David Roe
Level 1 (5 points)

Q: Multiple iTunes Music Libraries

Checking to see if the following is possible:

 

I'd like to have two iTunes music libraries, the same songs on both but one for high quality lossless music file to play from iTunes at home and the other for lossy music files to have on my iPod. The reason for this is that I just maxed out my 64GB iPod Touch, I have a mixture of bitrates and I know I could go in and decrease the quality and file size of the songs but I would like to still have the the higher quality songs too to play at home.

 

If this is possible then what would be the hurdles of syncing multiple libraries?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on May 8, 2012 7:09 AM

by Chris CA,Solvedanswer
Chris CA Chris CA
Level 9 (79,682 points)
iTunes
A:

David Roe wrote:

 

Ooo, that looks interesting, I'll have to poke around for that feature when I get home this evening. One of the posters wrote an apple script to do this as well.

 

Thanks.

No need for an AppleScript.

This has been updated (since the 2007 post) and you can now convert/sync to 128, 192 or 256kbps.

Posted on May 8, 2012 12:23 PM

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David Roe

Q: Multiple iTunes Music Libraries

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos May 8, 2012 7:16 AM in response to David Roe
    Level 9 (54,642 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 8, 2012 7:16 AM in response to David Roe

    Do you mean "synchronizing" the libraries to each other tather than "scyncing" the two libraries to one iPod?

     

    I think you have to either be truly systematic in adding material to each library, or peruse commercial utilities.  Even those may not do truly what you want which is have two identical libraries but one in high quality and the other in lower quality.  They are more designed to keep two libraries identical.

     

    PowerTunes - http://www.fatcatsoftware.com/powertunes/ (commercial software)

     

    syncOtunes - http://homepage.mac.com/oligrob/syncOtunes/syncOtunes.html

     

    The other thing you could do would be have one library, then set up smart playlists so one just has low quality content and synch the ipod to a playlist rather than the whole library.

  • by David Roe,

    David Roe David Roe May 8, 2012 7:36 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 8, 2012 7:36 AM in response to Limnos

    So, with the one library I would have two copies of each song, one lossless and one lossy, then just synch my iPod to a playlist containing the lossy files?

  • by David Roe,

    David Roe David Roe May 8, 2012 7:45 AM in response to David Roe
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 8, 2012 7:45 AM in response to David Roe

    Wait, doesn't my library need to be on the device that I create playlists on? I thought playlists were just links to songs in your library so wouldn't my library need to be on my iPod as well?

  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos May 8, 2012 8:05 AM in response to David Roe
    Level 9 (54,642 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 8, 2012 8:05 AM in response to David Roe

    There's the iTunes application. There's the iTunes library which is basically a file (library.itl) which contains pointers to the media files themselves wherever you store them (usually on the internal hard drive).  Playlists are also kept in this library file.

     

    What are the iTunes library files? - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1660

     

    More on iTunes library files and what they do - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITunes#Media_management

     

    Most people just have one library, but you can have multiple libraries, each in its own iTunes folder and each with its own library.itl file which points to media files (where exactly can very but it depends upon how complex you want to be about this  -- I have several libraries but some of of the links point to the same file in all).  From what you said it sounded like you have two libraries and two iTunes folders, each with its own set of iTunes files and folders. In one you have your high quality and in the other you have your low quality, but it's tricky keeping things straight in both.  If I'm wrong here then I'm missing something in your explanation.

     

    Wait, doesn't my library need to be on the device that I create playlists on?

    To reiterate, the library file does contain the playlists.

     

    iOS: Syncing with iTunes - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1386 -  You have to either sync everything or selected playlists.

  • by David Roe,

    David Roe David Roe May 8, 2012 8:33 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 8, 2012 8:33 AM in response to Limnos

    So, I take my existing library of songs, select them and create lower bit rate mp3s out of them which will create a 2nd copy of each song at a lower bit rate. Then I can create a playlist of those mp3s to which I sync with my iPod.

  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos May 8, 2012 8:34 AM in response to David Roe
    Level 9 (54,642 points)
    Mac OS X
    May 8, 2012 8:34 AM in response to David Roe

    Yes, more or less, but you know there may even be a better way without creating duplicates:

     

    Select "Convert higher bitrate songs to 128 kbps AAC" - http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=303772 - discussion from 2007

  • by David Roe,

    David Roe David Roe May 8, 2012 8:54 AM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 8, 2012 8:54 AM in response to Limnos

    Ooo, that looks interesting, I'll have to poke around for that feature when I get home this evening. One of the posters wrote an apple script to do this as well.

     

    Thanks.

  • by Chris CA,Solvedanswer

    Chris CA Chris CA May 8, 2012 12:23 PM in response to David Roe
    Level 9 (79,682 points)
    iTunes
    May 8, 2012 12:23 PM in response to David Roe

    David Roe wrote:

     

    Ooo, that looks interesting, I'll have to poke around for that feature when I get home this evening. One of the posters wrote an apple script to do this as well.

     

    Thanks.

    No need for an AppleScript.

    This has been updated (since the 2007 post) and you can now convert/sync to 128, 192 or 256kbps.

  • by David Roe,

    David Roe David Roe May 8, 2012 2:32 PM in response to Chris CA
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 8, 2012 2:32 PM in response to Chris CA

    That did it, freed up 15 GB. Thanks!