getmusicbee.com
General => General Discussions => Topic started by: Bill K on March 31, 2020, 10:32:06 AM
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BUT it would be nice to have an email address t contact!
1) I plan to load Musicbee on a NAS (Network Attached Storage), because I want the same playlist on my other three PC/Laptop's and not to have to look all over the place for my music and current music I want to listen to. I essentially treat the total of two PC's and two Laptops as dumb monitors and the NAS as the source of my data (Or to be as fictitious as everybody else: My personal Cloud). Is this possible?
2) I am tired of iTunes not loading and cataloging my music as the way I want it! Can I load the music from iTunes into Musicbee?
3) Currently, I am in the process of getting music from old LP records to be loaded into my music library. Can, or does, Musicbee facilitate playing the records on a turntable made by Innovative Technology and loading directly into my music library?
After planning to download MusicBee when I get answers to the above questions, BUT I GUESS NO ONE AT MusicBee wants to really wants to promote it!
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First off, you could TRY SEARCHING THE FORUM.
Secondly, using caps is like shouting at someone, so that will make them want to help won't it!
Thirdly, The software is promoted just fine. It's free software. One guy gives his time voluntarily to create and support it. Other people on this forum help each other when they ask questions in a civilized manner.
Want to try again? If not the doors over there!
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This is the official, and only, support forum for MB. Questions, answers, and suggestions can be found here. As stevie02222 stated, the first place to start is searching the forum. Most answers can be found by searching. If you can't find the answers you're looking for, then post a question.
With close to 30,000 registered users on the forum, MB doesn't need to be promoted. The estimated number of uses is far more than the number of forum users. MB gets a good number of write-ups on various review-type websites.
Keep in mind that MB is developed and supported by one person who does this in his spare time and asks for nothing in return. He has a real job and a real life and that needs to be respected.
1- Are you intending to install MB on the NAS or just your music. MB is a Windows-only application. If you're running other Windows apps on the NAS, you might be ok. But remember, MB is not meant to be a multi-user application. Search the forum for discussions dealing with this.
2- Yes. Search the forum for discussions dealing with this.
3- MB can RIP form CDs and save the music files. I have not heard of anyone trying to RIP from vinyl and am pretty sure it can't be done without use of a third-party app. GoldWave and Total Recorder are two apps that can RIP from almost any source.
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Number 1: Here's how I do it, a write up I did for a Reddit user:
MusicBee – My Setup
I have my music stored on my home server, it could as well be on a NAS or on a portable drive.
I run the portable installation of MusicBee, downloaded from here : https://getmusicbee.com/downloads/
The portable version can be installed as a stand-alone installation and run from any drive.
My MusicBee program is installed in \\server\tunes\$_Musicbee
I have my MusicBee library stored in \\server\tunes\$_musicbee library
I have a folder for libarary backup stored in \\server\$_musicbee library backup
(The $ is just to keep it at the top of the folder list when sorted by name)
My Music, also stored on my server.
I store my music in the following format:
\\server\tunes\Artist\Album\Filename
Single tracks are stored in:
\\server\tunes\Artist\filename
My files are named as such:
Artist_Album_discnumber_tracknumber_Trackname
This way if a file goes rogue, moved or copied, tags lost etc. I know where it belongs.
MusicBee has an Inbox folder. I use this folder to import all my tunes into which is where they stay until I’ve corrected the MP3 tags. The inbox can be selected and pinned to the top bar in MusicBee, click the + on the top bar and select Inbox on the left. Right click Inbox on the top bar and Pin Tab [Icon and Text].
Let’s add some music to MusicBee, adding it to the library, tagging it correctly and copying it to the folder where I’ve chosen to store my tunes:
With the Inbox tab selected press INS, to insert some files.
MusicBee will open the ‘Scan folders for new files’ box.
Click choose folders and select a folder where you have some music files stored, in my case c:\downloads, select the option ‘destination for new files – add to inbox’ and then click proceed.
You now have some music files in your inbox, these may or not be tagged correctly, here’s where you correct any mistakes.
Here you can right click on a music track in your inbox and use MusicBee’s tagging tools; auto tag by track, auto tag by album etc. Or, right click (or shift + return) and edit. Or edit the track details right on the music track line in the inbox by pressing F2 or slow 2 clicking each field. Either way, get your music tags correct here.
Now we have a correctly tagged music file we want to put it into our final destination music folder where we will store all our music files.
We highlight/select the tracks that we want to move in the Inbox, then ‘right click – Send to – Folder (move) – Move files to organised folder’ or CTRL + ALT + M.
In the new file Organiser window:
Make sure ‘to folder:’ box is checked.
Under that click the … and select the path to your chosen music files destination folder, in my case \\server\Tunes.
Next to that make sure ‘naming template:’ box is checked.
Under that click the … and use the Template Editor to select your chosen file and path naming convention, in my case : <Album Artist>\<Album>\<Artist>_<Album>_<Disc-Track#>-<Title>
On the next line you can add an exception, I use this for single tracks:
Tick the ‘Except when:’ box.
Next to that click the … and setup and exception, in my case:
match ALL of the following rules: Album has no value (I use this for SINGLE TRACKS)
Next to that exception I use another naming convention, click the … and add:
<Artist>\<Artist>-<Title>
Then below that I click the button to Add Exception:
Match ALL of the following rules: Album Artist is Various Artists (I use this for COMPILATION ALBUMS)
Next to that exception I use another naming convention, click the … and add:
<Album Artist>\<Album>\<Album>_<Disc-Track#>_<Artist>-<Title>
In the File Organiser window you can now see a preview of how the file will be stored and renamed.
At the bottom of the window select the ‘add to library’ box.
When you now click the Reorganise button the file will be renamed and copied to as we’ve setup above and will be removed from the Inbox.
Well that’s handy, we’ll use that a lot, lets pin a Command Button:
Right click on the top panel to right of the tabs and select ‘Configure Toolbar’
Add a toolbar button, number 1, and enter the Button Text ‘Move to Org’ or whatever you like or even click the … and add an icon if you have one.
In the command line click the drop down arrow and find the command ‘Send To: Move to Organised Folder’
You now have a button to click once you’ve tagged those inbox files.
We’re getting there now.
I use a playlist to send files to an external drive or laptop via my network.
To create a playlist for this purpose:
Right click on a music track in your library, under the music tab in the top panel.
Select ‘add to playlist’ and create a new playlist, in my case Serato.
I’d also like to be able to send files to my Laptop that I use for Serato DJ. (Or a portable drive, or another PC, or anywhere etc).
We can do this by adding a virtual device:
Select MusicBee menu – Edit – Edit Preferences (or CTRL + O)
Click ‘Devices’ and click the button ‘Add Virtual Device’
Select the folder you would like as a virtual device, in my case \\laptop\Serato Music
I use a playlist to send the music I want to DJ with to the Serato laptop:
I check the ‘synchronise playlists’ box and the ‘selected playlists only’ option.
I check the box next to ‘Serato’
Under the Settings menu in this window you can change naming conventions for the files and folder locations, much the same as we did for our inbox. In my case:
I select ‘use naming template’ and for music files I add ‘Music\<Artist>-<Title>-(<Bitrate>)’ this copys the files to my laptop into the Music folder and renames them to something more simple, I don’t need album info but I do need Bitrate info.
Great, when I play tunes in MusicBee that I’d like to use to DJ with I audition them and right click on them and add them to the Serato playlist.
I want a quick way to throw these files to the Serato laptop:
On the top panel click the + icon to add a folder to this panel.
MusicBee will show it’s folder, to the bottom of the list under ‘devices’ you should see your new created virtual device. Click it.
On the top panel, right click the new virtual device tab and ‘Pin Tab [icon and text]
When you now click this button MusicBee will show you your virtual device window, and clicking the ‘synchronise’ button MusicBee will proceed to copy the files to your virtual device as we’ve set up above.
Using virtual devices in the same way I also have a USB stick I use for the car, same deal as above just choose the path to your stick.
Change any of these options to suit you, that’s just how I do mine. There’s tons of configurable settings in MusicBee, have fun.
And back up your library, MusicBee – File – Library – Backup Library, send it to your chosen backup folder. And backup that folder to another drive.
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Number 1: Here's how I do it, a write up I did for a Reddit user:
MusicBee – My Setup
I have my music stored on my home server, it could as well be on a NAS or on a portable drive.
I run the portable installation of MusicBee, downloaded from here : https://getmusicbee.com/downloads/
The portable version can be installed as a stand-alone installation and run from any drive.
...
Just in case the original poster doesn't return, I will likely be using this guide in the near future, so thanks for it.
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Just a quick question that I could NOT find an answer to anywhere ... but seems related to this thread ...
Can I - and how/where - change the location of the "MBsettings" folder ?
Where it is now is not where I want it to be ... :-\
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If you use the Portable version of MB, all MB-related files are in one directory which you specify. If using the Installer or Store versions, then the answer to your question is no.
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But HOW does MB choose a location 1 level up from where my music is stored ON AN EXTERNAL DRIVE to save the "MBsettings" folder ???
There has to be a way to select WHERE it stores THAT folder/settings ... some Configuration file somewhere I suspect... just need to know which one.
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Full Install on Win11 machine btw ...
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If you use the Portable version of MB, all MB-related files are in one directory which you specify. If using the Installer or Store versions, then the answer to your question is no.
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Phred, you are not helping ... LoL
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MB by itself can NOT have access to an external drive AUTOMATICALLY. And certainly NOT arbitrarily exactly 1 level above where my Music is stored.
So there HAS to be a Configuration file or setting somewhere that CAN be edited to point to a location a User can choose.
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Phred, you are not helping ... LoL
Do you not want the settings file in the same directory as all the other MB files? If so, that can't be done. Period. I can't make that any clearer.
If you want the settings file (and all of MB's files) somewhere else than where the Installer version puts it, YOU NEED TO USE THE PORTABLE VERSION. You place the Portable version in any directory you want and the settings file will be with the rest of MB's files. I can't make that any clearer.
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I have no such folder as MBsettings are you sure that came from the program?
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Yep, sure.
I copied it from where it was on my external drive to my desktop and to the MusicBee folder in the Programs(86) folder. Deleted it from the external drive. Closed MB.
Relaunched MB, and it re-created the folder on the external drive with many less settings files than the one I moved.
That external drive did not exist when I first installed MB, and all my music was on the internal system drive to begin with.
I distinctly remember editing a file that put this folder on the external drive once I installed it... but I can not locate that file now - I don't remember which file it was. ugh...
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I'm gonna go with phred here and recommend the portable version if you want everything in the same folder.
You're seeing right now the pitfalls of rigging up some convoluted unsupported solution that you may or may not remember how to recreate if it breaks. Doing it the normal way is almost always the best solution.
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Ya'all are wrong.
Sorry.
I found the file, it's named "Settings {date time}.ini" and found in path "C:\Users\{user}\AppData\Roaming\MusicBee\Saved Settings\Application\"
Only 3 lines to edit the location OF YOUR CHOICE !!!
Line #4
Line #7
Line#1313
In my case anyway... just open the file in Notepad or any text editor of any Code editor and search for "MBsettings" then change the path to wherever you want that folder to reside.
I choose to have it reside in the MusicBee App folder in Program Files (x86) directory.
Done.
:P 8)
Hope this helps others.
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Ya'all are wrong.
Not really.
The settings file is named MusicBee3Settings.ini and it's in the AppData directory. If what you edited was in a directory named MB Settings Folder, then you edited a BACKUP of your settings.
Also, since each user's settings are more than likely different, the line numbers you referenced are not necessarily the same for every user.
Lastly, if it worked for you, great. But -you're- the one who saved/created the location of that file using File > Library > Backup Library.
EDIT: typo
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Ya'all are wrong.
Sorry.
Advising someone to do something the right way rather than in a backward, convoluted "I hope no future updates break my little hack" way can never be wrong.
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I am sorry if I stepped on anyone's toes.
But don't sit there and tell me I can't do something I KNOW I did before - telling me it can't be done is NOT an answer.
I moved the folder, edited the file, relaunched the App, resaved the Settings file. Everything works like a dream.
Case in point:
The file I edited is NOT named "MusicBee3Settings.ini" .
Proof ensues...
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Directory location...
http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235137.jpg (http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235137.jpg)
(http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235137.jpg)
Lines edited ...
http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235515.jpg (http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235515.jpg)
(http://www.i-zoe.com/Screenshot%202022-08-13%20235515.jpg)
Imgur no longer provides a .jpg file extension to it's links.
What's really a laugh, the images above show correctly inline when both "Previewed" or "Toggle View - but NOT once actually posted... I tried about 10 times editing this comment to get them to show when posted...
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Nobody said it couldn't be done. A lot of pointless, backwards and counterproductive things are entirely possible.
Congratulations on spending 4 hours doing something that's automatic for literally everyone else, I guess. Victory!
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Advising someone to do something the right way rather than in a backward, convoluted "I hope no future updates break my little hack" way can never be wrong.
This "Settings" file will NOT get overwritten with any updates unless Steven changes the entire structure of the file system of the App... even THEN, I postulate he will make the Update IMPORT this Original file parameters - so STILL NOT a problem.
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Nobody said it couldn't be done. A lot of pointless, backwards and counterproductive things are entirely possible.
Congratulations on spending 4 hours doing something that's automatic for literally everyone else, I guess. Victory!
Phred said it can not be done several times.
I spent less than an hour actually... I was at a friends house party until about midnight, commenting on my phone ...
Spent more time typing out all these posts and trying to get the screenshots to show than actually looking for and editing and relaunching the App.
So, WOOHOO - Victory, Indeed. :D :D :D :D :D
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Congratulations on your "victory." We're all already there.
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Hi,
I have 1.3 million songs downloaded in my MB Library. I tried scanning my HD for new added songs as I wasn't seeing new songs downloaded to my MB Llibrary.
Does the library have a limit?
Regards,
Dan
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1.3 million? and do you want to listen to them all?
why not 1 billion?
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What a weird thread this is?
'contacting someone about MusicBee' ?
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Hi,
I have 1.3 million songs downloaded in my MB Library. I tried scanning my HD for new added songs as I wasn't seeing new songs downloaded to my MB Llibrary.
Does the library have a limit?
Regards,
Dan
Apparently the limit is 1.3 million. Maybe you can cull it down to the 1,250,000 songs you listen to the most and then try scanning again?
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Apparently the limit is 1.3 million.
That's disappointing.
Assuming an average of 4 minutes per song, that would mean that if I play such a library (allowing myself some 8 hours of sleep a day), after already some fifteen years it would stop playing, and then I would need to start listing to some songs that I have already heard before?
Bummer.
WHO can I contact about this?
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Apparently the limit is 1.3 million.
That's disappointing.
Assuming an average of 4 minutes per song, that would mean that if I play such a library (allowing myself some 8 hours of sleep a day), after already some fifteen years it would stop playing, and then I would need to start listing to some songs that I have already heard before?
Bummer.
WHO can I contact about this?
On the bright side, the chances of you experiencing the trauma of hearing the same artist back to back are minimal.
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On the bright side, the chances of you experiencing the trauma of hearing the same artist back to back are minimal.
Even if my library mainly consists of Christmas songs?
(yeah, I love having the atmosphere of Christmas all through the year. I guess I am weird like that)
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Actually 1.5 million and counting!!
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Yes, 1 billion! Such a good idea. I have a catalog to hand down to my children, as well as to listen to all 1.5 million songs!! ;)