The iTunes format thing is why I have every download not go directly to iTunes but to a folder where I store the MP3 version then add it to iTunes, except obviously whatever I buy from iTunes which ain't much. I back these MP3s up to disc and external hard drive before I delete them from the computer, just to have that extra original format just in case. Someday someone will go through my stuff and go "WTF?" They can use those MP3s though however they want.
Yes, Apple Music and Match and iCloud used together don't seem to be as intuitive as the rest of Apple's stuff. That needs to change. Don't understand what you're saying about duplicates in Apple format because you just choose your format (mp3, wav, aiff, etc) and just leave it alone. Can't remember ever having to change my format (320 mp3s) in the nearly 15 years of using it. I just stick in a CD or drop some files and it converts the tunes to mp3s and is stored on 12TBs of external drives.
Yes, you have to tell it to, or at least it is an option - I think once in the early days I checked it before I really understood what it did. Consolidation is not something I want software doing for me - my music is already in a careful system.
I bought a new hard drive so I can finally put my music on one hard drive, its on two others at present. Looking forward to lots of waling round the house and peering at the hard disk to see how its loading.
You must be more fastidious than me, Prof...My music files sometimes get put in odd locations (eg, Amazon or download folder). Consolidate simply copies them into my iTunes folder. This only took a few minutes last time I ran it...Important to make sure everything in the iTunes folder is getting backed up,
My music files all go into a sorting folder on purchase and from there to a hierarchy of genre and artist folders. Copying the current library to another folder would exceed my hard disk space...
@Doofy - I've had music on my iPhone for a while with no problems at all, other than I wish my phone had more memory! That is one of the reasons I recently bought an iPod Touch with 128GB, to replace my ageing Classic. The Touch is basically an iPhone without the ability to make telephone calls
Just saw this news item, which claims that Apple will phase out/drop music downloads in iTunes: "It's not a question of if but when Apple will phase out its online music store in favor of Apple Music". Personally I haven't purchased any music from iTunes since 2008.
Sorry to hear it, personally, if only because where Apple goes the market will likely follow. I just got a new iPhone, and Apple Music is so heavily defaulted that you have to make a conscious, nay determined, decision not to use it.
More signs that the future of my music buying may be ever more with smaller bespoke labels and outlets. I mean if others follow suit; I think I have bought maybe three albums from Apple ever. Long live bandcamp.
When I got my new touch, everything that I had ever downloaded from Apple went on it automatically. Given that I often used to download their free tracks every week when they did them, plus, of course the U2 album, besides the handful of albums I had bought from them it added up to quite a bit of memory. It took me a while to work out how to exclude them. Then after an update all returned again, but this time it took less time to remove them as I knew what to do. But I shouldn't need to have to do that.
Greg, that's the kind of thing I feared with my new phone. But it didn't happen - Presumably because I loaded the settings from my old phone. I am looking forward to being able to carry more music on my phone, and in the process of loading it up!
I actually do have quite a bit of music from the iTunes store. I turn my office supply rewards into gift cards and use them for labels not on eMusic...esp ECM and Pi.
Spent the early part of today clearing out my mp3 player, realised I had not changed the music on the micro disk part for about 4 months and it was time for a change. Hoping to hear some good new music for my commute next week
The email from Bandcamp was affirming. There appear to be many people out there who think about music like I do and are willing to buy good music. If Apple stopped selling downloads I would not be heartbroken. I am not really sure it would effect me at all.
Comments
http://www.businessinsider.com/report-apple-to-kill-itunes-downloads-2016-5
I actually do have quite a bit of music from the iTunes store. I turn my office supply rewards into gift cards and use them for labels not on eMusic...esp ECM and Pi.
https://blog.bandcamp.com/2016/05/19/bandcamp-downloads-streaming-and-the-inescapably-bright-future/
Interesting tho...