How to Install Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint 21/20

Strawberry is a versatile and powerful music player designed for Linux systems. It is an open-source project based on the popular Clementine music player, which is itself a fork of Amarok. Offering a wide range of features and functionality, Strawberry aims to provide users with an enjoyable and seamless audio experience. In this introduction, we will explore the key differences between Strawberry and its predecessors, as well as some of its standout features:

• Performance: Strawberry is known for its excellent performance and efficient resource usage. It is optimized to handle large music collections with ease, even on modest hardware.
• Audio Quality: Strawberry’s primary focus is on audio quality, offering advanced audio playback options, such as gapless playback, support for high-resolution audio formats, and customizable equalizer settings.
• Library Management: Strawberry provides extensive library management options, allowing users to easily organize and categorize their music collections. It supports custom tags and metadata, making it simpler to manage large and diverse music libraries.
• Streaming Integration: Unlike Clementine, Strawberry does not include built-in support for music streaming services. Instead, it focuses on being an outstanding local music player, enabling users to fully appreciate their personal music collections.
• Cross-platform Compatibility: Strawberry is available on multiple platforms, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, allowing users to enjoy a consistent audio experience across their devices.
• Plugin Support: The music player supports a variety of plugins, enabling users to extend its functionality and tailor it to their specific needs. This includes support for fetching lyrics, artist biographies, and album art.
• Customizable Interface: Strawberry boasts a highly customizable interface, allowing users to personalize their experience by modifying the layout, themes, and appearance.

The following guide will demonstrate how to install Strawberry using a well-known and maintained Launchpad PPA containing the latest stable or unstable (nightly) versions or as a secondary option to install Strawberry with Flatpak using the Flathub repository.

Section 1: Install Strawberry Music Player

Step 1: Update Linux Mint

Before starting the installation process, it is essential to update your Linux Mint system to ensure all existing packages are up to date. This step helps prevent potential conflicts with other packages and ensures your system runs smoothly. To update your Linux Mint system, open a terminal and run the following command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

This command fetches the latest information about available packages from the repositories and upgrades the currently installed packages to their latest versions.

Step 2: Add Strawberry PPA

Next, you will need to add the Launchpad PPA repository maintained by Jonas Kvinge, which contains the latest versions of Strawberry Music Player. You have the option to choose between the stable version or the development (Devel) version. The stable version is recommended for most users. If you add both repositories, the one containing the latest version will be chosen automatically.

Option 1: Add Strawberry PPA Stable

To add the stable PPA, run the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:jonaski/strawberry -y

This command adds the stable PPA repository to your system’s list of package sources.

Option 2: Add Strawberry PPA Devel

To add the development PPA, use this command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:jonaski/strawberry-unstable -y

This command adds the development PPA repository to your system’s list of package sources.

Step 3: Update Package Sources List

After adding the Strawberry PPA, you must update your package sources list to reflect the newly imported repository. This step ensures that your system recognizes the new PPA and can access its packages. To update the package sources list, run the following command:

sudo apt update

This command updates the package index by fetching the latest package information from all configured repositories, including the newly added Strawberry PPA.

Step 4: Install Strawberry Music Player

Now that the Strawberry PPA has been added and the package sources list has been updated, you can proceed with the installation of the Strawberry Music Player. To install Strawberry, run the following command:

sudo apt install strawberry

This command installs the Strawberry Music Player package and its dependencies on your Linux Mint system.

Section 2: Install Strawberry Music Player with Flatpak And Flathub

The second installation option is to use the Flatpak package manager with the Flathub repository. Flatpak is a universal package manager that allows you to install applications on any Linux distribution that supports it.

Step 1: Enable Flathub

Enable the Flathub repository with Flatpak using the following command in your terminal. This command adds the Flathub repository to your system, making it accessible for installing applications:

sudo flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

By running this command, you ensure that the Flathub repository is added to your system if it’s not already present. Flathub is a popular source for Flatpak applications, and adding it allows you to access a wide range of software, including Strawberry Music Player.

Step 2: Install Strawberry with Flatpak

Now install Strawberry Music Player using the following Flatpak command. This command retrieves the Strawberry software from the Flathub repository and installs it on your system:

flatpak install flathub org.strawberrymusicplayer.Strawberry -y

This command searches for the Strawberry Music Player package in the Flathub repository and installs it on your Linux Mint system.

Following these steps, you have successfully installed Strawberry Music Player using the Flatpak package manager and the Flathub repository.

Section 3: Launch Strawberry Music Player

Now that you have the Strawberry Music Player installed, there are several ways to launch the application.

Step 1: Launch Strawberry from the Terminal

You can launch Strawberry immediately from the terminal by typing the following command:

strawberry

For Flatpak users, you will need to launch the application using the command below from a terminal instance:

flatpak run org.strawberrymusicplayer.Strawberry

Step 2: Launch Strawberry from the Desktop

Using the terminal to launch the application every time may not be practical. To access Strawberry Music Player directly from your desktop, follow the path below:

Activities > Show Applications > Strawberry

Example of Strawberry application icon from the Linux Mint desktop menu:

Section 4: Getting Started with Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint

This section will provide useful tips, customizations, and general guidance on making the most out of Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint. These tips are tailored for Linux Mint users and will help you enhance your music listening experience.

General Tips

Here are some general tips to help you get started with Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint:

1. Import your music library: To begin, you’ll want to add your music collection to Strawberry. Click on File > Add folder and navigate to your music folder. This will import your music library into Strawberry and display it in the application.
2. Search for music: Use the search bar located at the top of the application to quickly find specific songs, albums, or artists in your music library.
3. Create playlists: Organize your favorite music by creating playlists. Click on the Playlist tab at the top of the application, then click New Playlist. Give your playlist a name, and start adding songs by dragging and dropping them from your library.

Customization Tips

Customize Strawberry Music Player to match your preferences and enhance your listening experience:

• Change the theme: Customize the appearance of Strawberry by changing its theme. Go to Edit > Preferences > Appearance and choose a different theme from the dropdown menu.
• Adjust audio settings: Fine-tune the audio settings to suit your preferences. Navigate to Edit > Preferences > Playback > Output, where you can adjust settings such as the audio backend and output device.
• Enable or disable visualizations: Visualizations can add a visual element to your music experience. Enable or disable visualizations by going to View > Visualization.

Other Tips

Expand your Strawberry Music Player experience with these additional tips:

• Fetch lyrics: Strawberry can automatically fetch lyrics for the currently playing song. To enable this feature, go to Edit > Preferences > Lyrics and check the box that says “Fetch lyrics automatically.”
• Use keyboard shortcuts: Navigate and control Strawberry Music Player more efficiently with keyboard shortcuts. Some examples include:
  • Play/Pause: Spacebar
  • Next track: Ctrl + Right Arrow
  • Previous track: Ctrl + Left Arrow
  • Increase volume: Ctrl + Up Arrow
  • Decrease volume: Ctrl + Down Arrow

For a full list of keyboard shortcuts, go to Help > Keyboard Shortcuts.

By following these tips and customizations, you can enhance your experience with Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint.

Example of Strawberry Music Player UI once open on a Linux Mint desktop:

Section 5: Additional Commands & Tips for Strawberry Music Player

This section will cover how to update and remove Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint, depending on your initial installation method.

Update Strawberry Music Player

To keep your Strawberry Music Player up to date, use one of the following commands based on your chosen installation method:

APT Update Method

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Flatpak Update Method

flatpak update

Remove Strawberry Music Player

If you no longer require Strawberry Music Player, follow the appropriate steps based on your original installation method:

APT Remove Method

To remove Strawberry Music Player installed via APT, run:

sudo apt remove strawberry

After that, if you don’t plan on using Strawberry again, remove the corresponding PPA:

Remove Stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:jonaski/strawberry -y

Remove Unstable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:jonaski/strawberry-unstable -y

Flatpak Remove Method

To remove Strawberry Music Player installed via Flatpak, run:

flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.strawberrymusicplayer.Strawberry

Conclusion: Installing Strawberry on Linux Mint

In this guide, we have walked you through the process of installing the Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint using different methods, such as APT and Flatpak. Following the steps, you can easily get started with this powerful music player and enjoy its various features. Remember to update the software and consult the official documentation and resources for further assistance.

Additional Resources and Links

Before we conclude, here are some official sources and useful links that can provide you with more information and help you get the most out of Strawberry Music Player:

• Official Website: The official Strawberry Music Player website provides information about the latest releases, news, and application features.
• GitHub Repository: The Strawberry Music Player GitHub repository contains the project’s source code, issue tracking, and contribution guidelines.
• User Forum: The Strawberry Music Player user forum is great for asking questions, sharing tips, and interacting with other users and the development team.

Feel free to explore these resources to enhance further your experience with Strawberry Music Player on Linux Mint. Happy listening!