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iTunes is dead! Long live iTunes!


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Has anyone already given some thought to a music ripping, librarian and syncing software suite as Apple shifts away from owning music in favor of streaming?

 

Ran into this useful article today. Haven"t tried anything yet. Obviously syncing to my trusty iPod is still a priority. The iPhone would be a nice feature. But I"d consider switching to a different player if necessary. Great DA and high quality audio file formats are probably reasons enough. Anyone own a player they love?

 

This article from https://twitgoo.com/best-itunes-alternatives/ starts the conversation.

 

 

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I regularly cast my eyes about the landscape for an alternative. Star ratings, play count tracking, and smart playlists are very important to me, and I don't think anyone other than iTunes has implemented those features yet.

 

I'm often learning new music for upcoming one-off gigs, refreshing my memory on things for annual tribute shows, etc. For me when prepping for a gig there's just no substitute for listening to the songs a bunch. I find for 90% of things, if I can listen to it about ten times over the course of a month or so, even passively, I'll be good to go.

 

I use a smart playlist "Stuff to Learn" which includes any playlists for gigs coming up in the next few months, sorted by Play Count, and filtering out any one-star-rated songs. That way, if I hop in the car, do the dishes, whatever, I can just play that playlist, and whatever songs I've listened to the least will be right at the front of the playlist. If there's anything I realize I don't need to learn, I give it a one-star rating (which Siri can do), and it drops off the list next time I sync.

 

Even if Spotify had smart playlists, play count tracking, etc., it won't work for me because often the music I'm working on is unreleased, rehearsal recordings, etc. I don't think anything like this exists at all in Android world. This might be the biggest thing keeping me on iOS, at this point.

 

Apparently the new "Music" app that's taking over the music portion of iTunes in Catalina will retain all this functionality, which was a huge relief to learn after the initial wave of "ITUNES IS DEAD" clickbait earlier this year.

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iTunes in it's early days was nice and useful pieces of software, but it declined into just functional over the years. I still had Windows Media player back then either at home or work. Little by little I moved over to VLC both for employee computers and my own and it does a lot but burning CD's I was still using iTunes. I use very little streaming because it ripped off songwriters and musicians so I burn my own CD hoping the posted list has a good suggestion for burning CD with CD text editing and making but CD music and CD data CD's.

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks for getting the conversation going. Although I like the idea of streaming and having access to all - it is a financial burden for me - not just the service but the unlimited data account. And I prefer to have the stuff I enjoy to do with what I wish.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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Some useful information on how Apple is handling existing purchases and imports in iTunes as you upgrade to the Music App in Catalina - although it seems you do need to subscribe to the Apple Music service.

 

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/dont-mourn-for-itunes-heres-how-to-listen-to-music-on-macos-now/?ftag=CAD-11-10aab8j

 

' Get started with the new Apple Music app

 

Apple's made it fairly easy to move from iTunes to its new music service in Catalina. For example, music that you've bought through through iTunes or imports from elsewhere will be available in the new Apple Music app.

 

Likewise, music playlists you created in iTunes will already appear in the new app -- you won't have to transfer a thing. iTunes gift cards and credit will still work, and you'll still buy music through the iTunes Store. Here's how to get set up and start listening to music.'

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I don't see anything about requiring you to sign up for Apple Music in the article.

 

"If you are interested, you can also sign up for Apple Music -- Apple's similarly named subscription music-streaming service. "

 

 

I'm not an iTunes fanboy, although I do use it as my primary source for importing/playing back all my digitlized music. The furor and worries about the death of downloaded/owned music seems to have been for naught. At least for the foreseeable future. Unless I've mised something?

 

 

Jerry

 

 

Some useful information on how Apple is handling existing purchases and imports in iTunes as you upgrade to the Music App in Catalina - although it seems you do need to subscribe to the Apple Music service.

 

https://www.cnet.com/how-to/dont-mourn-for-itunes-heres-how-to-listen-to-music-on-macos-now/?ftag=CAD-11-10aab8j

 

' Get started with the new Apple Music app

 

Apple's made it fairly easy to move from iTunes to its new music service in Catalina. For example, music that you've bought through through iTunes or imports from elsewhere will be available in the new Apple Music app.

 

Likewise, music playlists you created in iTunes will already appear in the new app -- you won't have to transfer a thing. iTunes gift cards and credit will still work, and you'll still buy music through the iTunes Store. Here's how to get set up and start listening to music.'

 

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Thanks for this! I've never used Ratings/Play Counts etc. but this is a really good application for it. Great tip.

 

Jerry

 

 

I regularly cast my eyes about the landscape for an alternative. Star ratings, play count tracking, and smart playlists are very important to me, and I don't think anyone other than iTunes has implemented those features yet.

 

I'm often learning new music for upcoming one-off gigs, refreshing my memory on things for annual tribute shows, etc. For me when prepping for a gig there's just no substitute for listening to the songs a bunch. I find for 90% of things, if I can listen to it about ten times over the course of a month or so, even passively, I'll be good to go.

 

I use a smart playlist "Stuff to Learn" which includes any playlists for gigs coming up in the next few months, sorted by Play Count, and filtering out any one-star-rated songs. That way, if I hop in the car, do the dishes, whatever, I can just play that playlist, and whatever songs I've listened to the least will be right at the front of the playlist. If there's anything I realize I don't need to learn, I give it a one-star rating (which Siri can do), and it drops off the list next time I sync.

 

Even if Spotify had smart playlists, play count tracking, etc., it won't work for me because often the music I'm working on is unreleased, rehearsal recordings, etc. I don't think anything like this exists at all in Android world. This might be the biggest thing keeping me on iOS, at this point.

 

Apparently the new "Music" app that's taking over the music portion of iTunes in Catalina will retain all this functionality, which was a huge relief to learn after the initial wave of "ITUNES IS DEAD" clickbait earlier this year.

 

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