to DroppedNeedle! However, please note:

* **Developer API Limit:** Spotify limits developer apps to a maximum of **5 connected accounts** simultaneously.
* **Setup Request:** Because of API constraints, Spotify playlist sync must be enabled manually by an admin. If you would like to connect your Spotify account, drop a request in the Matrix **"Ask an Admin"** room!

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## 7. Service Summary & Related Links

| Component | URL / Endpoint | Purpose |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **DroppedNeedle Web UI** | [heron.mynest.love](https://heron.mynest.love) | Web streaming, music search, and library management |

### Related Nest Documentation:
* **[slskd (Soulseek)](../technical/slskd-soulseek.md):** The peer-to-peer backend supporting music searches.
* **[Matrix Chat](../communication-and-security/matrix.md):** Reach out to an admin to request Spotify playlist integration.