Move music files to iTunes folder...

Question

Level 1

11 points

Move music files to iTunes folder...

Hello!

Question...

I've downloaded mp3 files from various websites that give away free music. They download as zip files and once I unzip them, I move the folder to the "Music" folder. Then I import them into iTunes (File ---> Add to Library).

I'd like to make the "Music" folder more organized. Right now I have the "iTunes" folder within the "Music" folder, in addition to SEVERAL folders I've added from the free music I've downloaded.

Even though I've already added this music to iTunes, if I delete the folders within the "Music" folder, iTunes will no longer be able to play it because it will say it cannot find the source. I get this, but was hoping there was a way to get it into the iTunes folder (the way it gets loaded when you import a CD or buy a song online- it automatically goes there).

Any ideas? Thanks!! 🙂

Courtney

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 10:49 AM

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Answer 1

ed2345

Level 9

63,602 points

Apr 14, 2012 2:28 PM in response to Courtney Lee

Courtney,

Go to Edit > Preferences > Advanced, and select both "Keep..." and "Copy..." The latter causes iTunes to put new music into the "organized" iTunes position (just as if it were added from a CD), and the former causes it to clean up your already existing music.

Note that "organized" to iTunes means Artist/Album folders. Can you confirm that that is the system you want? (If not, we will have a different recommendation to make.)

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Answer 2

Limnos

Level 10

428,147 points

Apr 16, 2012 1:31 PM in response to Courtney Lee

iTunes 9: Understanding iTunes Media Organization - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3847

Image of iTunes folder structure Dec. 2011 - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3547807?answerId=16923545022#16923545022

see also:

Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2741246?answerId=13025536022#13025536022

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Answer 3

Courtney Lee Author

Level 1

11 points

Apr 16, 2012 1:26 PM in response to ed2345

Thanks ed2345!

Only one more quick question.

In my "Music" folder, I see that there is Music/iTunes/iTunes Music which is where the majority of my music goes. BUT, some of it seems to just be in Music/iTunes... here it creates genre folders. Whereas in the Music/iTunes/iTunes Music section, it creates Artist folders (like you indicated in your response). Why the difference? IT doesn't appear to have duplicated the music. Hmmm.

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Answer 4

Chris CA

Level 10

82,513 points

Apr 16, 2012 3:11 PM in response to Courtney Lee

Courtney Lee wrote:

In my "Music" folder, I see that there is Music/iTunes/iTunes Music which is where the majority of my music goes. BUT, some of it seems to just be in Music/iTunes... here it creates genre folders.

Looks like you have ran some other application at one time or another as iTunes does not create Genre folders.

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