Last updated: June 10, 2025
These terms explain how you can use Rapicorn Audio (rapicorn.org), an independent website about free and open-source music and audio software. By browsing or using this site, you agree to the terms below. If you don’t agree, please don’t use the site.
Who we are
Rapicorn Audio is a small, independent content site. We write guides, explainers and reviews covering open-source audio tools: digital audio workstations, plugins, synthesizers, audio editors, Linux audio setups and related software. Throughout these terms, “we”, “us” and “our” mean the people behind this site, and “you” means anyone who visits it.
Using our content
Everything we publish is for personal, informational use. You’re welcome to:
- Read, bookmark and share links to our pages
- Print or save a page for your own reference
- Quote short excerpts in a review, forum post or article, as long as you credit Rapicorn Audio as the source
Please don’t copy whole articles, republish our content as your own, or scrape the site in bulk to build another website, dataset or product. Our written content, original images and site design are our own work and protected by copyright, unless stated otherwise.
Our content and open-source licenses
We write about software released under open-source licenses such as the GPL, LGPL, MIT and others. Those licenses apply to the software itself and are set by each project’s developers. They do not apply to the articles on this site. Our writing is not open-source unless we clearly say so on a specific page.
When we include screenshots, code snippets or logos from an open-source project, those remain subject to the project’s own license and ownership.
No professional advice
Our guides are written to help musicians, producers and hobbyists get more out of free audio software. They are general information, not professional advice. Nothing here is legal advice about software licensing, technical consulting for a commercial studio, or advice on hearing safety or audio equipment purchases tailored to your situation.
If a decision carries real consequences for you, such as using GPL-licensed code in a commercial product or configuring a system for live performance, check the official documentation and talk to a qualified professional.
Accuracy and changes
We test software and check facts before we publish, and we update articles when we find errors. Open-source projects move quickly, though. Version numbers change, features get added or removed, interfaces get redesigned and projects sometimes go quiet. Something that was correct when we wrote it may be out of date by the time you read it.
We don’t guarantee that any page is complete, current or error-free. We may edit, update or remove content at any time without notice. If you spot a mistake, we’d genuinely like to hear about it.
Downloading and installing software
We describe and recommend software, but we don’t make it and we don’t host it. Any software you download, install or run is your responsibility. Before installing anything:
- Get it from the project’s official website, repository or your operating system’s package manager
- Back up your projects, sessions and sample libraries
- Be careful when changing system-level settings, audio drivers, kernel options or real-time permissions
We aren’t responsible for lost work, corrupted files, system problems or hardware issues that result from following a guide on this site.
External links
Our articles point to other websites, including project homepages, code repositories, documentation, forums and online stores. We include them because we think they’re useful, but we don’t control those sites. We aren’t responsible for their content, availability, privacy practices or the software they distribute. Visiting them is at your own discretion, and their own terms apply.
Trademarks
Product names, project names, logos and brands mentioned on this site belong to their respective owners. Mentioning a product does not mean the owner endorses Rapicorn Audio, or that we have any partnership or affiliation with them, unless we explicitly say so.
Acceptable use
When using this site, please don’t:
- Try to break, overload or gain unauthorized access to the site or its servers
- Use automated tools to scrape, copy or mirror large parts of the site
- Upload or send malware, spam or anything designed to cause harm
- Use the site for anything illegal
- Impersonate us or suggest you speak on our behalf
If the site offers comments or other ways to submit content, keep it respectful and on topic. We may remove anything that is abusive, misleading, promotional spam or unlawful, and we may block access for anyone who misuses the site.
Limitation of liability
This site is provided “as is”. We do our best, but we can’t promise it will always be available, secure, error-free or suitable for your particular needs.
In plain words: to the fullest extent the law allows, we are not liable for any loss or damage that comes from using this site, relying on its content, or using software and websites we write about. That includes lost data, lost projects, lost income and damage to your computer or equipment.
Some places don’t allow certain liability limits. If that applies to you, these limits apply only as far as your local law permits.
Privacy
How we handle any information collected when you visit is covered in our Privacy Policy, which you’ll find elsewhere on this site.
Changes to these terms
We may update these terms from time to time, for example when we add new features to the site or when the law changes. When we do, we’ll change the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. If you keep using the site after an update, you’re accepting the revised terms, so it’s worth checking back occasionally.
Questions
If something in these terms is unclear, or you want to report an error or a misuse of our content, please get in touch using the contact options listed on this site.