Amarok is a popular free audio player based on the K Desktop Environment. Right now, it’s available only under Linux and other varieties of Unix, although the Windows version is to be released soon. There has been much talk already about how it is the best music management software. However, not many amarok users are aware of the powerful scripts that can be used to extend its usability further.

Amarok includes many useful features by default. Supported scripts and plugins, providing a huge new range of functionality, complete the package to bring you your ultimate music solution.

I have listed only some of the large number of scripts, ones I found especially useful for the average music lover. The whole list can be seen at the official Amarok Scripts Page.

Instant Messenger Support

Amarok PidginDisplaying your song information to your friends is the easiest thing to be done through amarok. Pidgin users can install the AmarokPidgin script which includes the broadcast of a variety of information including the Song, Artist, Album, Track Duration and the Elapsed Track Time. AmaroKopete allows Kopete users to do the same and more. Amsn-Amarok integration is also possible through amsn-now-listen. Other supported messaging clients include XChat, Skype, Gaim and Gajim.

Network Accessibility

Amarok supports a number of scripts that provide you with the ability to manage your music without actually sitting at your Desktop. The best script in this section is definitely Blueamarok. A Sony Ericsson mobile phone and a bluetooth dongle is all you need to control the functionality of your music player. Blueamarok allows you to control the basic functions of amarok, including play, pause, stop, previous/next song and volume control, through a bluetooth connection. Another script called the Amarok Shouter allows you to stream your songs to your friends computers through the internet. You can also manage the music playing on your computer from anywhere in the world using XUL Remote. All you need is a simple script and Mozilla Firefox web browser. Moreover, the connection is completely secure and requires a login/password authentication

Lyrics

Amarok LyricsA large number of lyrics scripts ensure that you have your favorite song’s lyrics right in your music player. The more popular ones are Wiki-Lyrics, Lyrc and GoogLyrics. I have personally found GoogLyrics to be the most effective.

Other Scripts

The list of useful scripts and plugins can go on and on. Here are a few more that have helped me pretty much-

  1. AmarokTube- Search for YouTube videos of songs directly from your Amarok playlist with a single click. The videos are, by default, opened in Firefox.

  2. e-mail- Mail your songs to your kmail contacts.

  3. MP3 Fixer- This small script fixes the various errors in an mp3 file.

  4. transKode- transKode lets you transcode audio files from and to different formats. This is one of the most useful scripts for Amarok and support includes flac, ac3, mp4, mp3, ogg, spx and wav.

  5. nightingale- Want to listen to music while going to sleep? This ‘xmms goodnight plugin’ parallel lets you do the same by shutting down the PC after the last song of the playlist. Moreover, it allows you to replace the shutdown function with anything else you want by simply editing the script.