Searching and Sorting Music Library (Then and Now)

LaHimore,

In addition to using the Filter Field, as TT2 suggested, I'm also using View/Sort By and View/View Options:

Fine-tune your Library search using View Options

You can select your own header columns for detailed searching in Music. This is especially useful searching within a playlist - for example, if you use Voice Memos and have them in a playlist. Here’s what I do: First, click on a section in your Library - Artists, Albums, Songs, Genres, or Composers, then in the top menu bar, click on View/View Options. This opens the View Options menu. In the top section of the menu, select View As: Songs, and Sort By: Titles. 

Next, in the lower section of the menu, select items you want in your header, such as Album, Artist, Comments, Time. The Title column will automatically be there if you’ve selected it in “Sort By”.  

You can further customize your headers by scrolling down to view all the options. For example, you can click on “Love” to add a column for favorites you’ve noted with a ❤️.

In my experience, once I’ve set-up custom headers using View Options, for my Songs library and particular playlists, they remain set. 

Note: I don’t know if View Options will show for Music Videos or TV & Movies because I don’t have these items. If you do, try it out.

Using View Options and Filter Fields Together

Once you’ve customized your header with View Options, if you want to narrow your search within that specific listing or playlist, then use the Filter Field (Option/Command/F). The Filter Field search bar will appear in the upper right corner. Just type in your keyword(s), and it will automatically search within the listing or playlist you have open.

Moving/Reorganizing Items within a Playlist & Adjusting the Spacing of Header Columns

If you want to move or re-order items within a playlist and adjust spacing between header columns, the good news is that using View Options, as described above, restores the ability to do so.

I’m still trying out the possibilities… just sharing what I’ve discovered so far. By the way, I'm on Big Sur 11.2.2 and aware things may appear differently on other OS versions. If you have any questions about what I've written, I'll offer what I can... fyi, I'm not an expert, just relieved and grateful to discover these much needed tricks for restoring my usual way of searching in iTunes - now Music. 

Best Wishes, 

Lori

LaHimore,

I've been experimenting more and have an update to my note for you:

5) Fine-tune your Library search using View Options:

You can select your own header columns for detailed searching in your library of Songs and in Playlists. This is especially useful searching within a playlist such as Voice Memos, if you have them in a playlist. Here’s what I do: First, click on Songs in your Library or a Playlist, then in the top menu bar, click on View/View Options. This opens the View Options menu. In the top section of the menu, select, for Songs, Sort By: Titles, and for a Playlist, select View As: Songs, and Sort By: Titles

In my experience, once I’ve set-up custom headers using View Options, for my Songs library and Playlists, they remain set. 

As for searching other categories in your Library - Artists, Albums, Genres, Composer… it appears View/Sort By may be helpful and, as mentioned above, using the Filter Field will provide you with a more focused search bar. In my experimenting with these categories though, and speaking generally, so far it seems things are organized differently in the new Music application - looks like maybe the changes relate to more details in Get Info section for each listing. Whatever it is, for me it’s creating an organization challenge with some items. Meanwhile, and fortunately, there are multiple ways to search.

Best Wishes, 

Lori

View > Show Filter Field.

tt2

You're welcome. 🙂

tt2