Can I Configure Auto DJ To Favor Older Less Played Tracks

[Dryst]

I use Auto DJ lots to play a mixture of two genres.  I currently have it setup to not select a track played within the last 21 days.  While this helps to not hear many repeats, I am finding that I still have several eligible tracks that have never been played.  I am hearing the same tracks after 21 days played again though.

Is there a way that I can have less played eligible tracks favored in selection by Auto DJ? It seems that the randomization is favoring a specific set of tracks.  My shuffle settings are currently set to random.

Thanks.

[psychoadept]

You could make a playlist based on least often or least recently played and use that as your auto dj source.

[Dryst]

Thanks for the suggestion.  This will allow a mix to include less played tracks.  I would like to combine this with newer tracks too.  Repeats in itself are not bad.  The issue I am facing is that after months of using Auto DJ, I have over a thousand tracks that have never been played.  What would be a nice fix is being able to randomly select from two different playlists.  One playlist containing tracks with the lowest play counts, and a second playlist containing newer tracks.  I can certainly build two playlists that show these results.  Am I able to add two playlists to Auto DJ for selection? Auto DJ could either randomly choose from both playlists or alternate selections from both playlists.  This would be a cool feature and would solve all of my problems.

[psychoadept]

You could theoretically combine two playlists into another auto-playlist. But it sounds like you might benefit from using a playlist mixer instead of auto-dj. That would allow you to set up the specific criteria you're looking for, number of tracks for each criteria, etc.

[frankz]

I have an auto-playlist that is

Match Any of the following:
Last Played is not in the last 6 months
Date Added is in the last 3 months

This gives me songs I haven't heard in while PLUS everything that's been newly added regardless of when it's been last played.

Sounds close to what you want.  You could easily add a play count restriction, or substitute out the Last Played restriction for a play count restriction, to tune it further.

[Dryst]

Thanks.  'Any' for those two criterion will work but will not filter on genre.  However, I could create another playlist that filters on the two genres I am interested in and last create a new playlist using the previous playlist I created as the source adding the two 'Any' conditions.  This might help with the randomization that is pulling the same tracks again and again.

[Freddy Barker]

I spent months trying to attain the perfect random mix using Auto-dj.
I ended up using a Playlist Mixer which I found easier to fine tune and have more control of what gets played.
E.G.....

Display using view: Default
Gap before same artist can repeat = 25
Play sequence OR random

Playlist is RATED      = 1
Playlist is OLDIES     = 1
Playlist is RECENT    = 1
Playlist is RANDOM  = 1
Playlist is NEGLECT = 1

Well worth a try!
Regards: Freddy

[Dryst]

This isn't working for me.  I did this in the following steps:

1.  Create the initial source Auto-Playlist:


2.  Create the playlist mix using above as the source:





Once I click Update then click OK on the other dialog, MusicBee shows no files.

[Dryst]

I spent months trying to attain the perfect random mix using Auto-dj.
I ended up using a Playlist Mixer which I found easier to fine tune and have more control of what gets played.
E.G.....

Display using view: Default
Gap before same artist can repeat = 25
Play sequence OR random

Playlist is RATED      = 1
Playlist is OLDIES     = 1
Playlist is RECENT    = 1
Playlist is RANDOM  = 1
Playlist is NEGLECT = 1

Well worth a try!
Regards: Freddy

Thanks.  I am playing around with Playlist Mixer now as opposed to Auto DJ.  I may be doing something wrong, but I am not getting my desired results.

Also, Auto DJ will automatically continue to add new music as long as it plays.  With Playlist Mixer, I have to enter a specific number of tracks.  I never listen to all of it in one sitting, but I often stop then restart MusicBee leaving off what was last played.  This is where Auto DJ has its benefits.

[frankz]

Thanks.  'Any' for those two criterion will work but will not filter on genre.  However, I could create another playlist that filters on the two genres I am interested in and last create a new playlist using the previous playlist I created as the source adding the two 'Any' conditions.  This might help with the randomization that is pulling the same tracks again and again.

Or, for each of your main conditions, click the [.] and add "And" conditions to filter by genre.

In other words using my example from above:

Match Any of the following:
Last Played is not in the last 6 months
- AND match [ANY] of the following rules:
  - genre is any of GENRE1; GENRE2

Date Added is in the last 3 months
- AND match [ANY] of the following rules:
  - genre is any of GENRE1; GENRE2

You don't need playlist mix with this or any other complicating factors.

You don't need playlist mix with the two playlist method you're trying, either.  You just create a new auto-playlist with the Genre playlist as a source specifying your other conditions.

Playlist mix is for mixing playlists, not for limiting a playlist.

[Dryst]

Thanks!

This was a huge help.  I am understanding the playlist UI now.

[psychoadept]

Also, Auto DJ will automatically continue to add new music as long as it plays.  With Playlist Mixer, I have to enter a specific number of tracks.  I never listen to all of it in one sitting, but I often stop then restart MusicBee leaving off what was last played.  This is where Auto DJ has its benefits.

It sounds like you're getting this worked out with auto-playlists, but for what it's worth, Playlist Mixer will automatically add new tracks in batches, much the way auto dj does.  I have a playlist mixer I use for dancing that only consists of five tracks. It picks one of my favorites, two of my lesser favorites, a "filler" track and a "maybe" track. But it will play continuously for as long as I let it run.

[Dryst]

Thanks to the tips on using the filter dialog, I actually got what I am looking for with Auto DJ.  All I had to do was add an 'or' with a secondary play filter criteria and now I am also getting tracks that have not been played in my mixes.  Once these are all played, I will change the filter again.

It is also nice to know that the other playlists will continue adding new music similar to Auto DJ.  This is good to know, and thanks for sharing this info.