The state of the forum?

[ariich]

My new car, bought last year, couldn't have a CD. I got used to the USB port, I can dedicate a pendrive to the car, but I'm annoyed that the car has adopted the "playlist" mentality, and I have to create a playlist each time I add new music.

PLAY - THE - M'FKIN - FOLDER  dammit!!!

I can't believe that for future devices and mp3 players I will have to investigate if there's a "play folder" option.

You could just move from making folders to playlists. 

I've spent the last week starting and stopping an organization project that involves divying up my massive 4500-song 'favorites' playlist in Spotify into multiple smaller playlists. Problem is at some point I make soooo many playlists that trying to decide which songs go into which playlist(s) ends up in me panicking and quitting the project after making a couple dozen playlists for different styles/situations/moods. I have a problem too many genres/styles/moods to categorize, and some that don't fit anything, and some that are impossible to describe or label via a single genre name.

Owning a large mp3 collection ftw.

[The Walrus]

My new car, bought last year, couldn't have a CD. I got used to the USB port, I can dedicate a pendrive to the car, but I'm annoyed that the car has adopted the "playlist" mentality, and I have to create a playlist each time I add new music.

PLAY - THE - M'FKIN - FOLDER  dammit!!!

I can't believe that for future devices and mp3 players I will have to investigate if there's a "play folder" option.

You could just move from making folders to playlists. 

I've spent the last week starting and stopping an organization project that involves divying up my massive 4500-song 'favorites' playlist in Spotify into multiple smaller playlists. Problem is at some point I make soooo many playlists that trying to decide which songs go into which playlist(s) ends up in me panicking and quitting the project after making a couple dozen playlists for different styles/situations/moods. I have a problem too many genres/styles/moods to categorize, and some that don't fit anything, and some that are impossible to describe or label via a single genre name.

Owning a large mp3 collection ftw.

See, with my physical collection I have no desire to make playlists because everything is organized and tagged just right and in their proper folders. But with the digital library, at least for Spotify, my only real option for organization is with playlists. I can browse my saved albums or just put every song into one massive master list but that's a hassle.

[Adami]

I think a key is knowing when to stop going overboard on playlists.

I used to have 6 main ones (and a few specific ones that were easy to remake) but then eventually got it down to one major playlist and shuffle. It takes a long time to make it, but once it's done, I save it on my Itunes, so that if I ever get a new Ipod, I can just transfer the playlist over.

If you find yourself needing dozens of specific playlists, then that might be a bit of an issue.

[The Walrus]

I think a key is knowing when to stop going overboard on playlists.

I used to have 6 main ones (and a few specific ones that were easy to remake) but then eventually got it down to one major playlist and shuffle. It takes a long time to make it, but once it's done, I save it on my Itunes, so that if I ever get a new Ipod, I can just transfer the playlist over.

If you find yourself needing dozens of specific playlists, then that might be a bit of an issue.

It's definitely a personal issue. Like, if I make a playlist for one genre, I feel an irrational need to make playlists for every genre I come across, so I can have everything organized by genre, so that when I hit 'shuffle' on my favorites playlist I'm not getting whipash from going from 60s pop to 2017 epic power metal followed by Weird Al and then some melodeath. 

I guess I'll just have to retrain the way I approach playlists and learn to be okay with not putting every single song into its own special playlist.

[cramx3]

so that when I hit 'shuffle' on my favorites playlist I'm not getting whipash from going from 60s pop to 2017 epic power metal followed by Weird Al and then some melodeath. 

For me, I don't mind this.  When I shuffle my library, for one, I expect everything should be something I could listen to.  So even when I get one genre followed by something totally different, in my mind, that shouldn't and usually doesn't bother me.  I can also push the next button (which I often do while driving because I feel like I only want energetic music during my commute going 80+mph and not Bob Marley).  But I understand the mindset of organization, I just gave up doing that a long time ago as playlists don't seem to last forever as you change devices over time.

[ariich]

My general approach is, if I like it enough, I'll own it. If I don't, then I don't need it all in Spotify playlists - I have all my RYM ratings to keep track of what I liked but not enough to own.

Probably helps that I'm very much an album listener.

[jingle.boy]

I’m like that too, Rich - album listener. I’ve got about 20-30 themed playlists in ITunes I go to occasionally, but for the most part I’ll just randomly chose some bands or albums, and let em spin.  For Spotify, I just save full albums into various categorized folders. I can’t be stuffed to make themed playlists there x my playlists are albums.  The interface is shit.

[Stadler]

Nothing like hitting shuffle and getting....  that 90 second interlude of ocean sounds, or some shit like that. 

[TAC]

...or hearing 6 different live versions of Hallowed Be Thy Name in the first 12 shuffles.

[The Walrus]

...or hearing 6 different live versions of Hallowed Be Thy Name in the first 12 shuffles.

That sounds more like a problem with your library's diversity. 

[King Postwhore]

Or Tim has a 1st edition 2 GB I-Pod.

[TAC]

Or Tim has a 1st edition 2 GB I-Pod.

I have a 30G and two 160Gs.

[King Postwhore]

2 - 160's?  One a hand me down to your kids?

[The Walrus]

Those 160s probably make awesome paperweights these days!

[King Postwhore]

Those 160s probably make awesome paperweights these days!

I'll be honest.  I love them more than my 256GB I-Pod touch.  So many issues with the new one.  It's starting to piss me off.

[TAC]

2 - 160's?  One a hand me down to your kids?

I had a 160, and then it was basically full. For our 20th, I had my wife buy me another one. They were already discontinued, so it was pricey, but I used it, so it was worth it.

I did buy a different mp3 player, but it was so complicated and cumbersome to load tracks on it.

[KevShmev]

I am generally not a playlist guy either, although I have a few (classic rock, 80's, etc.). I am more of an artist guy, where I will get on a kick for days or even weeks at a time with one. Sometimes that results in full album listens, and sometimes I like bouncing all over their discography.  It varies based on my mood and what sounds really good at any particular moment.

[King Postwhore]

I make playlists for mowing the lawn and long trips in the car for the most part. 

[cramx3]

Generally, I'm an album guy.  Simple, play the album, once over find another one to listen to (or if it's a new album I'm enjoying, play it again).  I do the full library shuffle when I can't figure out what I want to listen to.  Maybe I'll create a playlist for certain occassions (people over, doing a road trip, for a flight) but I don't do genre specific lists, just things that I feel I want in that moment usually. 

...or hearing 6 different live versions of Hallowed Be Thy Name in the first 12 shuffles.

Even with a large library, it's amazing how many times a song will come on back to back with like different live or an album/live version.  I would wish the shuffle would be smarter to know "hey they are different files, but the song name is the same so skip it!"

[jingle.boy]

Apple’s “random” algorithm absolutely blows.

[cramx3]

Apple’s “random” algorithm absolutely blows.

I think about this a lot.  I use the samsung basic music app, and I sometimes wonder if I don't skip a song on random, it seems like I am more likely to get another song by the same band.  Is that just a mental thing or is that built into the algorithm?  These are the things I think about while driving sometimes.

[faizoff]

I can't remember the last time I ever used shuffle on purpose. I've mistakenly pressed it on my music app Poweramp a few times. I did use shuffle a lot back in the day when I got my first mp3 player a Creative Nomad Zen Xtra

[hefdaddy42]

A buddy of mine used to drive a Datsun B-210 (Google it).  It was bright orange, with - I shit you not - yellow and purple racing stripes down the side, 4 on the floor, and an in-dash 8-track player.

Possibly the greatest vehicle of all time.