How to Take Better Notes While Listening: A Quick Guide to Onda
Capture and revisit meaningful moments from audio with timestamped notes. Here's how to get started with Onda.
#Remember What Matters from Audio
We all have those moments—an idea in a podcast that clicks, a lyric that moves you, or a quote from an audiobook that you'd love to revisit later. But most of the time, it slips away before we can do anything about it.
Onda helps you hold onto those moments. It’s a simple tool for taking timestamped notes while listening to podcasts, music, or audiobooks—so you can revisit what matters, when it matters.
#Why Timestamped Notes Change Everything
Traditional note-taking doesn’t fit how we listen. You pause the audio, open your notes app, try to type fast enough, and then later wonder what that note even meant.
Onda connects your thoughts to time. One tap saves your note and the previous 15 seconds of transcription, so you're never missing context. Your notes stay in flow with the conversation, the story, or the song.
#See Onda in Action
This quick demo shows how simple it can be to capture and revisit your audio insights.
#Features at a Glance
#🎯 Timestamped Notes
- Capture key moments with a tap
- Automatically linked to the right spot in the audio
- Adjust timestamps manually if needed
#📝 Flexible Note-Taking
- Auto-fill with AI-generated podcast transcripts
- Use
-for bullet points and[]for checklists - Rich text formatting
#🔄 Integration & Sync
- Spotify connection for playback
- Export in Markdown format to Notion, Obsidian, and more
#How Others Use Onda
🧠 The Learner
Captures big ideas from educational podcasts, building a personal knowledge base over time.
👔 The Professional
Documents insights from business or industry podcasts, turning commute time into valuable takeaways.
🎧 The Creator
Saves lyrical inspiration, voice ideas, and melodies—making it easy to revisit creative sparks.
🌍 The Curious
Keeps track of stories, perspectives, or quotes that resonate—creating an archive of audio moments.
#Pro Tips for Better Notes
- Tap, Don’t Pause – Onda automatically pulls in the previous 15 seconds, so you don’t interrupt your listening.
- Refine Later – Start with a quick note, then expand or edit when you have time.
- Transcripts Help – Supported podcasts can auto-fill with accurate transcripts—perfect for quoting or summarizing.
- Hands-Free is Coming – Voice notes and earbud-tap shortcuts are in development.
#What’s Coming Soon
We’re building more ways to make audio note-taking seamless:
- A built-in audio player for podcasts and YouTube
- AI-generated summaries of your notes
- Sync with Readwise
- Voice-activated notes
#Try It Out
Onda is for anyone who wants to listen more intentionally and keep track of what matters. Whether you're learning, creating, reflecting, or just staying curious—your audio moments are worth saving.