Moving Music To New iMac

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Level 1

7 points

Moving Music To New iMac

Hi,

I just want to check before I potentially mess anything up...

My music, from CD's/ iTune's was integrated into my Apple Music subscription some while ago on my MacBook Pro. (El Capitan).

It was set up so all my music and anything downloaded from Apple Music was stored on a separate hard drive. (The external hard drive had to be connected for the Music app to open).

Now I have added an iMac, (Catalina), to my collection and need to move my music to it.

When I open the Music app on the iMac everything is in place, so - am I assuming this is just what the Music app 'see's' from my iCloud, (nothing is downloaded), which would be what I see on my iPad/iPhone?

I want to use the external hard drive as before so do I just need to point the iMac to my ext drive using 'Preferences > Files > my ext dv'?

Will that then resort my iMac to the set-up I was using with my MacBook Pro?

Sorry if this is basic.

I really want to be sure I know what I am doing to avoid losing anything or ending up with a load of duplicates!

Many Thanks...

Nigel

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Feb 14, 2021 12:16 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

turingtest2

Level 10

274,988 points

Feb 17, 2021 4:38 AM in response to EnEs63

New content downloaded or ripped by Music will be stored in the designated Music Media folder location, currently /iTunes 1TB/iTunes/iTunes Media.

If you wanted to make the library self contained you might want to rename the Music folder on external drive from Music 1 to Music (while Music is closed) which is slightly more elegant, then set the media folder to /iTunes 1TB/Music/Media and consolidate the library with File > Library > Organize Library > Consolidate Files. This will copy in music content from the old folder, after which you could delete /iTunes 1TB/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music. Obviously you should only do this if you have more free space on the drive than is taken up by music.

tt2

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,988 points

Feb 14, 2021 1:22 AM in response to EnEs63

See Move your iTunes library to a new computer - Apple Community. There are two primary components to the library, the database and the media. Both need to be copied over. Changing the media folder path doesn't change which database is accessed. When moving from iTunes to Music the database needs to be converted for the new application.

tt2

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,988 points

Feb 15, 2021 9:35 AM in response to cliffc42

See What happened to iTunes? - Apple Support. You can use the press and hold option when starting Music method to choose a library and open/convert your iTunes Library.itl database into a Music Library.musiclibrary database. This is a one time operation. If you have video content you can repeat with the TV app to import that.

tt2

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Answer 4

EnEs63 Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 17, 2021 3:55 AM in response to turingtest2

Hello turingtest2,

This is what I see under Music > Preferences > Files...

(iTunes 1TB is my ext d/v).

Here are two screen shots of that external drive named iTunes 1TB...

1/ Of my previous El Capitan iTunes folder showing both the library and media folders

...and 2/ of the Catalina library 'Music1' set up today...

In the Catalina Music app there are no 'download' symbols except for a few recent albums I haven't downloaded yet.

All my Apple Music I have downloaded is listed as 'Apple Music'. Any previously owned music is listed as 'Matched

If I right-click a song which has been previously downloaded I can see the option to 'Remove Download' which indicates to me it is downloaded?. I just don't seem to be able to find where to?

Could it be possible that the Catalina 'Music' app is finding the Music Library.musiclibrary in the 'Music1' folder on the ext d/v and seeing the media in the 'iTunes' folder from my El Capitan set-up?

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Answer 5

cliffc42

Level 1

12 points

Feb 15, 2021 8:56 AM in response to turingtest2

But what happens when you go from Mojave to Big Sur? Does the iTunes database and media in Mojave automatically populate in the Music folder in Big Sur? Because if it doesn't, the **** with Big Sur. I have no idea what is meant by"converting for the new application".

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Answer 6

EnEs63 Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 17, 2021 1:38 AM in response to turingtest2

Thank you turingtest2,

I appreciate your patience with me on this! It's quite a change from El Capitan...!

I pointed the iMac Music app to my ext h/d > iTunes and created a new folder Music1 > Music Library.musiclibrary as per your articles.

It went fairly smoothly apart from I fell victim to the "Cant play music from Apple Music because I am not signed in".

I was clearly signed in so I followed other internet suggestions and when all else failed I had to delete the Music app and reinstall.

Now my Music app seems complete. Music is now showing/playing original content and Apple Music content. So far - so good.

But I have one further question, please...

This Music1 folder only contains the library data - Music Library.musiclibrary. (7.9MB's).

Where is the Music app playing my original & downloaded music from? Is it 'streaming' everything?

If so, where is my 'Media' downloaded music folder that I had before with El Capitan?

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Answer 7

turingtest2

Level 10

274,988 points

Feb 17, 2021 3:18 AM in response to EnEs63

What do you see under Music > Preferences > Files for the media folder? If your content is in the cloud rather than stored locally the library should be full of cloud download symbols for each track that would allow you to download them.

tt2

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Answer 8

turingtest2

Level 10

274,988 points

Feb 17, 2021 4:13 AM in response to EnEs63

Music is using your Music 1/Music Library.musiclibrary file as its database and /iTunes 1TB/iTunes/iTunes Media as the media folder. Apple Music content downloaded to your library goes to <Media Folder>/Apple Music/<Album Artist>/<Album>. Purchases and ripped media normally goes to <Media Folder>/Music/<Album Artist>/<Album>. You can right/ctrl-click regular music and use Show In Finder to see where it stored, but not Apple Music content.

tt2

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Answer 9

EnEs63 Author

Level 1

7 points

Feb 17, 2021 4:24 AM in response to turingtest2

Ok, thank you. I didn't realise it would read /use two separate folders at the same time...

So, from now on, when I download music from Apple Music in Catalina the media will not be stored in the original iTunes > iTunes Media > Music folder but a new one?

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