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Build a better playlist
I love my Archos Gmini, but it can't shuffle worth a darn.
(Credit: CNET Networks)I love my Archos Gmini 220. It doesn't play movies, make phone calls, or take snapshots, but it provides me 20GB of digital music and files that I can take anywhere and transfer to any computer. It also only cost me $150 two years ago and is still going strong (with the help of one critical rubber band). It's also very solid as a lo-fi recording device for live shows.
While I don't need a portable music player that massages my back or sorts my laundry, I do need one that can shuffle my tracks randomly. Unfortunately, like most portable media players, my Gmini fails miserably. While shuffling, it will often play the exact same string of songs I heard just a few hours earlier.
So what's a variety-loving listener to do? Well, I make playlists, usually "smart" playlists in MediaMonkey using the "last played" criteria. Of course, Apple's iTunes also provides similar functionality, as do a number of other free digital-music jukeboxes.
Those looking for more automation in the process should check out The Filter, a plug-in for iTunes that will automatically create intelligent playlists based on your own preferences. I've had mixed results, but Peter Gabriel supposedly swears by it.
The future of random playlists will likely happen on the Web. A number of Web sites like imeem and FineTune let you create your own mixes for embedding on your blog or home page, but they haven't yet taken the leap onto portable devices.
When you're looking for a mix of various songs, do you leave your listening choices up to the God of Shuffle, or do you use software or Web sites to help you build playlists? Tell me about your own secret tricks for great mixes in the comments.
It has plug-in for my Zune or ipod and works very well, well you can
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It does search for titles, names, and kind of music. Makes Rate and have a "Artist link" feature. So when you're listening to shuffle songs, it keeps playing same kind of songs or songs that you might like. And when you skip one, it change kind....
I wish all MP3 players have this great feature!
Finally, when you play a song with this feature on Sony's MP3 players, you will listen to some kind of music for a while, and when you found this is not as good, you skip the song, and the brand, to another one...
The Filter does an excellent job of creating playlists of similar "sounding" songs. Unfortunately it only works on iTunes and WMP, and I use MediaMonkey almost exclusively (even for syncing my iPods!).
Another software app for creating playlists of similar sounding songs is Flookey (<a class="jive-link-external" href="http://www.flookey.com," target="_newWindow">http://www.flookey.com,</a> but I bet you figured that out). It first analyzes your music library, then it recommends playlists based on songs you listen to, and songs you "boost" (manually select). I find the GUI a little confusing (it doesn't appear to show all the songs in your library anywhere), it tends to show a lot of the same artists at first, and it forces you to play songs for selection through Flookey (doesn't pick up on what you play through other music managers).
The Zen Vision:M and other Zen players allow you to create a playlist on the go (that is on the player) itself. It also works with Media Monkey and Windows Media Player. Unlike the iPod, it can be taken to any computer.
The Zen also has a shuffle feature similar to the iPod. It has the following options: Album of the Day, Random, Most Popular, Rarely Heard, Highly Rated and Yet to be Rated.
In the past, I have also used Moodlogic. It has wonderful features for creating a playlist based on a mood, for example "Upbeat". Unfortunately, the product and site are no longer being updated, but you can still download the program and get it to work.
- Re:Build a Better Playlist.....
- by atomaugust October 11, 2007 10:38 PM PDT
- I have an Archos Jukebox 20, and the way I build a playlist is how the files are input to the Jukebox.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(11 Comments)I have several folders, with one containing over 1000 tracks of Classic Rock. The Jukebox has no problems with shuffling the entire folder. Other folders include Jazz, 50s rock, 60s rock and so on.
To create a "Smart" playlist, use Windows Explorer, and input the tracks you want. Call the folder "Playlist 1," or anything you want. Upload the folder to the device, set the device to "shuffle," and you have your smart playlist, which the device can handle.
For the Archos, up to 99 playlists can be created.
SoCal Tom