Macworld Forums: Three tips for classical (and other) music and iTunes - Macworld Forums

Post your comments for Three tips for classical (and other) music and iTunes here

I've always used the free MacFLAC to convert FLAC files to AIFF. Not a lot of options for converting, but it is a one-step drag and drop that is virtually idiot-proof. I've used it several times with the archive-org bootleg collection.

Yes, but MacFLAC requires that you then convert the AIFF files using another tool. Unless you want to keep AIFFs, then you need to use either iTunes, to convert to Apple Lossless, AAC or MP3, or another tool. XLD (and Max) let you do this in one step.

Thanks for the pointer to XLD. I've been using Max (also free) but it requires the extra step of importing the converted tracks into iTunes - just not having to do that will make the process so much easier.

Thanks for the tip on XLC. I've used xACT in my workflow from converting FLAC->AIFF, but then used iTunes to convert to Apple Lossless. Tag everything there, then switch to primary user (I used different users for separate iTunes libraries, so they can be accessed simultaneously on Apple TV) and use an automator action to convert to AAC. I think XLC might trim down a few of those steps into converting all the live jazz I got from dime.

Fluke is also in development to play FLAC in iTunes. Last time I tried it, it wasn't perfect but did ok.

http://blowintopiece...tunes/#comments

http://code.google.c.../downloads/list

Yes, I discussed Fluke some time ago. It's a bit of a hack, and only works with iTunes; ie, you can't put the FLAC files on an iPod. It's good if you just want to give your files a listen, but if you really want to keep them in your library, and you want lossless, converting to Apple Lossless makes sense.

Is there any way by now to use those sub-genres in iTunes outside of the ITMS? My previous method (Classical-Baroque-Chamber) doesn't work on the iPhone anymore, because you can't read anything beyond Classical-... I really wish they would make that available in the regular version of iTunes as well. Maybe they do - any ideas how that can be achieved?

kirkmc, on 25 March 2010 - 11:44 AM, said:

Also, it only works with Ogg Vorbis FLAC files, last time I checked.

I wish there were a way to make iTunes and/or the iPod app keep movements of a single piece together when playing, even when Shuffle is on. iTunes has the "Grouping" field where it suggests you put the name of the complete work, but as far as I can tell this does absolutely nothing useful.

If you have Toast Titanium 7 or later (I don't know about earlier Toast versions), you can drag the FLAC files into the audio window of Toast, and export them as Apple Lossless. Then add them to iTunes.

LannyHeidbreder, on 25 March 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

If you have Quicktime Pro, and possibly just Quicktime, you add the pieces together and create one song, a long piece of music that can be played in iTunes.

LannyHeidbreder, on 25 March 2010 - 06:55 PM, said:

Keeping related tracks together has been a bugbear of mine for 10 years or more. It's not just a classical music thing, either.

Best solution I've found is to merge (preferably lossless) tracks into a single file like brazos1 suggested, but with one refinement: take advantage of AAC's chapter support (used for podcasts and audiobooks) to maintain access to the sub-tracks. In some ways it's more elegant than the .cue files supported by some Windows apps.

I've long used Doug Adams' Join Together for this but haven't got it working on 10.6 yet. (I see there's a new update that might solve my issues.) Audiobook Builder does much the same, but because of its audiobook focus you have to do some extra fiddling with tags afterward to make it a proper music file.

The universal disdain among the major commercial services for album tracks that are supposed to flow together seamlessly (think concert recordings or concept albums) irks the hell out of me. There's no good reason for Apple to be selling Dark Side of the Moon as separate files when their own AAC podcast format does a wonderful job of keeping the album's integrity intact. I don't blame Pink Floyd for suing EMI over it, even if it is just about the money.

This is why I still buy some of my music on CD and rip it to Apple Lossless as an intermediary, and I even wrote an Applescript to generate random playlists that respect the Grouping tag built into iTunes. Another place Apple dropped the ball on this.

This post has been edited by TheFLP: 31 March 2010 - 01:34 PM