Author Topic: New User - my Journey  (Read 5024 times)

aldredd

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Good day all

I'm a new user to MusicBee, looking into whether I can move to MusicBee from WinAmp. I'l use both for a while until I'm confident MB has do what I need it to do. I'm going to document my 'journey' a little bit - mainly as a tick list of required features for me to follow. Not looking for people to explain each feature to me - I'll figure most of it out I'm sure, but my all means jump in if you're happy to do so, and save me hunting around for something!

1. Can I import my WA library? SUCCESS
   1.1 Seems not, but as a have WA save ratings to file, ratings are maintained - Excellent  ;D
   1.2 Ah, but what about play count / last played - any way to move these from WA?  ???
      1.2.1 - I've managed to extract my playcount data from WA - anyway to force this back into the database? Is it a readable database format?
      1.2.2 - Got it - managed to write the playcount (and last played) to a custom tag, then export as itunes xml file and re-import the playcounts!
                        (thanks to scampbll for the pointers)
2. If I change the rating, does it update the original tag? SUCCESS
   2.1. tested a file - seems not, lets check the options...  :'(
   2.2 - Oh, found the option 'store ratings in the music file' - but it's already ticked. Confused  :-\
   2.3 ok, seems that for some reason some of my music folder were write-protected - odd, but removed and ratings now saving as expected
3. Does it display lyrics, even if not already embedded (I don't embed any lyrics) SUCCESS
   3.1 - Success - without having to do anything either  8)
4. Dynamic playlists? SUCCESS
   4.1 of course - easy peasy ;D
   4.2 'Filter out duplicates when the same track is repeated on multiple alubums' - no way? Where has this feature been all my life?  Superb ;D
5. Can it be made to look good? (of course, I already know the answer to this) SUCCESS
   5.1 Ah, lots of built on skins - ace  8)
   5.2 Bit clunky switching between them mind you
   5.3 'Sophisticated bee', nice - bit itune-sy , but love the top-hat  8)
   5.4 Bored of switching, I'll have another play later
6. How does it handle syncing playlists with a usb drive (to use in my car you see) - SUCCESS
   6.1 Ok, think I've  cracked it. Had to 'set as virtual device' first.
   6.2. Lets me define the naming format for tracks transferred, good good
   6.3. Hurrah, I can sync it with an existing smart playlist (can't in WA, but you can create a sync profile using the same parameters used to create smart view - this is just easier)
   6.4. Nothing showing progress of transfer. Not a big deal though really - only do it every couple of months
      6.4.1 Oh wait, yes it does, in the status bar below - 7% complete
7. Can a separate out the playlist & the play queue? (Do this in winamp - have a master playlist, but then a secondary 'mini play list' where I can queue files I want to play next, before returning to the main playlist) - SUCCESS
   7.1 - looks like 'Queue Next' will do the job here - thanks ma_t14 !
8. Oh, cover based view - like - but how do I get it so the list of tracks shows as an in-line box rather than a pop-up? Is it skin-dependant?
(like this guy has ... http://getmusicbee.com/forum/index.php?topic=13057.0) SUCCESS
   8.1 - Found it, need version 2.4  :)
9. hmm,  I have some albums where the album art isn't showing, even though it's saved in folder like all other albums (I don't embed artwork into the track) SUCCESS
   9.1. Even after using 'search for a picture on the internet' and saving a new copy, the artwork isn't showing - how odd
   9.2. oh, but if I right click the album, and select Edit, the artwork does show up there
   9.3. Right, deleting all existing artwork, then re-loading it via 'find on internet' does the trick - phew
10. can I change the criteria for 'played'? SUCCESS
    10.1 - yep, right there in the playback menu, excellent
11 - ah, dynamic playlists update ... dynamically (without refreshing) - hurrah for MB SUCCESS
12. Managed to get it working with my RainMaker Now Playing Widget - had to enable CAD within MB SUCCESS


Wow, been a great first few days with MB. I've now ticked off everything from my 'needs' list - including the 'nice to have' ones, which is just fab.
I've only opened winamp to double check stuff, export bits etc - it's all been about MB.

Little sad to be saying goodbye to Winamp though - been using it for years (98/99 at a guess - early v2 for sure). And before that I used MusicMatch as my first player - so MB is only the 3rd player I've used routinely. (did have a brief fling with iTunes - it was awful, and still feeling the pain of that time (still have some rogue m4a files - argh!)
Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 03:06:24 PM by aldredd

Pingaware

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7. Can a separate out the playlist & the play queue? (Do this in winamp - have a master playlist, but then a secondary 'mini play list' where I can queue files I want to play next, before returning to the main playlist) - not yet checked

The differences between the Now Playing List and Playlists in MB are rather more pronounced than in WinAmp. What exactly do you mean by the master playlist?

I'm going to make a guess (<---- note!) at what you want anyway. If you want to browse a playlist, load it up in the main panel where it can be edited and manipulated far better. If you want to queue files, add them to the Now Playing List.
Bold words in my posts are links unless expressly stated otherwise.

aldredd

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So, the way I tend to listen to music...

I'll load up a playlist - perhaps based on a saved playlist, or just a bunch of tracks I want to listen to, or a new album - this goes into the equivalent of 'now playing'

I'll stick this on shuffle and listen away - usually hundreds to tracks & seldom get through the whole list before changing it again.

Whilst it's playing on shuffle, I may then decide I really want to listen to a specific track right now. Which may, or may not be in the main playlist. I can stick this in the queue and it'll play next, along with any others I stick in the queue. The queue will always play in order, ignoring 'shuffle' commands. Once the queue is empty, it'll revert back to the playlist.

Bee-liever

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9. hmm,  I have some albums where the album art isn't showing, even though it's saved in folder like all other albums (I don't embed artwork into the track)
   9.1. Even after using 'search for a picture on the internet' and saving a new copy, the artwork isn't showing - how odd
   9.2. oh, but if I right click the album, and select Edit, the artwork does show up there
   9.3. Right, deleting all existing artwork, then re-loading it via 'find on internet' does the trick - phew

you may need to check the album art rules order in:
Preferences> Tags(1)> artwork storage> Set Retrieval Filter

and rescan the artwork when done
MusicBee and my library - Making bee-utiful music together

ma_t14

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Regarding no. 7,

if you go to the now playing list and right-click on a track there is an option "Queue next". When you choose that it will queue the track into a new queue that overrides both the order of the now playing list and shuffle. A number will appear next to the track indicating it's position in the new queue.

I am not sure about this one, but in an older version there used to be a way to more easily manipulate the "override" queue using the Now Playing Assistant (default hotkey: Alt + J) but it got removed at some point when the Now Playing Playing Assistant received an overhaul. Maybe someone else can confirm this.
Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 01:13:00 PM by ma_t14

aldredd

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9. hmm,  I have some albums where the album art isn't showing, even though it's saved in folder like all other albums (I don't embed artwork into the track)
   9.1. Even after using 'search for a picture on the internet' and saving a new copy, the artwork isn't showing - how odd
   9.2. oh, but if I right click the album, and select Edit, the artwork does show up there
   9.3. Right, deleting all existing artwork, then re-loading it via 'find on internet' does the trick - phew

you may need to check the album art rules order in:
Preferences> Tags(1)> artwork storage> Set Retrieval Filter

and rescan the artwork when done

Thanks - I've managed to get it all showing, but if they disappear again (as they have once already), I'll try that option!

aldredd

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Regarding no. 7,

if you go to the now playing list and right-click on a track there is an option "Queue next". When you choose that it will queue the track into a new queue that overrides both the order of the now playing list and shuffle. A number will appear next to the track indicating it's position in the new queue.

I am not sure about this one, but in an older version there used to be a way to more easily manipulate the "override" queue using the Now Playing Assistant (default hotkey: Alt + J) but it got removed at some point when the Now Playing Playing Assistant received an overhaul. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

Ah, thanks - Queue Next is useful, and covers most of what I was after with this 'feature'!

aldredd

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Regarding no. 7,

if you go to the now playing list and right-click on a track there is an option "Queue next". When you choose that it will queue the track into a new queue that overrides both the order of the now playing list and shuffle. A number will appear next to the track indicating it's position in the new queue.

I am not sure about this one, but in an older version there used to be a way to more easily manipulate the "override" queue using the Now Playing Assistant (default hotkey: Alt + J) but it got removed at some point when the Now Playing Playing Assistant received an overhaul. Maybe someone else can confirm this.

Ah, thanks - Queue Next is useful, and covers most of what I was after with this 'feature'!

Ah-ha - Manage Play Queue is the one! (Now playing assisstant). Now, if only i could dock it haha

ma_t14

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Yes, that's the function I was talking about!

Now that you mention it though it's really strange that it can only be accessed though the context menu and not using the Now Playing Assistant shortcut. No wonder I could not find it. This is probably a bug and I will make a new thread to give it more exposure.
Last Edit: June 13, 2014, 04:28:30 PM by ma_t14

aldredd

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Great, thanks!

On the whole - really enjoying my first full day with MB - had it installed a while and kept opening it and closing it again without giving it too much time. Can really see me making the move full time.

Thanks for your assistance in the process