Wax is a program for cataloging and playing a collection of music recordings. Wax is able to rip CDs and import downloads so that you can create a sound archive complete with metadata.

Wax is fundamentally different from existing music managers in two important ways. First, the fundamental unit for recordings is a “work”, not a track. A work is usually a collection of tracks. It can encapsulate whatever tracks you choose. In pop music, a work can be an album. For symphonic music, a work can be a single symphony, even when the tracks come from a CD with more than one symphony. For operas, a work can be a single opera even when the tracks come from multiple CDs. Music collectors usually think in terms of works, so a music manager that supports the concept makes operation more natural.

The other distinguishing characteristic of Wax is that genres are fundamental to the organization of a collection rather than a mere attribute of a track. Wax recognizes that the ideal way to catalog works varies by genre. For example, symphonic works can be cataloged by composer, work, conductor whereas shows can be cataloged by show, composer, lyricist. By organizing collections around genres, Wax supports an operation sequence that is natural for music lovers: first select the genre, then the work, and finally the tracks.

github.com/jeffbarish/wax
github.com/jeffbarish/wax-install