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Need a more complete understanding of how Apple Music will replace my extensive iTunes library (which resides on my own NAS).

I have an extensive iTunes music library on a NAS. I am able to see it and stream from my Desktop Pro and/or my MacBook Air. Things have worked fine for many years.


With recent and planned OS upgrades available from Apple, I see the iTunes will be replaced by 3 separate apps... my questions all center on Apple Music.


Precisely how will Apple Music retain/use or replace my existing iTunes library?

Can this be done without using iCloud? (I prefer to keep my content on my own devices... little use for Cloud based solutions.) My NAS is a RAID drive and I manage my own backups.

I'm reading of many issues other users are having with replacement of tracks they've ripped from their own CDs becoming DRM protected and I have no desire to get stuck with similar problems.

Posted on Apr 11, 2021 10:26 AM

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4 replies

Apr 12, 2021 12:18 AM in response to jason095

Hi,

Read this Search for music in Music on Mac - Apple Support. If you don’t subscribe to Apple Music, you will be able to search your library and iTunes Store.


You don’t need to subscribe to Apple Music or iTunes Match and you don’t use iCloud music library which is only available with those subscriptions.


You will continue to use music app to manage your music in the way that you do it now. There are a number of threads dealing with problems such as cover art on this forum.


The DRM issue is a red herring. This was an issue with Apple Music in its early days, was not an issue with iTunes Match..


At the end of the day, music app works with your music like iTunes albeit the new music app has have some issues. For me, the music app is the same as iTunes with regards to managing my music library. My main issues have been cover art which I think I have now added most and when adding music from an external drive but that’s another story.


As alway, keep a backup of your library as problems do occur.


Jim

Apr 11, 2021 7:18 PM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Thanks for this info Jim.

While this was somewhat helpful, I still have less than a clear picture of what will happen. For instance, here is a quote from the article you sent the link to...

"Use Search to find music you want to play. Switch quickly between searching in your own library and the Apple Music catalogue."

It's hard for me to escape the impression that this may require my personal library to be moved or copied to the Cloud. I could be any where and search the Apple Music catalogue. This is not the case for searching my own iTunes library on a server attached to my personal wi-fi network, in my home.

  • How can Apple assure I can easily switch between the Apple Music Library and my personal one unless they are both accessible from any where?
  • If my iTunes library is moved to the Cloud, will I be able to retain my own library?
  • If I use a version of it that was copied/moved to the Cloud, how can I know that Apple might not create DRM problems like those that have occurred via Apple Match?

While these descriptions of application functionality may be good marketing for some people, I'd really like to know a lot more details before I commit over 15 years of time and effort to the new Apple Music app. (Where will my iTunes Library reside and under whose control? Can I keep it where it is and under my own control?)


I can't help but think there are other people out there who may share my concerns. Are there other forums or places where I can find out what other people with large volume iTunes Libraries think about these developments?


Thanks in advance for any additional insights.

Apr 12, 2021 6:00 AM in response to Jimzgoldfinch

Jim,


Thank you once again. That was even more helpful.


I believe I will upgrade the OS on a laptop and play with Apple Music there. This should give me a chance to see how well the app will mesh with my current procedures and music repository (iTunes on my NAS).

I'm still a bit concerned by the implied reliance on "Search" to find files I want to play... hoping I will still be able to open a window into all Songs in my library... this is very helpful for managing my content (things like verifying attributes I find critical, adding and/or editing the file attributes and generally "cleaning up" files, eliminating duplicates, etc.)


I think I have used iTunes for something between 20-25 years. Early on, I could not find another suitable app to store and manage my various music files and I have not kept up with other newer apps that might provide something functionally equivalent. I think Apple missed the mark when they started overloading iTunes by storing other types of files and using it to synch other products. I like the plan to separate current functionality into three more distinct applications. However, iTunes user control over attributes to select and use in your own views into the music storage is VERY useful. It would be like throwing the baby out with the bath water to eliminate such end user capabilities.

Need a more complete understanding of how Apple Music will replace my extensive iTunes library (which resides on my own NAS).

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