If you hate iTunes, I want to show you how to use it first

[Zen0]

It has come to my attention that many people hate iTunes.

It is clearly the most powerful audio organization software in existence.

So I will do a simple video on how to use iTunes. I will add more if people want to, but for the first one, I will demonstrate:

1) How to drag and drop music from your iTunes library (into anything, I will not be doing the actual dragging). You can also directly select songs from iTunes and drag them anywhere.

2) How to copy a song from your iTunes library

Voila.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNbg04_ipBU

Let me know if you are interested in learning:

• How to drag and drop newly downloaded Amazon Mp3s into your iTunes
• How to create smart playlists based on just about any criteria
• How to organize your music based on just about any criteria
• How to chop songs into smaller files if you don't like the ending or beginning, or want to create a ringtone
• How to convert an AAC into Mp3 and vice-versa
• Anything else you'd like to learn about iTunes

:thumbsup:

I purposely put this in this forum because presumeably, "All Things Apple" viewers know how to use iTunes.

This is going in circles and was largely covered in the other thread such that this comes off as a repost, although the movie might deserve it's own thread... but still this discussion is similar to the other thread, I'm going to lock. Zen0, thanks for making the movie.
Moderator PM

 

[zerocool84]

Really??? Do we need to start a thread on how to use Windows or Android too?

 

[Glitchny]

Aww the troll made a thread.

 

[Zen0]

Really??? Do we need to start a thread on how to use Windows or Android too?

Well, the other thread had people asking how to share files in iTunes with Drop Box or VLC.

It was comically ignorant, so I had to post this.

I forgot to mention:

How to rate songs (and their automatic placement in the intelligent playlists)
How iTunes equalizes the volume of all your music
How it can retrieve Album artwork automatically

 

[Fire&Blood]

It is clearly the most powerful audio organization software in existence.

I am so happy for you

 

[zerocool84]

Well, the other thread had people asking how to share files in iTunes with Drop Box or VLC.

It was comically ignorant, so I had to post this.

Then go post in that thread.

 

[Anubis]

i don't need a program to organize my music because I'm not a fucking moron

 

[SunnyD]

I hate iTunes because it's a bloated piece of shitware that installed multiple components I don't want on my computer (Bonjure & QuickTime), is slow and a resource hog when compared to similar applications.

 

[Zen0]

i don't need a program to organize my music because I'm not a fucking moron

I think you still don't understand that iTunes does not affect any of those folder organization.

 

[Zen0]

I hate iTunes because it's a bloated piece of shitware that installed multiple components I don't want on my computer (Bonjure & QuickTime), is slow and a resource hog when compared to similar applications.

Seems fast enough on my poor 2.13ghz Core 2 Duo.

 

[Anubis]

I think you still don't understand that iTunes does not affect any of those folder organization.

no i don't think you get it

itunes does nothing i will ever find useful, and is a POS bloatware program

when people speak of "organization" 99.9 % of the time they are morons and have 1 massive folder with poorly tagged songs in it and let itunes manage it for them because they are too stupid to figure it out

 

[Zen0]

no i don't think you get it

iTunes does not affect your folder structure.

I organize my music in Finder (just like you, though you use Explorer).

They are simply dragged and dropped into iTunes to be manipulated, tagged, playlisted, etc at will with no effect to the original files.

 

[Zen0]

no i don't think you get it

itunes does nothing will ever find useful, and is a POS bloatware program

when people speak of "organization" 99.9 % of the time they are morons and have 1 massive folder with poorly tagged songs in it and let itunes manage it for them because they are too stupid to figure it out

If you wish to let iTunes organize your original files, that's your option. Obviously, 16 year old girls may use this option, but it is clearly not what iTunes is powerful for.

It is a powerful:

Playlister organization
Finder
Rater
Attenuates uneven songs
Manipulates song lengths

It is all done in one ecosystem, with no fuss, and at high quality.

Each song an easily select its own Equalizer setting, each song gets a custom volume adjustment if you feel it's necessary, batch settings are easy as well.

The power user potential of iTunes eclipses those of other music players and organizers to such a degree, it is incredible.

I used to use and like Winamp, well, that was when Winamp was the only option and Mp3s were encoded at 128kbps and known to a select number of internet geeks (I was about 10 years old I think).

 

[gorcorps]

iTunes does not affect your folder structure.

I organize my music in Finder (just like you, though you use Explorer).

They are simply dragged and dropped into iTunes to be manipulated, tagged, playlisted, etc at will with no effect to the original files.

That's his its supposed to work, however it overwrites the tags of my original files often. I'm not letting that POS touch my music anymore.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

If you wish to let iTunes organize your original files, that's your option. Obviously, 16 year old girls may use this option, but it is clearly not what iTunes is powerful for.

It is a powerful:

Playlister organization
Finder
Rater
Attenuates uneven songs
Manipulates song lengths

It is all done in one ecosystem, with no fuss, and at high quality.

Each song an easily select its own Equalizer setting, each song gets a custom volume adjustment if you feel it's necessary, batch settings are easy as well.

The power user potential of iTunes eclipses those of other music players and organizers to such a degree, it is incredible.

I used to use and like Winamp, well, that was when Winamp was the only option and Mp3s were encoded at 128kbps and known to a select number of internet geeks (I was about 10 years old I think).

Foobar is 300x better than iTunes in every single goddamn way. That the explorer is perfect for listening to music.

 

[Zen0]

That's his its supposed to work, however it overwrites the tags of my original files often. I'm not letting that POS touch my music anymore.

Well, if you go into the songs and edit the information there, "right click, get info", then it makes edits to the original file as you would them to.

How does putting a song into an iTunes change anything? I don't think I've ever seen it do that.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

lol, itunes is a huge piece of shit. no way i'd use that for anything when there are tons of better music management apps out there.

 

[Zen0]

Foobar is 300x better than iTunes in every single goddamn way. That the explorer is perfect for listening to music.

The Explorer/Finder is hugely inadequate for listening to music.

Your songs are not volume equalized, one minute you will have your ear drums blown out by one song and be unable to hear the next.

You may have some songs that benefit from Equalizer setting, a classical piece will not use the same profile as a rock or pop song.

You may want to want make notes on a song as you listen to them - "rate them" if you will. iTunes will intelligently add songs you like to your "Top Rated list". You may also want to know about songs you've played very often and songs you don't play very often. Play count, Top played, etc ...

 

[randomlinh]

itunes is terrible in windows. it's nice and simple, but the program just doesn't fit at all. and requires you to install all the apple crap that is running all the time. foobar runs quick and small for me.

it is nice for my parents though. all in one things usually are. but it simply does not fit for me. I used to use it all the time. thought it was great. but I eventually realized "all I'm doing is playing music, why do I need to use so many resources"

 

[Anubis]

If you wish to let iTunes organize your original files, that's your option. Obviously, 16 year old girls may use this option, but it is clearly not what iTunes is powerful for.

It is a powerful:

Playlister organization
Finder
Rater
Attenuates uneven songs
Manipulates song lengths

It is all done in one ecosystem, with no fuss, and at high quality.

Each song an easily select its own Equalizer setting, each song gets a custom volume adjustment if you feel it's necessary, batch settings are easy as well.

The power user potential of iTunes eclipses those of other music players and organizers to such a degree, it is incredible.

I used to use and like Winamp, well, that was when Winamp was the only option and Mp3s were encoded at 128kbps and known to a select number of internet geeks (I was about 10 years old I think).

what part of "NOTHING I WILL EVER FIND USEFUL" do you not understand

 

[Glitchny]

Well, if you go into the songs and edit the information there, "right click, get info", then it makes edits to the original file as you would them to.

How does putting a song into an iTunes change anything? I don't think I've ever seen it do that.

Then you're crazy as it has happened to me and at least 3 of my friends. But we all know you're a shill for Apple so I don't really know why I'm making this post.

What you don't seem to get is many of us don't want it to create playlists for us, we can do that fine on our own, I don't need shitty suggestions for song's that it thinks are related.

 

[Zen0]

what part of "NOTHING I WILL EVER FIND USEFUL" do you not understand

OK - that makes sense then.

iTunes is for the super unsophisticated 16 year old girls and apparently, the power users like me with features I find both essential and rudimentary that iTunes haters apparently have no use for.

 

[Zen0]

itunes is terrible in windows. it's nice and simple, but the program just doesn't fit at all. and requires you to install all the apple crap that is running all the time. foobar runs quick and small for me.

it is nice for my parents though. all in one things usually are. but it simply does not fit for me. I used to use it all the time. thought it was great. but I eventually realized "all I'm doing is playing music, why do I need to use so many resources"

I never had a problem with iTunes on Windows. I've used iTunes all my life on Windows machines (I have owned and built too many to count) until I recently bought a Macbook Air.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

The Explorer/Finder is hugely inadequate for listening to music.

Your songs are not volume equalized, one minute you will have your ear drums blown out by one song and be unable to hear the next.

You may have some songs that benefit from Equalizer setting, a classical piece will not use the same profile as a rock or pop song.

You may want to want make notes on a song as you listen to them - "rate them" if you will. iTunes will intelligently add songs you like to your "Top Rated list". You may also want to know about songs you've played very often and songs you don't play very often. Play count, Top played, etc ...

Holy crap ,my Volume isn't equalized, how ever will I change the volume when I feel like it.
Anyway, add ons are your friend.

http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=Foobar2000:Components

Holy crap, you mean I can choose to add things that take up memory or remove them if I don't want them? I can change facets of my Ui if I want to make it pretty or if I want to make it utilitarian? I can add a rating system if I want to or keep it out because it's retarded to rate songs in such a way. Or possibly even playback statistics which gives me information I don't care about? How ever will I live?

I can add an equalizer if I want to? Or customize post track silence? Or configure it specifically for different sound systems? Or a converter than can go back and forth between tons of different formats. The concept of being able to control my music player, which currently is at the bare minimum possible because I only use it to listen to music and don't bother with weird crap like relying on it to find songs for me when I much 100% prefer to choose myself? Blasphemy

 

[randomlinh]

Well, if you go into the songs and edit the information there, "right click, get info", then it makes edits to the original file as you would them to.

How does putting a song into an iTunes change anything? I don't think I've ever seen it do that.

When moving away from itunes, I added comments to certain songs. itunes totally botched a huge chunk of my songs, destroying the id3 tags. The info was right in itunes, but not when I put it in other software. I had to revert back to a backup I had.

Your songs are not volume equalized, one minute you will have your ear drums blown out by one song and be unable to hear the next.

You may want to want make notes on a song as you listen to them - "rate them" if you will. iTunes will intelligently add songs you like to your "Top Rated list". You may also want to know about songs you've played very often and songs you don't play very often. Play count, Top played, etc ...

I listen to albums at a time, I don't have issues w/ random volumes. And I used to be in the stats of songs... but again, moving that info from one install to another... I could do it, but I don't see my parents doing it. I think they simplified the location of the db now though, but still.

Either way, I've stopped caring about the stats to some extent. I just push it all out to last.fm so I don't have to worry about it. Even still, it just doesn't matter much to me anymore.