I guess the music apps are broken due to 8.4.1... None of them are working properly. Even the ones that used to work. I guess we will have to wait for ios 9
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Alternatives to Music app
- Thread starter Jessica Lares
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Ecoute just got an update - "Exclude from Shuffle" Might be interesting to those that use the omit feature in iTunes which is still not working in iOS 9.
I just downloaded Cesium. It crashes a lot for me
Sorry about that. There was a specific chain of events that could lead to that crash on launch. If you haven't updated recently, it's totally fixed!
Cesium 3.2 should drop any day now. It brings:
- Ratings support
- In-app volume control
- Much improved progress ring control
- "Go to album" for currently playing track
- A>B Repeat
Note: This version also removes last.fm support. At the moment, issues within Cs and with last.fm (if you use it, you know) make testing and supporting it pretty much impossible for me. Hopefully this is temporary, I look forward to re-adding as soon as it can be implemented reliably.
- Ratings support
- In-app volume control
- Much improved progress ring control
- "Go to album" for currently playing track
- A>B Repeat
Note: This version also removes last.fm support. At the moment, issues within Cs and with last.fm (if you use it, you know) make testing and supporting it pretty much impossible for me. Hopefully this is temporary, I look forward to re-adding as soon as it can be implemented reliably.
I can vouch for the update.Sorry about that. There was a specific chain of events that could lead to that crash on launch. If you haven't updated recently, it's totally fixed!
Any plans for 3D touch integration?
Not specifically. It's interesting. Problem is that as an indie dev as small as myself a shiny new 6S is out of the budget, so it would be difficult to test. Any recommendations for a behaviour or function that seems like a natural fit for it?
Most of the third party players (Ecoute, Cesium, Picky for sure) utilize the iOS systemPlayer. That means that they can't affect audio directly (through in-app EQ), however they are compatible with the system EQ, so any of the options in Settings > Music should work.
As far as Apple Music, Apple hasn't made the API public, so no one can access the cloud to search/stream the Apple Music library. Cesium supports playback of Apple Music content that has been added to "My Music," whether it is stored on the device or in the cloud. I suspect Ecoute and Picky do as well.
As far as Apple Music, Apple hasn't made the API public, so no one can access the cloud to search/stream the Apple Music library. Cesium supports playback of Apple Music content that has been added to "My Music," whether it is stored on the device or in the cloud. I suspect Ecoute and Picky do as well.
Mike Richardson
macrumors regular
Is there any free Music app that basically replicates whatever the Music app was in one of the much earlier iOS versions?
Whatever they did to it in iOS 9 or 8.4 or whatever, it's awful. It doesn't work the way I expect. It just pisses me off and then I want to throw the phone against a wall, but I can't afford to do that.
Whatever they did to it in iOS 9 or 8.4 or whatever, it's awful. It doesn't work the way I expect. It just pisses me off and then I want to throw the phone against a wall, but I can't afford to do that.
Added VOX after it got mentioned by @CliftonHighgrov in another thread. I'm sure it'll get another price cut again soon, they've been playing with the price these last few months after keeping it free for all of last year.
Cesium just got updated the other day with multi-genre support (not sure how that's even manageable in iTunes though with that small of field...), and Playlist Favorites (much needed IMO).
As always, if you're using something that isn't on the list right now, feel free to add it, just remember we're focused on alternatives that deal primarily with local music that we already own.
The iTunes Store throws up an error when I specifically use the search terms "iOS 6 Music"
Cesium just got updated the other day with multi-genre support (not sure how that's even manageable in iTunes though with that small of field...), and Playlist Favorites (much needed IMO).
As always, if you're using something that isn't on the list right now, feel free to add it, just remember we're focused on alternatives that deal primarily with local music that we already own.
The iTunes Store throws up an error when I specifically use the search terms "iOS 6 Music"
So, here's how multi-genre support works:
In iTunes (and music.app) if you had an album (Album X) tagged "Alternative" and Album Y tagged "Alternative, Rock" and Album Z tagged "Rock", then your genres view would look like this:
Alternative > Album X
Alternative, Rock > Album Y
Rock > Album Z
Cesium detects multiple genres in the Genre field (marked by commas or semi-colons) and automatically sorts and groups accordingly. So the above example would look like this:
Alternative > Album X, Album Y
Rock > Album Y, Album Z
This will have the side affect of potentially complicating your Genres in iTunes on the desktop. But if you don't use the desktop much (or don't use genres for browsing on the desktop) it can be quite helpful! And if you don't tag multiple genres in the field, everything works and looks exactly the same as before
[doublepost=1458422875][/doublepost]
I think it would be fair to say that Cesium is currently recognized as the most "iOS 6-ish" of the currently available players. But Picky is also a strong contender.
Hi CesiumDev,
I like the Cesium app except for one big thing: the circular scrubber - most of the time, when I am scrolling on circular scrubber, it pulls down the now playing songs screen.. it's very inconvenient. Looks pretty but not practical at all.
Could you please add a linear scrubber.. that would make the app a very good replacement of the stock pre-ios 9.2 music app.
I like the Cesium app except for one big thing: the circular scrubber - most of the time, when I am scrolling on circular scrubber, it pulls down the now playing songs screen.. it's very inconvenient. Looks pretty but not practical at all.
Could you please add a linear scrubber.. that would make the app a very good replacement of the stock pre-ios 9.2 music app.
So, here's how multi-genre support works:
In iTunes (and music.app) if you had an album (Album X) tagged "Alternative" and Album Y tagged "Alternative, Rock" and Album Z tagged "Rock", then your genres view would look like this:
Alternative > Album X
Alternative, Rock > Album Y
Rock > Album Z
Cesium detects multiple genres in the Genre field (marked by commas or semi-colons) and automatically sorts and groups accordingly. So the above example would look like this:
Alternative > Album X, Album Y
Rock > Album Y, Album Z
This will have the side affect of potentially complicating your Genres in iTunes on the desktop. But if you don't use the desktop much (or don't use genres for browsing on the desktop) it can be quite helpful! And if you don't tag multiple genres in the field, everything works and looks exactly the same as before
[doublepost=1458422875][/doublepost]
I think it would be fair to say that Cesium is currently recognized as the most "iOS 6-ish" of the currently available players. But Picky is also a strong contender.
Added multiple genres to a few things in my library yesterday, wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be as the field expands as the text gets longer. It works nice in the app.
Can you explain what Shuffle by Grouping is @CesiumDev? I tried it, but didn't understand how it worked in comparison to regular shuffling.
Can you explain what Shuffle by Grouping is @CesiumDev? I tried it, but didn't understand how it worked in comparison to regular shuffling.
Just had an update for Marvis show up on my iPod - Finally the Last.fm support a lot of people wanted, with the ability to fetch artist pictures from there for the Artist view - or let you set custom ones from stuff in your photos, it can now group stuff into albums in playlists, be set to prefer liked and highly rated stuff when shuffling, can automatically turn off the display when the proximity sensor is covered, can sort by date added, and has some new gestures.
I did specifically ask for album grouping in playlists, which now two of the third-party players support. Amazing.
I did specifically ask for album grouping in playlists, which now two of the third-party players support. Amazing.
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No problem Jessica! It's actually just the same as the "Shuffle by Grouping" option in iTunes itself. It means that when shuffling songs, tracks that share the same album tag and the same grouping tag will be kept together. So, for instance a classical piece or program rock suite spanning multiple tracks would play in full before the next randomized track.
So, if you don't use the grouping tag it won't have any effect. If you are like me and all your tracks have a grouping tag (ie. Studio album, Live album, Soundtrack, etc) it's going to generate pretty much the same result as album shuffling.
Does that make sense? Thanks for keeping this thread up to date!
[doublepost=1459113432][/doublepost]
Yeah, that one is controversial. I'm debating between adding a "Classic" option and just overhauling into something entirely new (with usability and innovation as priorities).
@CesiumDev Yeah, that's pretty much what confused me. I use the grouping tag for all my tracks exactly like that and it was just shuffling albums. Good to know.
And no problem.
I don't ever use the scrubber, but the way the buttons are at the bottom is very nice.
And no problem.
I don't ever use the scrubber, but the way the buttons are at the bottom is very nice.
Cesium got updated with the new Now Playing screen today. (Hope people aren't giving you a hard time with that!)
I just spent 10 minutes looking for the new Clock Mode which you get to by going into landscape and clicking the clock icon. Very nice.
![screen322x572.jpeg]()
(Hope people aren't giving you a hard time with that!)I just spent 10 minutes looking for the new Clock Mode which you get to by going into landscape and clicking the clock icon. Very nice.
@CesiumDev Thanks, the new update finally has the linear progress bar, however now the volume control is vertical bar. From the usability perspective, it would be really good to have a horizontal bar for the volume control just as the progress bar and also always visible, that would avoid unnecessary click for adjusting the volume.
While listening to many sound tracks having different volume levels, the volume control is very much essential to be always visible.
Simplicity of the UI requiring few clicks, swipes makes the app more pleasing to use. While Cesium app lays out Songs, Albums, Artists, Genre tabs on the bottom bar (just as in pre-iOS 9.2 Apple Music app), the Now playing screen looks inconsistent - horizontal progress bar and vertical volume bar which pops out after having to cliick.
If this issue is addressed, Cesium app will be the go-to app and find a place on the dock, but until then, there are still few nicks which needs to be polished.
[QUOTE="CesiumDev, [/QUOTE]
While listening to many sound tracks having different volume levels, the volume control is very much essential to be always visible.
Simplicity of the UI requiring few clicks, swipes makes the app more pleasing to use. While Cesium app lays out Songs, Albums, Artists, Genre tabs on the bottom bar (just as in pre-iOS 9.2 Apple Music app), the Now playing screen looks inconsistent - horizontal progress bar and vertical volume bar which pops out after having to cliick.
If this issue is addressed, Cesium app will be the go-to app and find a place on the dock, but until then, there are still few nicks which needs to be polished.
[QUOTE="CesiumDev, [/QUOTE]
Latest Cesium update adds 3D Touch shortcuts/peek & pop, and URL Schemes .
Oh yeah, and for those running the iOS 10 beta, you can't delete the Music app and run a third-party music app.
.Oh yeah, and for those running the iOS 10 beta, you can't delete the Music app and run a third-party music app.
There's now a paid version of Marvis for $2.99 for those that were holding out on the IAP.