Getting Started with QMPDClient: Installation and Basic Commands

Getting Started with QMPDClient: Installation and Basic CommandsQMPDClient is a lightweight, Qt-based graphical client for MPD (Music Player Daemon). It provides a straightforward interface for browsing your music library, managing playlists, and controlling playback on local or remote MPD servers. This guide walks you through installation on common platforms, initial configuration, and basic commands and workflows to get you up and running quickly.

What QMPDClient Is Best For

QMPDClient is ideal when you want:

A simple, responsive GUI to control MPD without the overhead of heavier clients.
Cross-platform compatibility (works on Linux and other Unix-like systems where Qt and MPD are available).
Networked control — connect to MPD instances running on other machines.

System Requirements

Before installing, ensure you have:

An MPD server (Music Player Daemon) installed and running — local or remote.
Qt libraries appropriate for your system (commonly provided by your distribution).
Basic familiarity with editing small config files (if you need to change MPD settings).

If you don’t yet have MPD, install it first (package names often mpd). After MPD is running, proceed with QMPDClient.

Installing QMPDClient

Below are common installation approaches for Linux distributions and from source.

Debian/Ubuntu (apt)

Update package lists:
```
sudo apt update 
```
Install QMPDClient:
```
sudo apt install qmpdclient 
```
If package is not available in your distribution’s repositories, use the source build below.

Fedora (dnf)

sudo dnf install qmpdclient

Arch Linux (pacman)

sudo pacman -S qmpdclient

From Source

If packages aren’t available or you want the latest version:

Install dependencies (Qt development headers, MPD client libraries, build tools). On Debian/Ubuntu:
```
sudo apt install build-essential qtbase5-dev libmpdclient-dev git cmake 
```

Clone and build:


git clone https://github.com/hertz/qmpdclient.git cd qmpdclient mkdir build && cd build cmake .. make sudo make install

Adjust commands for your environment (Qt6 vs Qt5, cmake options).

First Run and Connecting to MPD

Launch QMPDClient from your desktop menu or by running:
```
qmpdclient 
```
On first launch, open the connection/settings dialog (usually in Preferences or via a toolbar icon).
Set MPD host and port:

For a local MPD: Host: localhost, Port: 6600 (default).
For a remote MPD: enter the server’s IP or hostname and port.

If MPD requires a password, enter it in the settings. Ensure MPD’s configuration (mpd.conf) allows network connections (bind_to_address, port, and password settings).

If you cannot connect, check:

MPD is running: systemctl status mpd or ps aux | grep mpd.
Network reachability (ping, telnet host 6600).
MPD’s logs (often in ~/.mpd/log) for errors.

Interface Overview

The main QMPDClient window typically includes:

Library browser: navigate artists, albums, genres, and directories.
Playlist view: current playlist with controls to add, remove, sort, and save playlists.
Playback controls: play, pause, stop, next, previous, shuffle, repeat.
Now playing / status bar: shows current track metadata, elapsed time, and connection status.
Search bar/filter: quickly locate tracks in the library or playlist.

Basic Commands and Workflows

Below are common tasks and how to perform them in QMPDClient.

Adding Music to the Library

Ensure MPD’s music_directory in mpd.conf points to where your audio files live.
Update MPD’s database:
```
mpc update 
```
or use MPD’s update option in your system’s MPD tools. QMPDClient will reflect new files after the MPD database updates.

Playing a Track

Browse to an album/artist/track and double-click a track to play immediately.
Right-click a track and choose “Add to playlist” to queue it without interrupting playback.

Managing the Playlist

Add: drag tracks from the library to the playlist or use right-click → Add.
Remove: select track(s) and press Delete or right-click → Remove.
Save playlist: use Playlist → Save or Save As to store a playlist on the MPD server.
Load playlist: Playlist → Load to restore a saved playlist.

Basic Playback Controls

Play/Pause: toolbar button or spacebar (depends on shortcuts).
Next/Previous: toolbar buttons or keyboard shortcuts.
Seek: click the progress bar or use the seek dialog.
Shuffle/Repeat: toggle buttons in the playback controls area.

Searching

Use the search/filter bar to type artist, album, or track names. Filtering updates library and playlist views in real time.

Volume and Output

Adjust volume in QMPDClient’s volume control — this changes MPD’s soft volume.
To change audio output (which ALSA/OSS/pipe/HTTP output MPD uses), edit MPD’s config (audio_output sections) and restart MPD. QMPDClient only selects among outputs configured and exposed by MPD.

Useful Keyboard Shortcuts (typical)

Space: Play/Pause
N: Next track
P: Previous track
Delete: Remove selected from playlist
(Check QMPDClient’s Help → Shortcuts; these can vary by build.)

Troubleshooting Tips

Connection refused: verify MPD is running and listening on the configured interface/port.
No music shown: ensure MPD’s database has been updated and qmpdclient is connected to the correct MPD instance.
Incorrect metadata: run mpc update and consider using tools like MusicBrainz Picard for tagging.

Example mpd.conf snippets

Set music directory and allow local network connections:

music_directory    "/var/lib/mpd/music" playlist_directory "/var/lib/mpd/playlists" db_file            "/var/lib/mpd/tag_cache" log_file           "/var/log/mpd/mpd.log" pid_file           "/run/mpd/pid" state_file         "/var/lib/mpd/state" bind_to_address    "0.0.0.0" port               "6600"

Add a simple ALSA output:

audio_output {     type    "alsa"     name    "My ALSA Device"     device  "default"     mixer_type "software" }

Advanced Tips

Use saved playlists and the “Consume” mode in MPD for one-time playback sessions.
Combine QMPDClient with MPD’s web clients or mobile controllers for multi-client setups.
Automate library updates with inotify scripts to call mpc update when files change.

Conclusion

QMPDClient is a low-friction GUI for MPD that lets you browse, play, and manage music with minimal configuration. Install it from your distribution’s packages or build from source, point it at a running MPD server, and use the library, playlist, and playback controls to manage music. For most needs, the combination of MPD’s server-side flexibility and QMPDClient’s straightforward interface is an efficient lightweight audio setup.