Trying to Remember That Niggun? There’s an App for That

Ever catch yourself humming part of a niggun but can’t figure out which one it is? Or do you know a tune well but don’t remember its name?

A new website called “Nigunchik” now aims to solve exactly that. It identifies Chabad niggunim from a short audio clip. Users record themselves humming or singing a few seconds of the tune, or upload a recording, and the site searches for a match. The service is free, and users sign in with a Google account.

The database includes 556 unique niggunim drawn from Sefer HaNiggunim and Mesores HaNiggunim. These cover the Rebbeim’s niggunim, the well-known farbrengen tunes, and many lesser-known melodies that rarely get sung. The original recordings are performed by Reb Dovid Horowitz.

Users can search the full length of each niggun or just the openings, which is faster. Results appear as a ranked list, and each one can be played right from the section that matched the clip.

Since several results can score close together, especially with a very short clip, the site works best for narrowing things down. A quick listen usually confirms which one you were looking for.

Whether you’re a bochur trying to find a tune from a recent farbrengen, a yungerman preparing for your Shabbos table, or a shliach who remembers a niggun from years ago, Nigunchik is a quick place to start.

Check it out at nigunchik.com.