The biggest problem in library management is dealing with external changes. This can also turn out to be useful, should beaTunes' internal database ever get corrupted, as it can then be completely restored from your files. If you are interested in embedding non-iTunes fields like key or color into your files, make sure to check the box Embed non-iTunes fields into audio files in the general preferences before you start the analysis. Also, when in iTunes-library-mode, beaTunes by default does not write certain values to your files. Software like Traktor typically has to re-scan files. However, it does not mean that other programs also see changes immediately. This ensures that you see changes in iTunes right away without having to play a file. But more importantly, whenever you change something in beaTunes, it tells iTunes that something has changed or even asks iTunes to perform the change. When you do so, beaTunes will add all files you have in iTunes to its database and also scan them for additional ID3 and other tags. If you are using iTunes and expect BPM values calculated by beaTunes to show up immediately, you should create an iTunes-based library (Important: iTunes XML sharing needs to be on for this). If you're not afraid to modify an XML file with a text editor, you can also add additional base-folders to a single, folder-based library. If the file is not already contained in the base-folder, a copy within in the base-folder will be created and added to the library. Alternatively, you can also simply drag files into the beaTunes Music list. All changes will be written directly to your files.Ī common question that comes up is, "how do I add files to the library"? The easiest way is to add new sub-folders with audio files to your base-folder and then choose Synchronize from the File menu. Starting an analysis or an inspection is a good idea. Once your files are scanned, beaTunes presents your library to you and you are ready to go. The process of reading external data is called Synchronization. While doing so, it also imports all ID3 and other tags it can find. When you have defined the base-folder, beaTunes will start adding all audio files in that folder and its sub-folders to its database. That's where external drives are usually mounted. Tip for OS X users: If you cannot find your external drive, try using the keyboard shortcut Command(⌘)-Shift-G and enter /Volumes. Usually it makes sense to choose the Music folder, but you're certainly not limited to it. This can be any folder-local, remote, external-it does not matter, as long as it's visible in your file system. To create one, point beaTunes to a base-folder in your file system. If you don't use iTunes, folder-based libraries are the right choice for you. But to help you make the right choice, let me explain how these two libraries differ. No worries, this decision isn't final-you can add other libraries later. Verdict:īeaTunes is an interesting iTunes accessory.You can choose between a folder- and an iTunes-based library. Or, if you have plenty of playlists already, then beaTunes will sort them so that, wherever possible, the best-matched songs always follow each other.Īnd beaTunes delivers plenty of other useful features, including options to import song lyrics from Lyricsfly, organise your library with -like tags, or create blog entries at with your favourite songs or playlists. The program is also able to analyse the beats per minute and tonal key of your songs, using this and other information to create playlists of songs that work well together. It'll then give your files more meaningful names, and set their tags, too. If you have files with ambiguous names, like 01-track.mp3, then beaTunes can use its MusicIP fingerprinting technology to retrieve the track name, artist, album and more (as long as they're not DRM-protected). The trial version will only display these errors, but purchase a licence and you'll be able to fix them in a click or two. These might include multiple spellings for the same artist (REM or R.E.M., say), duplicate files, misspelled album names, rarely used genres, mismatched release dates (songs belonging to the same album with different release years), and more. Launch the program and it will immediately import your iTunes library, and go hunting for issues. BeaTunes is a useful companion to iTunes that can detect and resolve many common library problems, create well-matched playlists, import lyrics, and more.
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