If the original song is audible but HumToSearch returns no match, first distinguish an unsuccessful match from an interrupted request. The next step is different for a permission problem, a service error and a completed search with no candidate.
HumToSearch interface checked on September 25, 2026. This local preview uses a simulated “no match” response to show the help flow; it is not a recognition-accuracy test.
What the current recorder accepts
The microphone records about 12 seconds. The file option accepts an audio file your browser can decode, up to 20 MB; the current processing path uses its first 12 seconds and needs at least 10 seconds of decoded audio. It does not let you choose a later section yet. A long file beginning with silence can therefore give an unhelpful sample even if music starts later.
For now, use a short audio file with the relevant section at the beginning, or play the useful passage on another device and record it. We do not currently extract audio from a video upload or a video URL.
Make one deliberate change before retrying
- Choose a passage where the song is clearly audible, with less speech or competing sound.
- Put the speaker near enough to hear without turning it so loud that it distorts. Keep it away from the microphone if you hear crackling.
- Start the passage, then start the recorder. Stay on this page until capture finishes; switching apps during recording cancels capture.
- Watch the sound indicator. If it stays quiet, check the input device and microphone permissions.
- Retry once with a different useful passage. If the same recording still misses, move to another clue.
If the music is playing inside headphones, the phone or computer microphone may not hear it. A recording file or a second playback device is often more practical than holding a microphone near an earpiece.
Why clear music can still return no match
A successful request does not mean the matching catalogue contains your recording. Live performances, covers, speed changes, remixes and short intros can differ from the version in a catalogue. These are possible explanations, not diagnoses that this tool can prove from a no-match response.
We do not have a verified language-by-language catalogue coverage table. In particular, a Russian visitor or Russian song is not automatically an error condition. Check the actual recording and version before attributing a miss to geography.
Connection, timeout or service error
These messages mean the request did not complete normally, not that the song was rejected by the catalogue. Check your connection and wait briefly before trying again. Keep the page open during processing. If the service continues to fail, use another clue or recognition service; repeated rapid submissions are unlikely to help. If the message concerns an unsupported file, choose a browser-decodable audio file instead of renaming its extension.
Continue with another clue
Use our video guide if the audio came from a clip, or the lyric checklist if you can hear words. If you still have only an original recording, an external service such as Shazam can offer another catalogue. A click to another service does not mean that it found the song.
When you do get a candidate, compare the chorus and artist. Tell us whether the result is correct using the optional buttons below the candidate. An offered title is not automatically a correct match.
Processing and evidence
Our current implementation processes the recording temporarily in memory and sends an acoustic fingerprint for matching. We do not keep an audio library of your attempts. See the audio privacy explanation for third-party boundaries. The limits above were checked in the September 25, 2026 implementation; they are not an accuracy guarantee.