A free, open-source desktop app for saxophone repair shops and saxophonists that I have built with Claude Code. Generates laser-cutting files for the Phil Noy padmaking method, provides reference databases for key heights, serial numbers, and screw specifications, includes tooling generation for pad-making die inserts and holders, a 12-wheel chromatic strobe tuner, and a harmonic tone analyzer for studying your sound. Download links at bottom of the page.
Runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. This page is a condensed version of the full README on GitHub.
Features #
Pad Maker #
Generate laser-cutting files (G-code and SVG) for felt, card, leather, and exact-size pad materials. G-code exports directly to your laser — LightBurn is no longer required, though SVG output is still available.
- Smart circle-packing nesting to maximize material usage
- Edge bias to direct packing toward a specific edge or corner
- Custom polygon shapes for irregular leather skins and scrap pieces
- Scrap mode for using up irregular offcuts across multiple pieces
- Per-size-range settings for sizing rules, dart/star cuts, and engraving
- Pad size labels engraved on each disc
- Sizing Rules Presets — save, load, import, and export your sizing rules
- Kerf compensation, air assist toggles, and auto-eject SD card after export
Reference Libraries #
- Key Height Library — store and organize key height measurements by instrument
- Serial Number Lookup — reference database for saxophone serial numbers by manufacturer
- Screw Specifications — OEM screw and rod specs database
- Populate with data from this website, enter your own, import and export to share
Tooling — Die Inserts & Die Holders #
Generate SVG/G-code for laser-cut acrylic pad die inserts and die holders. Enter individual sizes, ranges, or generate full sets. Includes a kerf test pattern for calibrating your laser.
Chromatic Strobe Tuner #
A 12-wheel stroboscopic chromatic tuner with GPU-accelerated rendering. Per-ring octave brightness from real spectral data, vintage backlit VU meter, transposition support (Concert, Bb, Eb, F), and configurable frame rate and colors. A quality microphone is recommended.
Harmonic Tone Analyzer (beta) #
A real-time harmonic spectrum analyzer for saxophone. Captures the fundamental and overtones of your sound and lets you compare setups (horn, mouthpiece, reed, microphone, mic placement, embouchure) over time. Features include tone preset capture, WAV import, A/B comparison tools, and population percentiles across presets. A quality microphone is essential.
Installation Notes #
Windows: Download the .exe and run. You may get a SmartScreen warning on first launch — click “More info” then “Run anyway.”
macOS: Two builds are available — Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3/M4) with full features, and Intel with all features except the Tuner and Tone Analyzer. macOS will block the app on first launch. To fix this, open Terminal and run:
xattr -cr /Applications/SaxShopCompanion.appYou only need to do this once.
Linux: The tuner and tone analyzer require PortAudio (sudo apt install libportaudio2). The app works without it, but the audio tabs will be unavailable.
Download #
Loading latest release info from GitHub...
Note: Downloads are hosted on GitHub. Your browser may show a warning since the app is not signed with a developer certificate. On macOS, see the installation note above. The app is free, open-source, and the source code is available for inspection. If you would prefer to see the most recent release page on GitHub, click here.
Source Code & Feedback #
The source code is available on GitHub. Questions or feedback: [email protected]