Introduction.
Radio has never been more accessible. Across the world — and especially online — more blind broadcasters than ever are planning, producing, and presenting outstanding programmes. We know this from the growing number of users relying on our JAWS scripts for StationPlaylist Studio. But great radio requires more than great music — it requires great information:.
Who recorded a song?
When was it released?
What made it special?
What can you say about it right now, on air, without hesitation?
The Muze gives you those answers — instantly.
Originally developed in 2020, The Muze has grown into a powerful, accessible gateway to music knowledge and radio presentation tools. You do not need StationPlaylist to use it. Whether you are preparing a show, researching music, or speaking live on air, The Muze is designed to put rich, broadcast-ready information at your fingertips.
How It Works.
All Muze functions are available from a convenient list box or through dedicated global shortcut keys, accessible from any application. Each feature uses a simple, guided wizard — asking only what is necessary — then delivers clear, structured results designed specifically for screen reader users.
Information is divided into logical headings for easy navigation, allowing you to jump straight to the details you need while preparing or presenting.
This documentation is quite short and will get you up and running in just a few minutes.
Downloading and Installing the Scripts.
The Muze Scripts can be downloaded from this page. They consist of a program which will allow the scripts to be installed into the version of JAWS you are using.
Please download the Muze installer.
If you have difficulty in downloading or using the installer, you can Download the zipped archive of the binary files.
Once downloaded, work through the below instructions.
- First of all, locate the zipped archive with which you have been provided.
- If you are using the standard unzip utility for Windows, pressing Enter will open up this file.
- Press Control+A so as to select the contents of the entire zipped archive.
- Press Control+C to copy the contents of the zipped archive to the Windows clipboard.
- Press Insert+J to move to the JAWS window.
- Press ALT+U for the Utilities menu.
- Locate the item, Explore Utilities Folder, found on the Utilities menu and press Enter. Alternatively, press the shortcut key, letter X.
- From the list of folders which appears, select, Explore My Settings and press Enter.
- This is the folder you need to place the scripts into. Press Control+V to paste the content of the zipped archive into this folder. If Windows prompts you as to whether files should be replaced, press the Space Bar on the Replace All Button.
- Finally, press ALT+F4 to close the Settings/ENU screen and then restart your computer.
Using the regular installer, installing the scripts is extremely straightforward. Simply run the installer program, the majority of prompts for which will be announced by your JAWS screen-reading software automatically.
In most cases, pressing Enter to activate the “Next” Button on each screen should be sufficient. Following the opening screen, the scripts installer detects the versions of JAWS which are installed onto the machine and presents you with a series of Radio Buttons, inviting you to choose which release you would like to install the scripts into. Press the Down Arrow key to select the version of JAWS you wish to use,, then press Enter.
If you wish to install the scripts into another JAWS version at a later date, this can easily be achieved by running the installer a second time and choosing a different version of JAWS from the list.
You will next be asked for a language folder into which the scripts should be installed. This refers to the JAWS language settings to be used. You should press the Down Arrow key until “enu (English US)” is selected, then press Enter. Indeed, this is usually the first item in the list.
Prior to copying the necessary files to the computer, you will be asked to confirm the location of the installation of JAWS script files. If JAWS is being used by a person with an alternative Windows account to the one shown, you should correct this in the Edit Field before proceeding, changing the text so it points to the scripts user’s account instead. The majority of users will not have to be at all concerned with this screen and can just press Enter to continue with the scripts installation.
When the installer has completed creating the additional folders required for the scripts , and copying files to them, you will be prompted to restart the computer and you should comply with this request. This is critical!
Activating the scripts .
When the Windows operating system is fully loaded, after a short pause, the scripts will check the Hartgen Consultancy server to determine whether or not an activation file for the product is available for you. This is based on your JAWS for Windows serial number.If an activation file is not found, a Dialog Box will appear, asking if you have a license key for the Muze scripts. If you do not have such a key, select the “No” option. Then send Hartgen Consultancy an Email and request one. If you do have a license key which has been provided to you, select the “Yes” option and then paste it into the Edit Field provided. Finally, press Enter. To repeat however, this procedure of entering the license key should not be necessary in the vast majority of cases.
Please note: You can install the scripts onto multiple machines provided the same JAWS serial number is being used. In other words, JAWS must be activated with the same serial number on each of the computers to host the scripts .
How The Muze Works.
Each time JAWS is started, after a short pause you will hear the term, “The Muze is ready”. Due to the number of intelligence services used within The Muze, a number of API keys for various services are assigned to your subscription account. JAWS needs to confirm these are all active and ready for you. Therefore, you should not use functions of The Muze until you have heard this message spoken or displayed on your Braille display.
Using The Muze Quick Start Guide.
This documentation contains details of how you might use various functions of The Muze. However, audio demonstrations are provided on The Muze product page. These contain in depth demonstrations and training in terms of how to use many of them which you may find to be of assistance.
Overview.
Where possible, results for each source are returned as plain text within the JAWS Results Viewer if we consider that the understanding of a table is not intuitive to work with or where further interaction with it is required. If a number of choices are available, (such as with Wikipedia), a List Box of results is displayed so you can ensure you are obtaining precisely the article you need. If the source points to alternative links which you may need to consult, the original web page is left unchanged.
The Muze is controllable in two ways: via a menu list box and with global dedicated shortcut keys. They are global shortcut keys because as creators of the Muze, we use it in a range of different applications for broadcast purposes: StationPlaylist, notepad documents to prepare scripts and song running orders, while in a web browser, and so on.
The Muze uses a keystroke we call the Muze key. This is the JAWS key and the Grave Accent key pressed together. The JAWS key is either the Insert key on the keyboard, or the Caps Lock key, depending upon whether you are using the JAWS desktop or laptop layout. The Grave Accent key is situated on most keyboards to the immediate left of figure 1 on the numbers row, just above the letter keys. You press the two keys together and you will hear a “clunk” sound.
The keys are then released and you press any one of the further keystrokes directed below.
Let us now meet one of these key combinations so as to take you into the Muze main menu from which all items can be accessed if required. Press the Muze Key then M to access the main menu.
This takes you into a list box of choices.
An Overview of the List Box Items.
Primarily, the list box of items contains links to the resources you will be using to consult. When you press Enter on any one of the items, you will be taken into a wizard containing one or more screens. You complete the question being asked of you and press Enter to move to the next screen. As you progress through each screen, you will hear a small audible “tick” sound to indicate you have moved to the next stage in the process. This sound has been deliberately placed there. When you become familiar with the information required, this means you do not need to wait for JAWS to read out the question. You can quickly enter the next item of information required without too much pausing.
Unless otherwise stated, the information required is entered by you in two forms.
- Date and format List Boxes. Some screens require that you enter a date. There will be one list for the day, one for the month and a third for the year. You can use the Up and Down Arrow keys to navigate the list boxes or first letter (or digit) navigation. Moreover you are sometimes requested to choose a format, such as UK and US. Just choose an item from the list.
- Edit Fields. In such fields, you type text information. Precisely what you type is requested on each screen or more fully described in the documentation or through spoken or Braille-based prompts.
As you navigate the Muze help menu, you will notice that the item is announced, followed by its corresponding shortcut key. For example, if you hear the first item, “Advanced Everyhit Search, E”, this means that you can in future press the Muze key, followed by E, from within any application. You do not need to enter the list box. If you wish you can press Enter on these items, but this is a good way of learning the shortcut keys.
The features of The Muze fall into two categories: legacy features which have been available for six years. The functionality of these features remains completely unchanged. There are also what we might call Intelligent Services, where AI is used to carry out many of the tasks involved.
Legacy Features.
The following is a brief overview of the various sources and special functions in the list box.
- Advanced EveryHit, Muze Key E. Allows you to research UK single, album, E P’s and Sheet Music releases from 1947 to 2011. This is a sophisticated set of screens, all or some of which can be manipulated as needed. Results are returned in plain text.
- Simple EveryHit, Muze Key then Shift+E. Similar to the above, but is less sophisticated. It only requests artist and title information, either of which can be left blank. Results are returned in plain text.
- Ultimate Database Search, Muze Key then U. Allows you to retrieve information concerning a specific artist, song title, or album title from 1940 in some cases to the present, from the UK or US. Uses plain text for the retrieval of singles and albums and the original web page for artists and biographical facts.
- View Ultimate Database Chart, Muze Key then Shift+U. Allows you to retrieve a chart from 1940 in some cases to the present, from the UK or US. Results are returned in plain text.
- Genius Lyrics, Muze Key then G. Retrieve lyrics to a song from the past and present. Also contains biographical information, YouTube links and more. Presents a List Box of results.
- Wikipedia, Muze Key then W. Allows you to search Wikipedia for any information. Presents a List Box of results.
- Discogs, Muze Key then D. Retrieves information on albums, singles and 78 records. Presents a List Box of results.
- 45Cat, Muze Key then 4. One of our favourite and most used sources, you can research song, artist, album and 78 information. You can even retrieve discographies of artists or groups. Uses the original webpage.
- New Single Releases UK, Muze Key then N. Retrieves the new single releases in the UK week by week from the Official Charts Company. Results are returned in plain text.
- New Album Releases UK, Muze Key then Shift+N. Retrieves the new single releases in the UK week by week from the Official Charts Company. Results are returned in plain text.
- Top 100 UK Best Sellers, T. Retrieves the top 100 best sellers by decade and by year. Results are returned in plain text.
- YouTube, Muze Key then Y. This requires special explanation. If the original focus is outside of the results viewer, you are prompted to enter what you would like to search for on YouTube. If however you are focused on any one of our sources rendered in plain text, within the JAWS results viewer, this keystroke will search for the requested song title on YouTube. Just place the cursor on the required line and press the keystroke.
- Copy to Clipboard, Muze Key twice. If focused within one of our plain text areas in the results viewer, pressing the Muze key twice will copy the focused artist and title to the clipboard. Just place the cursor on the required line and press the keystroke.
- Copy Title to Clipboard, Muze Key then Tab. If focused within one of our plain text areas in the results viewer, pressing this keystroke will copy the focused song title to the clipboard. Just place the cursor on the required line and press the keystroke.
- Country Selection. If you use the Ultimate Music Database chart lookup tool described above, it is possible to select a default country: UK or US. If this is done, you will never see the country selection screen when searching for a chart. This is helpful if you are only ever interested in charts from either the UK or US. The third option in this list, Make a Choice, means you will be prompted each time a chart is searched for.
- Muze Version Number. Speaks the Muze version number being used and copies it to the clipboard.
- Muze Documentation. Brings into view this documentation.
- Check for Updates. Allows you to check for the latest version of the Muze which will then be downloaded to your computer if it exists.
Intelligence Features.
A Note on Song Entries.
Within many of the features below, you are going to be entering an artist/group and a song title. This should be done as follows: Artist Space Dash Space Title. This is a very common display format within audio applications. A good example would be:
Elton John – rocket Man
Quick Tip: If you are using StationPlaylist Studio or the Remote Voice-Tracking client, focus upon a song in a playlist and copy it to the clipboard with Control+C. The song data is now on the Clipboard ready for pasting into any of the Edit Fields provided by The Muze.
Song Facts — Full Breakdown, Muze Key then S.
Enter an artist and song title and receive a fully structured report:
- Song Overview.
- Genre.
- Notable Elements.
- Context.
- Chart Performance.
- Artist Trivia.
- Cultural Impact.
- Behind the Scenes.
- Concluding Notes.
Perfect for deep research, documentaries, and feature programming.
Notes on Entering Songs.
The format for entering songs for this feature has been described above: Artist Space Dash Space Title. However, for this feature only, it is possible to gather information concerning multiple songs. Facts can be retrieved for up to 6 songs at a time. You can enter these songs in two ways:
The first method is to separate songs with vertical bar characters, (Shift+Backslash). That would be: Artist Space Dash Space Title Vertical Bar Artist Space Dash Space Title, up to a maximum of six, like this:
Elton John – Rocket Man|Cliff Richard – Bachelor Boy
The second method is to use StationPlaylist Studio or the Remote Voice-Tracking client.
- Focus upon a song in the playlist.
- Press the Muze Key then function key F1. JAWS announces that the process for gathering songs has started.
- Move to the next song and press the Muze Key followed by function key F2. JAWS announces that the gathering of songs is continuing. The data is copied to the Windows clipboard automatically.
- Move to the next song again and press the Muze Key followed by function key F2. JAWS announces that the gathering of songs is continuing. The data is copied to the Windows clipboard automatically.
- When all songs have been gathered, move into the Muze Song Facts feature with the Muze Key then S.
- Rather than typing, paste the details from the Clipboard into the Edit Field and press Enter.
Artist Facts — Complete Profile, Muze Key then Shift+A.
Instant, structured artist intelligence:
- Artist Overview.
- Years Active.
- Genres / Style.
- Key Members (for groups).
- Career Highlights.
- Biggest Hits.
- Key Albums / Works.
- Awards & Recognition.
- Notable Collaborations.
- Interesting Trivia.
- Cultural Impact.
- Concluding Notes.
Everything you need to introduce an artist professionally.
Quick Facts — One Line Mode, Muze Key then Shift+S for song or Shift+A for artist.
Sometimes you need something fast.
- Song Fact (One Line) – A single notable fact ready for immediate broadcast.
- Artist Fact (One Line) – A short, punchy artist insight for live presentation.
Ideal for live radio, quick links, and tight timings.
Song Origins & Covers — Detailed Song Information, Muze Key then ALT+S.
Want more than the headline facts? This feature delivers a deep dive into the story of the song — where it came from, who wrote it, how it was first recorded, and how it evolved through notable cover versions.
Enter a song title and The Muze retrieves a structured report you can navigate quickly with headings. Note that if there are multiple songs with the same title, you can include the artist so as to influence the output:
- Song Identity.
- Songwriters.
- Published By.
- Original And First Recording.
- Earliest Release Details.
- First Widely Known Version.
- Cover Versions.
- Extra Notes.
It also includes One Line For Air — a succinct, broadcast-ready line you can announce instantly when you need something tight, confident, and accurate.
Radio Script Generator, Muze Key then R.
Create smooth, natural links between songs.
Enter:
- Outgoing song.
- Incoming song.
- Show style.
- Show name.
The Muze generates a ready-to-read talkover script that connects the tracks professionally including interesting song facts. You can also specify just one song, perhaps for a show starter, or whether you are going into or out of a break.
In order to generate a radio script which flows naturally, potentially there is some initial configuration work to do. These preferences are in place until you change them.
- Move into the Muze main menu by pressing the Muze Key then M.
- Select the option Store Station Name. If you have previously stored a radio station name, this is also displayed as part of the menu item. Press Enter to activate.
- Type the station name and press Enter.
- Move into the Muze main menu by pressing the Muze Key then M.
- Select the option Store Show Title. If you have previously stored a show title, this is also displayed as part of the menu item. Press Enter to activate.
- Type the show title and press Enter.
- Move into the Muze main menu by pressing the Muze Key then M.
- Select the option Store Show Style. Examples of show styles include 60’s, love songs, upbeat, etc. This influences the kind of tone for the radio script. If you have previously stored a show style, this is also displayed as part of the menu item. Press Enter to activate.
- Type the show style and press Enter.
Radio Script Generation.
Typically you will specify an outgoing and incoming song. The Muze should then generate a suitable link you could read on air, or you can adapt it to your own broadcasting technique. Where possible, a music fact will be included for each song.
You are first asked for the outgoing song. Type it in using the format described in an earlier section and then press Enter.
You are next asked for the incoming song. Type it in using the format described in an earlier section and then press Enter.
Points to consider:
- If no outgoing song is specified, The Muze treats this as a show or hour opener.
- If the word Break is used for the outgoing song, The Muze considers that you are returning from a promo or commercial break.
- If the word Break is used for the incoming song, The Muze considers that you are about to move into a promo or commercial break.
When all the information is entered, an appropriate linking script will be returned. At the end of the script is a button, Copy to Clipboard. Press the Space Bar to activate the button. Only the script itself to read on air will be copied to the clipboard. This is so each link could potentially be pasted into a script running order for broadcast or voice-tracking.
There is a mechanism by which StationPlaylist Studio or the Remote Voice-Track client can be used to generate song links.
- Place focus upon the first song for the linking mechanism.
- Press the Muze Key followed by function key F3. JAWS announces that the outgoing song has been captured.
- Find the next song in the sequence and press the Muze Key followed by function key F4. JAWS announces that the incoming song has been captured and the script is generated.
Quick Tip: If you wish to create the link for the show or hour opener, or you wish to specify the word Break as one of the parameters, find the song in the playlist and press Control+C to copy it to the clipboard. You can then press the Muze Key followed by R and follow the prompts through, pasting the content of the Clipboard where necessary.
Hour Planner, Muze Key then P.
Design a complete hour of radio instantly. Enter your show style and The Muze builds a balanced hour of music to match the format. Examples of a show style may include Party Starters or 60’s.
Linked Songs., Muze Key then L
Find perfect follow-ups instantly:
- Similar era.
- Similar tempo / energy.
- Similar vibe / theme.
- Emergency next track (quick picks).
Never struggle for the next song again.
When prompted, type the artist and song title in the format described above.
Talking Points Generator.
Enter any subject (e.g., 80s movies, best Christmas gifts) and receive a two-minute broadcast-ready segment you can read live on air. Listener engagement ideas are also included.
On This Day in History, Muze Key then H for Music History or Shift+H for World Events.
Two powerful modes:
Music History.
- Artist birthdays.
- Major releases.
- Landmark music events.
World Events.
- News.
- Culture.
- TV.
- Science and Technology.
- Sport.
Search by day/month or full date for precise historical programming.
Notes About Date Entry.
If you enter a day and month only, The Muze returns results spanning multiple years. If a precise date is entered, (day month and year), only data relative to the specific date is returned.
The Muze will accept dates in your regional format. For example, for 1 June 1985, you could type 01061985 or 06011985. Alternatively, you could type 1 June 1985 or June 1 1985.
View Album by Track, Muze Key then V.
Enter a track and instantly discover:
- Original album.
- Full track listing.
- Release date.
- Record label.
- Album milestones.
Note that if there are multiple songs with the same title, you can include the artist so as to influence the output:
Music Finder, Muze Key then M.
Search singles, albums, or 78s to retrieve:
- A and B side (singles and 78’s).
- Release information.
- Labels.
- Milestones.
- Full track listings (albums).
Note that if there are multiple songs with the same title, you can include the artist so as to influence the output:
Theme Builder, Muze Key then B.
Enter a theme and receive:
- 20 matching songs.
- Ready-made talking points.
Perfect for themed shows, specials, and features.
An example of a theme could be “Songs played on pirate radio stations from 1964 to 1967” or “Movie songs from the 50’s and 60’s”. Note that if the Theme Builder returns the same artist or group more than once, it could be that the description of the theme is narrow in scope. You may wish to provide a broader description.
Muze Emergency Mode, Muze Key then X.
When you’re stuck live on air, The Muze helps instantly.
Choose a 10, 20, or 30 second filler, including:
- Short anecdote.
- Music trivia.
- “Did You Know” segment.
Dead air becomes engaging radio — instantly.
The Muze Prep-Sheet Wizard, Muze Key then Shift+W.
The Muze prep-Sheet prepares a ready-to-use sheet of information you can use during your show — perfect for keeping links flowing, adding variety, and reducing prep time.
You choose what goes into the prep-Sheet. A simple wizard asks a series of questions, then generates structured output you can review, copy, or read live on air. All questions are self-explanatory.
Options include:
- Music and celebrity news
- Notable music and movie releases
- Question of the day
- Brain teaser
- Random fact
- News section – choose from:
- World news
- Country-specific news (The Muze detects your country automatically)
- Sports headlines
- Listener engagement ideas
- Private Show Notes – add your own reminders, promos, upcoming shows, and talking points
- Optional weather – enter a location (city, postcode, or ZIP)
You can also choose the overall Prep-Sheet length:
- Short
- Medium
The result is a clear, presenter-friendly sheet you can rely on when you need quick content, fresh ideas, or a strong structure for your breaks and links. Each section is denoted by a new heading.
Points to Note.
The first question in the Prep-Sheet Wizard is whether you would like to use your preferences from last time? If you select “Yes” by pressing letter Y, all the preferences stored will be used. For example, you may not wish to have celebrity news displayed.
Even if you have selected for your preferences to be used from last time, the Edit Field is always displayed so as to enter a weather location or postal/zip code. This is because you may wish to change that on a frequent basis. If you do not wish to have a weather report, press Backspace so as to erase the weather location.
If having generated the Prep-Sheet you would like to recall it again, press the Muze Key then ALT+W. For example, the Prep-Sheet may have been generated and you inadvertently press Escape which closes the JAWS Results Viewer. This saves having to generate it again although of course there is no harm in doing so.
Technical Support.
If you require technical support, please feel free to email brian@hartgenconsultancy.com.
