Starting over with iTunes on a NAS Drive

[Amator]

Hello!

I've used iTunes on various computers in the past and purchased a handful (~20 mp3s) of mp3s from iTunes before they became DRM free. Since then, I've mostly used WinAmp and other players for my mp3 collection.

I just bought a WD MyBook Live Network 1TB Attached Storage (NAS) drive which claims to work as an iTunes home sharing "server". I want to import my entire mp3 collection to this drive and be available to all devices in my home network (iMac, PC, PC laptop, xBox 360, Android tablet) as well as rip a few DVDs.

Here are my questions:

1. Since I'm not currently using iTunes, do I just start over by moving all my music to the NAS drive and then install iTunes on my computers and point them toward the NAS drive to use as the iTunes folder?
2. I prefer not to use iTunes folder structure, can I use my existing Music/Letter of Alphabet/Artist/Album/Track folder structure with iTunes?
3. I also use Spotify a great deal. Any idea if Spotify will have any problems playing local files from the NAS drive on my computers?

Anything else I'm forgetting?

Thanks!

 

[GGJstudios]

1. Since I'm not currently using iTunes, do I just start over by moving all my music to the NAS drive and then install iTunes on my computers and point them toward the NAS drive to use as the iTunes folder?

Yes.

2. I prefer not to use iTunes folder structure, can I use my existing Music/Letter of Alphabet/Artist/Album/Track folder structure with iTunes?

Yes. Uncheck these boxes in iTunes > Preferences:

​

 

[Amator]

GGJstudios, thanks for the quick reply! Sounds like I'm overthinking this. I'll just have to make sure to manually add any new music purchases, which I prefer to do anyway.

Using my own folder organization, how would iTunes prefer me to keep album cover art in this scheme? Should it be in the same folder as the mp3 files or in a specific folder for album art?

 

[GGJstudios]

GGJstudios, thanks for the quick reply! Sounds like I'm overthinking this. I'll just have to make sure to manually add any new music purchases, which I prefer to do anyway.

Using my own folder organization, how would iTunes prefer me to keep album cover art in this scheme? Should it be in the same folder as the mp3 files or in a specific folder for album art?

I prefer managing my own folder structure and file names, as well. I also prefer manually adding higher quality artwork than iTunes could download, using sites such as Album Art Exchange or Google searches, but you can do it either way. When you create an iTunes library, it can automatically download artwork, which it will put in a folder that iTunes creates called "Album Artwork".

 

[Amator]

Thanks again!

If I wanted to follow your example and use higher quality images, I add these to a folder myself and then use "Get Info" to associate the art with the track(s), right? Once I've done this, will that change be reflected on the mp3 file itself in an ID3 tag or will it be a local iTunes setting that I'll have to repeat on every computer in my home network?

 

[GGJstudios]

Thanks again!

If I wanted to follow your example and use higher quality images, I add these to a folder myself and then use "Get Info" to associate the art with the track(s), right? Once I've done this, will that change be reflected on the mp3 file itself in an ID3 tag or will it be a local iTunes setting that I'll have to repeat on every computer in my home network?

To manually add artwork from a web page, arrange your windows so you can see the artwork, then select all tracks of the album in iTunes, Get Info, then drag the image from your browser directly to the artwork box in the lower right of the Get Info window. No need to store the images in a folder. The artwork will be stored in the .mp3 file itself. You'll see the .mp3 file size change to reflect the artwork.

​

 

[Amator]

Very cool! And since this is editing the file itself it will also apply to any other media player such as iTunes on other computers, WinAmp, etc. This is much easier than the last time I catalogued my music 5-6 years ago. Thanks for all your help!

 

[GGJstudios]

Very cool! And since this is editing the file itself it will also apply to any other media player such as iTunes on other computers, WinAmp, etc.

That's right. The artwork follows the file, regardless of the player or OS involved, just like the other metadata.