Apple Music for desktop

[Milestones]

I am still getting comfortable with this after purchasing an Apple desktop for the first time a couple of weeks ago.  So I will try a few questions here and see what I get

First, I would like to know how many hours of music I have on the machine.  I get it fine for albums and playlists, but not the grand total.  When I used Windows Media Player, I could easily see the hours for each genre: jazz, blues, rock, etc.  So far I can't find that on Apple--not by genre or grand total.  Attempts to find the answer through Google searches have been unproductive.

 

    

 

[mjzee]

How many hours of music: In the left column, click on Songs.  Look at the bottom of the window - it shows number of items (tracks), total time it would take to play, total size (GB, TB, whatever).

As for genre, create a playlist for each genre: Go to File > New > Smart Playlist.  In the pop-up window, check "Match for the following rule:" In the first drop-down box select Genre, in the second select Is, and type the genre name in the third box.  Make sure "Live updating" is checked, and hit OK.  This will create a new Smart Playlist listing all tracks that have that genre listed.  Click on it in the left column and look at the bottom of the window to find your stats.

IMHO, one of the big losses of the last decade is that instruction manuals are no longer printed.  I used to read those cover to cover to learn how to use a particular program.

[GA Russell]

21 minutes ago, mjzee said:

IMHO, one of the big losses of the last decade is that instruction manuals are no longer printed.  I used to read those cover to cover to learn how to use a particular program.

Amen!

[rostasi]

Yes, to looking at the bottom of the window for total info:

but, you don't have to go to the trouble of making genre playlists.
Just go to VIEW > COLUMN BROWSER and just show it.
When it opens, it shows all of your genres where if you click
on one of genres, it'll show you info like:
how many artists, how many albums,
and the bottom of the window will show you
the total items and time, size...

In the bottom graphic, for instance,
you can see the amount of "Contemporary Classical" that I currently have:

1128 artists - 1442 albums - 12,569 tunes - almost 69 days - 215+GB ...

Plus: you can go even deeper by clicking on an artist while you're in the genre
and it will show you, for example, how many albums you have from them.

Edited May 15, 2023 by rostasi

[Milestones]

Is that is "Songs" in the sidebar--below recently added, albums, and artists?  If so, I am not getting any numbers at the bottom. 

My Apple computer is Monterey.  

 

[rostasi]

Since I don’t have the latest Apple Music, I looked it up
and it said the following:

“The Songs option can be found in this Sidebar. 

Select Show Status Bar by clicking on View. 

The number of songs you have on iTunes will be displayed in the status bar at the bottom of the screen. From the same screen, you can see how much space songs consume, as well as their duration.”

Apparently, I also have a “status bar”, (see above) but I’ve never shut it off in 22 years!

Edited May 16, 2023 by rostasi

[Milestones]

The key was to click  on the status bar. 

I have over 3,000 pieces that would take 13 days to play.  As I re-create my music library, I will probably have upwards of 30,000 pieces.

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Milestones

[rostasi]

Good to hear that it worked for you.
Everyone has their different needs and wants
and you are probably going to find a number of them
satisfied by just checking out drop down menus and the like.

I usually don’t have any use for the “column browser”
mainly because I don’t really feel the need to fill in genres.
if it’s filled in, it more than likely wasn’t filled in by me.
The “Contemporary Classical” , for instance, is probably
much larger than stated, because there's a whole bunch
of tunes that don’t have genres filled in. If you’re devoted
to such a thing, it’s probably a good time to start now that
you only have 30,000 or so.

[Milestones]

One day (and perhaps soon) I should figure out the whole "cloud" business.  I guess this can increase storage considerably.  Can you create and play playlists in the cloud?  I am very much in the dark on this right now.

How do you have over 18 terabytes devoted to music?

Edited May 16, 2023 by Milestones

[rostasi]

21 minutes ago, Milestones said:

How do you have over 18 terabytes devoted to music?

Because I have a lot of it. That’s not counting the tens of thousands of titles
that I have outside of those drives.

[Milestones]

I find it odd that Apple uses a pause button, but no actual stop button.

[rostasi]

47 minutes ago, Milestones said:

I find it odd that Apple uses a pause button, but no actual stop button.

?

[Milestones]

Is there a way to truly increase volume?  I usually play tracks two clicks from the top level, and sometimes at top level.  Of course, the original source material varies.  I generally listen less than 2 feet away--and rarely more than 8 feet away.  It serves me fine so far, but I am wondering if there is a way to really pump the volume.  

[rostasi]

You’re really confusing me with these questions.
What happens when you adjust the volume slider?
…or when you use the volume controls on your keyboard?
…or when you turn up your speakers?
?

 

[Milestones]

There is a limit to the volume, unless I use external speakers (which I have not yet attempted). 

 

 

[Milestones]

One aggravating thing is how an album can be split into two (or three or more).  This generally happens when I import burned CDs.  I know it's a problem with Apple.  I have seen the obvious advice about making everything match: artist, album, genre, year.  I have done that and yet some albums remain split.  

[rostasi]

13 hours ago, Milestones said:

There is a limit to the volume, unless I use external speakers (which I have not yet attempted). 

ummm... yes, that would generally be true. There is a limit to the volume (thankfully).

OK, so what do you mean the album is being split into two or more?
Also, when you say "import burned CDs", are you referring to homemade ones
that someone created or are you just referring to your everyday store-bought discs.
I don't understand the idea that "it's a problem with Apple." What does this mean?
I also don't understand what you're referring to as "obvious advice about making
everything match." Huh? Maybe I just need to stay out of this conversation
because much of it just doesn't make any sense to me. It's not because of my 
not having these problems - it's that I can't figure out what you're talking about.
Again, I would highly suggest that you go on an Apple forum to where they talk
specifically about Apple Music/iTunes and tell them what you've said here.

[Milestones]

Any album you import (or upload, or download, or whatever the term is) has identifying info like artist, album title, year of release, genre.  You sometimes need to enter these yourself, as when putting in a burned CD.  I had everything  matching on Meet the Jazztet (Golson), yet the album appears twice--first with the opening 2 tracks and second with the remaining 8.

A store-bought usually does not have this issue.

 

 

 

 

 

[mjzee]

1 hour ago, Milestones said:

Any album you import (or upload, or download, or whatever the term is) has identifying info like artist, album title, year of release, genre.  You sometimes need to enter these yourself, as when putting in a burned CD.  I had everything  matching on Meet the Jazztet (Golson), yet the album appears twice--first with the opening 2 tracks and second with the remaining 8.

A store-bought usually does not have this issue.

That is a software bug I occasionally notice in iTunes.  It's not the end of the world.  If you look in Finder at where you saved the tracks, you'll see the entire album in one folder, but there is sometimes a display issue in iTunes showing the same album twice with some tracks showing in each.  You can sometimes correct it by also entering the artist name in the "album artist" field.

[rostasi]

It appears where twice?
All your homemade disc has to have is, in this case, the ten songs in order and with the correct timings and
iTunes just fills in all of the info and shows up in the window - ready to transfer to your library if you want to do this.

 

mjzee: I've never heard of this "bug." Is this something displayed in the iTunes window twice?

Edited May 17, 2023 by rostasi

[Milestones]

It's a glitch, for sure.  As I say, all the Jazztet tracks contain the same info, yet the album is split into two albums or folders.

.... a minute later...Bingo, mjzee!  That (album artist) created the fix.

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by Milestones

[mjzee]

12 minutes ago, Milestones said:

It's a glitch, for sure.  As I say, all the Jazztet tracks contain the same info, yet the album is split into two albums or folders.

.... a minute later...Bingo, mjzee!  That (album artist) created the fix.

 

Great!  But it might not be permanent...you might find it happening again, even with the same album, in the future.  As I've said, it's just a stupid glitch, don't let it ruin your day.

2 hours ago, rostasi said:

mjzee: I've never heard of this "bug." Is this something displayed in the iTunes window twice?

I have screenshots I can share with you.  Don't know how to post them here, though - I don't use a photo-share service, and our board offers almost no capacity to post image files.

[Milestones]

I also fixed up East/West by Frisell in the same manner--and that was an actual CD I bought.   

[mjzee]

Just now, Milestones said:

I also fixed up East/West by Frisell in the same manner--and that was an actual CD I bought.   

I haven't found a rhyme or reason as to why it happens.  And it doesn't happen very often.

[rostasi]

The folders? I guess I’ve rarely had any reason to look at the folders.
Not sure why I would ever want to, but, OK, I’m happy the “glitch” was
cleared up.