Music and iTunes

[caligula357]

i have just got a macbook, and would like to know what itunes will do to my music collection.
i am going to transfer my music folder (mp3 & wma), from my windows machine to macbook, but would like to keep the structure as it is (artist folders, then album folders inside that).
i've never used itunes, as before i used to browse my music collection using explorer, then select the album from there, opening wmplayer automatically.

perhaps i can just install quicktime without itunes, and use it to the same effect?

cheers,

 

[Chundles]

i have just got a macbook, and would like to know what itunes will do to my music collection.
i am going to transfer my music folder (mp3 & wma), from my windows machine to macbook, but would like to keep the structure as it is (artist folders, then album folders inside that).
i've never used itunes, as before i used to browse my music collection using explorer, then select the album from there, opening wmplayer automatically.

perhaps i can just install quicktime without itunes, and use it to the same effect?

cheers,

iTunes is pre-loaded on your MacBook.

You won't be able to play wma files until you download the Flip4Mac Windows Media components for Quicktime from MS's website.

iTunes is a music management application. The best way to use it (and iPhoto) is to let it manage your media - forget about all that folder malarkey and use the program to manage your media. In the 3 years I've been using iTunes and iPhoto I've never needed to delve into the underlying file structure because everything you want/need to do with the media is done from within the program.

iTunes has a robust search engine built into it and the ability to create playlists, smart playlists and search for songs instantly makes looking through folders obsolete.

iTunes is also faster in my opinion on a Mac than a PC - it loads and runs much faster on my 3 year old iBook than it does on my father's brand new HP.

Basically what I'm saying is to give up the control of organising your media and replace that with incredible ease of use in actually USING your media.

Oh, and iTunes organises your music in folders firstly by artist then album unless it's a compilation in which case the album is in the Compilations folder in the iTunes Music folder.

So yeah, stuff painstaking organising methods, with iTunes/iPhoto you don't need it.

I mention iPhoto because it uses a similar philosophy.

 

[caligula357]

does itunes sort/organise search through tag information?

if thats the case, then its gonna be a mess

(just out of interest, could i still use my old method of playing my music collection on mac?)

cheers

 

[Chundles]

does itunes sort/organise search through tag information?

if thats the case, then its gonna be a mess

(just out of interest, could i still use my old method of playing my music collection on mac?)

cheers

Well, you can just tell iTunes to keep your old hierarchy if you want. You're not forced to give up your folders.

You certainly can just look up a song and open it with Quicktime but you won't get playlist support etc.

Perhaps the switch will allow you the time to properly tag your music so that it'll make sense no matter which program you use rather than forcing you into using a structured folder system?