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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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With today's release of iTunes Match, some users with very large music libraries are discovering an annoying restriction. Those with non-iTunes Music Store libraries with more than 25,000 songs are unable to activate iTunes Match. There simply isn't an option to select only certain songs to upload to iCloud. Fortunately, Macworld has a quixotic but effective solution.

ituensmatch25k.jpg



iTunes has the ability to access multiple music libraries. By separating out the songs to sync with the songs not to sync, it is possible to force iTunes under iTunes Match's 25,000 song limit.
To do that, quit iTunes, hold down the Option key, and launch iTunes. You'll be prompted to create a new library or choose a different library. Choose the option to create a new library. iTunes will open and you'll have nary a tune in your library.

Move to the Store menu and choose Turn on iTunes Match. You'll be prompted for your Apple ID and password. Enter them and click OK and iTunes will switch on iTunes Match. Now open iTunes' preferences, click the Advanced preference, and uncheck the Copy Files to iTunes Media Folder When Adding to Library option and click OK. This will prevent iTunes from generating duplicates when you follow the next step.
Rather than steal all their thunder, head to Macworld for the full instructions.

Article Link: How to Use iTunes Match With Very Large iTunes Libraries
 

alphaod

macrumors Core
Feb 9, 2008
22,183
1,245
NYC
I'm curious though, so I have my library "matched" what happens to when I import more music? Does it get matched again or what?
 

andreiru

macrumors 6502
Apr 18, 2008
404
142
Kurgan, RF
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Haha, thanks.
 

5H3PH3RD

macrumors 6502
Nov 3, 2011
260
174
Wow, what a way to write an article..... write half of it, then just as its getting to the main bit refer you to another website. Nice job :rolleyes:
 

whammink

macrumors newbie
Oct 12, 2011
22
0
Twin Cities
Verdict?

Most (99% probably) of my music does not come from iTunes. In that case, and with an iPhone and iPod that are full to bursting with music, is iTunes Match worth the cost?
 

wmmf

macrumors member
Jun 16, 2010
41
1
Does the author know the definition of the word "quixotic"? It usually means fruitless, ineffective, idealistic yet unrealistic, etc.
 

Singin Hobo

macrumors regular
Jan 16, 2008
168
37
Texas
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25k? That's a loooooooooot of stolen music.
 

foodog

macrumors 6502a
Sep 6, 2006
911
43
Atlanta, GA
Most (99% probably) of my music does not come from iTunes. In that case, and with an iPhone and iPod that are full to bursting with music, is iTunes Match worth the cost?

Sure is. You iPhone will now have your entire music library at hand..... as long as you have an internet connection. iPod maybe not as worth it unless you are always near Wi-Fi.
 

0098386

Suspended
Jan 18, 2005
21,574
2,908
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25k? That's a loooooooooot of stolen music.

I've got around 13k songs. 20 are from iTunes when they gave out free music through Coca Cola, 2 albums were free from eMusic. The rest are free game rips, ripped CDs, massive chunk of music from musician friends, ripped parents records.

You can have a "looooooot" of music outside of the iTunes store without it being stolen.
 

pooryou

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2007
1,329
63
NorCal
I have over 25k songs but I have enough of them unchecked to be well under 25k checked songs. I don't suppose you can have iTunes Match ignore checked songs? Of course that would be far too easy and sensible...
 

KeithJenner

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2010
1,264
364
I have over 25k songs but I have enough of them unchecked to be well under 25k checked songs. I don't suppose you can have iTunes Match ignore checked songs? Of course that would be far too easy and sensible...

Nope. It may come though.
 

acfusion29

macrumors 68040
Nov 8, 2007
3,128
1
Toronto
I've got around 13k songs. 20 are from iTunes when they gave out free music through Coca Cola, 2 albums were free from eMusic. The rest are free game rips, ripped CDs, massive chunk of music from musician friends, ripped parents records.

You can have a "looooooot" of music outside of the iTunes store without it being stolen.

and i doubt you even listen to more than 5% of your music.
 

KeithJenner

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2010
1,264
364
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25k? That's a loooooooooot of stolen music.

This is the assumption that many people make.

I have been collecting CD's for almost 25 years now. I also used eMusic to get a couple of thousand songs when that was very cheap (around 10p a track). I currently have around 39,000 fully legal songs in my collection.

It doesn't work out as very much spending per year over that sort of time.
 

baryon

macrumors 68040
Oct 3, 2009
3,875
2,922
Isn't it just easier to use the USB cable to sync music? It's not like you need to keep all your music in sync on a daily basis, I only acquire new songs every once in a while. And if you have more than 25 000 songs, you probably have enough for quite some time, so you can probably wait until you get home and plug in your iPhone to sync.
 

Kid A

macrumors regular
May 1, 2008
238
0
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25k? That's a loooooooooot of stolen music.

eye no rite?! cuz lyke alluv my 1,000s of CDs that i've purchased over the past 25 years and ripped over the past 10 years are like totally stolen. i didn't invest countless amounts of money into them or anything.

worst. comment. EVER.

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and i doubt you even listen to more than 5% of your music.

i neg'd you for making a highly specious, probably false, assumption... not for "having an opinion" as your sig suggests.
 

KeithJenner

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2010
1,264
364
Isn't it just easier to use the USB cable to sync music? It's not like you need to keep all your music in sync on a daily basis, I only acquire new songs every once in a while. And if you have more than 25 000 songs, you probably have enough for quite some time, so you can probably wait until you get home and plug in your iPhone to sync.

But it's nice to be able to listen to that album that you want without having to go home and sync.

It's also nice to have your music available without filling up your Phone with music. I saved £100 by getting a 16gb Phone rather than 32gb. iTunes Match upcoming was a significant factor in my decision.
 

blue22

macrumors 6502a
Oct 15, 2010
505
18
two quick questions...

I read somewhere that iTunes Match is offering 256 kbps matches, but what if you have imported songs with a higher kbps setting than this, does iTunes Match skip over these files or do they overwrite it with the 256 kbps version?

Also, can anyone give us some idea on how long the matching process takes? Say for a library of 12,500 songs?

Thanks.
 

KeithJenner

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2010
1,264
364
I read somewhere that iTunes Match is offering 256 kbps matches, but what if you have imported songs with a higher kbps setting than this, does iTunes Match skip over these files or do they overwrite it with the 256 kbps version?

Also, can anyone give us some idea on how long the matching process takes? Say for a library of 12,500 songs?

Thanks.

I believe that matches everything that it can, so it will use the 256kbps version.

It doesn't overwrite anything though. Your higher quality version stays on your computer.
 

pooryou

macrumors 65816
Sep 28, 2007
1,329
63
NorCal
I use Smart Playlists to select my music from my extensive library. IMO this is the best way to use iTunes, particularly with a large well-tagged library.

Is iCloud smart enough to auto populate Smart Playlists on the fly? If not then I don't really see how useful it will be anyway.

Going back to managing music manually on a per-song or per-album basis? I don't think so!

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Nope. It may come though.

I wonder what would happen if I changed all of my unchecked songs to audiobooks.
 
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