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● Knowledge Base · Searching

Search Bar and BLOCKs

The search bar is where all the magic happens. Build complex search strings using the main bar, add satellite Search [field] blocks, layer Filter Blocks on top — military sniper accuracy.

basehead Search Bar with multiple Blocks

Basic Search Operators

Use typical Boolean operators to filter your results.

“AND” Search

AND search example with two terms separated by a space

If you type a search term with spaces, the search performs an AND search — results must contain all of the words you entered. It does not search for the exact sequence; only that ALL words appear in the field.

“NOT” Search

NOT search example excluding terms with a leading minus

Exclude a match by prefixing a minus - to the word. In the example, results list when metal AND hit are found, but only if crash and hollow are NOT in the description.

“OR” Search

OR search example with capital OR between terms

Return results when either word is found by adding a capital OR between words. You can also use coder-style single or double vertical bars:

metal||wood metal || wood metal | wood metal|wood

“EXACT” Search

EXACT search example using quotes

For an exact match, place your query "within quotes".

Combo Searches

Combination search using AND, NOT, OR, EXACT operators together

String these all together for combination searches.

Search Bar / Block Options

Search Bar and Blocks options panel

Click the right-side icon to reveal options available in your version of basehead. Hover any control for a tooltip with the keyboard shortcut if one exists.

Block shortcuts

  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+C — Clear search and all Blocks.
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+D — Disable all shown Blocks.
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+E — Enable / re-enable all Blocks.
  • Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F — Create a Search [field] Block.

The Choose button brings up a picker of the default [fields] the Main Search Box searches by default — review our choices to make sure they align with how you work.

ProTip: Keep Deep Character Search OFF unless your filenames are mostly CamelCaseLikeThis — otherwise searching for “rain” returns results with “train” in them.

The default search mode is AND, so searching for “car crash” only returns results that find both words in the selected [fields].

Choose main search [fields]

Choose Main Search Fields picker

We recommend leaving this at default settings, but you can narrow searches further. Old BH had 4 separate search boxes; the new version looks like one — but read on, you’re not limited to 3 anymore.

Voice Search

Search your library by talking. Voice Search uses your system default microphone to find sounds hands-free — speak your query and it transcribes into the Main Search Box in real time.

Click the microphone icon next to the search bar to start listening. Your transcript fills the bar as you speak; the result list updates as soon as you stop.

Negative searches

Say “not,” “no,” or “without” to exclude terms. For example, “metal door slam, not creaky” returns metal door slams and filters out anything creaky.

The negative keyword applies to whatever immediately follows it. So “metal door slam, not creaky, no rust” excludes both creaky and rust.

12 languages supported

Voice Search recognizes all 12 of basehead’s supported tooltip languages. Set your language in the Options Page; Voice Search uses that setting automatically.

Input device

Voice Search uses your system default microphone. To change inputs, switch the default in your OS sound settings (Windows: Sound Settings → Input; Mac: System Settings → Sound → Input). basehead picks up the new device on the next listen session.

Editions

Voice Search is available on Standard and Ultra editions.

Search and Filter Blocks explained

One style of Block is a basic Search [field] Block. This is the modern improvement on old basehead’s 4 separate search boxes — except now you’re not limited to 3 extras. It’s unlimited.

Creating a satellite Search [field] block

  1. Click the plus button or press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+F.
  2. Arrow down to [designer] (or any field).
  3. Type in the name (the greatest sound designer of all time, naturally).
  4. Press Enter to search, or press the down arrow to create the Block.
Step 1: Click the plus button or use shortcut to start a Block
Step 2: Arrow down to choose the field
Step 3: Type the value to search
Step 4: Block created — search now narrowed by [designer]

This can all be done without ever touching the mouse — keyboard only. The video walks through it.

Thesaurus T-Blocks Ultra only

The Thesaurus creates T-Blocks and opens the ability to search for “like” terms using a comprehensive inbuilt word library curated for sound designers. You can also exclude or add your own words to the internal Thesaurus database.

The Options Page has a dedicated Thesaurus section so you can customize it as you see fit.

Thesaurus T-Blocks expanding 'car crash glass' into related terms

As you enter a word in the top search box, matches appear in the second search box. Modify the thesaurus match if you need to add or remove a word from the search. To edit the thesaurus library, see the Thesaurus section in the Options Page or click the gear icon next to it in the Search Bar/Blocks Options Panel.

Press Shift+T to enable Thesaurus T-Blocks.

Lock Blocks Premium

A Lock Block freezes the current Results list as a session snapshot, then lets you run further search blocks inside that locked subset instead of the full database. Useful for refining within a manually curated working set without losing it to your next search.

basehead search bar showing a Lock Block — locks the Results List as a session snapshot for further refinement
  • Add the Lock Block from the search-bar + block-type picker (padlock icon).
  • Any block you add after the Lock Block is constrained to the locked snapshot — sounds outside the snapshot stay hidden.
  • Remove the Lock Block to restore full-database scope.

Session-only. The locked snapshot lives for this session — it isn’t stored with a saved search. Re-Lock from a fresh Results list any time you want a new working set.

Filter Blocks

You can create Filter Blocks from many areas of the program now — including Imports, Groups, CloudPacks, UCS Categories, and Exploded ‘Import’ Folders. Just hold Ctrl/Cmd+click any of these items to create a Filter Block that searches only in the visible filter blocks.

These work as an OR search by default — if you create two Filter Blocks for two different Imports, you’ll likely get zero results unless your search lives in both. Think of Filter Blocks as: “I think the sound I want is either in this Import, or this one, or maybe this CloudPack.”

Below are two examples of focused OR-type searches instead of sniper-like pin-point ones.

You can create a Block for a full Import, or Explode the Import and create a Block from a specific folder. Insanely flexible.

Filter Block example 1 — OR search across Imports
Filter Block example 2 — OR search across CloudPacks

FAQ

When should I use Deep Character Search (DCS), and when not?
Search mode icon — toggles between Full Text Search and Deep Character Search

The icon to the left of the Main Search Box indicates whether you’re in Full Text Search mode (FTS) or Deep Character Search mode (DCS).

DCS can FindWordInsideThatAreSpelledLike this. When it’s OFF, you’re in FTS mode — searches by full words at the start. So “train” still shows “trains” and returns “_trains” or “-trains”.

DCS is slower, but it has its purposes — it looks inside everything like a detective with a microscope. It will also find things you might not want to see.

ProTip: Ctrl/Cmd+click this left-side icon to toggle between the two search modes.