Author Topic: I don't think the shuffle feature is random  (Read 4948 times)

Nisko

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I have a playlist of about 2,000 tunes.  I set my Musicbee control to shuffle that playlist.  However, after about six months of constantly listening to my playlist, I keep hearing some of the same tunes.  But when I check the number of plays, there are quite a few tunes that haven't played even once.  I can't reset the number of plays to zero so I can't prove what I'm thinking.

1.  Is the shuffle truly random?

2.  How can I reset the number of plays to zero?

Thank you......

Nisko

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This is Nisko (adding to my above post).  I found the following as a reply to a similar post:

Shuffle can often seem to be not very random, so to add a little control, try experimenting with an Auto-Playlist:

Music track source: Library (music library)
- Match: All of the following rules
- Last Played is not in the last 30 days
- Limit to 2000 items selected by: Random
- Shuffle: Random
- Select by: Track
- Automatically refresh the matching tracks

Would someone please show me how to get to these options?  Thank you.

Zak

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Right-click the Playlists heading in the left-hand navigation panel and select New Auto-Playlist:


Bee excellent to each other...

Steven

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Check the shuffle settings in Preferences/ Now Playing
But keep in mind, each time you restart MB it doesnt remember what it has already played
Another way to listen shuffled is to turn off the player controls shuffle button and right click on the Playing Tracks panel/ List/ Shuffle List
You will see if the results so there can be no doubt and the Playing Tracks shuffled ordering is remembered on restart

Nisko

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Right-click the Playlists heading in the left-hand navigation panel and select New Auto-Playlist:




OK, two questions:

1.  - Last Played is not in the last 30 days
Can't find this option

2.  Instead of Music Library, I chose an existing Playlist (which is what I want, I think).

Thank you.....

Nisko

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OK, I found the option Last Played is not in the last 30 days.  Question: Does that mean that I won't hear a repeat within 30 days?  If that's true, what if I've heard all 2,000 tunes within the last 30 days (not likely - but I'd just like to understand)?  Does the shuffle stop and my tunes stop playing?

frankz

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OK, I found the option Last Played is not in the last 30 days.  Question: Does that mean that I won't hear a repeat within 30 days?  If that's true, what if I've heard all 2,000 tunes within the last 30 days (not likely - but I'd just like to understand)?  Does the shuffle stop and my tunes stop playing?
This generates a new playlist every time it is refreshed.  Each time you listen to a song it will no longer qualify for the playlist and will not be included when the playlist is refreshed.  Each time a song that is not included reaches 30 days plus one minute (I believe) since you listened to it, it will meet the criteria and get added to the playlist again when the playlist is refreshed.

If you find you have run out of songs before you get to 30 days, then you change it to something lower than 30.

JRTinz

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I know what you mean!

Seems like MB only knows ONE tune by Stevie Ray.  I'm not real hip to SRV in the first place but I do have a number of his albums.   But if I hear "Tin Pan Alley" one more time, the whole album is going in my "do not play" filter.

Hehehehe.

Thanks for all that replied to the original post on this... a question I've had myself and I appreciate the suggestions.

-jrtinz

Nisko

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Thanks to all those who helped me.  I used a combination of the suggestions and it seems now that my tunes are playing randomly.

Nisko

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I have about 1,700 tunes in my Playlist.  After a month of playing them almost continuously, shuffled once and not changed, I have one file played nine times.  Many files played three times, two times and once.  However, 27% of my tunes have never played at all.  I don't consider this random.  Don't get me wrong - I love Musicbee.  But I've never been successful getting a truly random play.  Does anyone have an idea on how to get ALL my tunes to play?  Thank you.........

frankz

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Nisko

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Sorry, but if you read my latest post (today) all the way through, you'd have realized that this post explained the result of doing what I was advised a month and a half ago.  So today's post is different.  If you aren't able to help, then please don't be sarcastic to me.  I don't appreciate being lectured to.  It looks like there is NO WAY to get a random shuffle in my large playlist.

psychoadept

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Rather than using "not played in" for your auto playlist, you might try setting it to "play count is less than" whatever seems reasonable. When you run out of songs under that play count, either reset the play count or increase the limit in your playlist. (Or just limit the number of tracks and tell it to select by least often played, in which case it will take care of itself.)

Are you playing in Shuffle mode or are you clicking on the playlist and selecting Play Shuffled?

Out of curiosity, about how many songs do you end up playing a day?
Last Edit: September 03, 2020, 12:31:54 AM by psychoadept
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Nisko

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To be precise, I am looking at playing tracks>right click>list>shuffle list.  This is what I was advised about two months ago.  I don't know how many tunes I play in a day - but I usually play my list all day and night (until I go to sleep).  Your suggestion sounds like it will work (play count is less than).  But I don't see that option under "Playing Tracks."  The "Playing Tracks" started out as a playlist of about 1,700 tunes - but as I listened to them, I found some that I didn't want to keep.  So, my "playing Tracks" is a sublist of a Playlist.  Can I use the option you suggest (play count is less than) in "Playing Tracks?"  If not, how can I turn my "Playing Tracks" into a playlist - then use your suggestion of "play count is less than?"  Thank you......

frankz

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If you are reshuffling the list each time (either manually or keeping the player's shuffle on), that's pretty much the opposite of what you were advised about two months ago. You were advised to shuffle the list at the outset and then listen to it through from Playing Tracks without further shuffling including disabling the players shuffle feature.  Using this method, there is no way you got to the end of the list hearing a track duplicated. None.  Each track will have only been in the list one time.
Last Edit: September 03, 2020, 01:03:54 AM by frankz