iTunes question, prepping music to fit in iPhone

[DougFNJ]

So in preparation for going from a 64gb touch to a 32gb iPhone, I am sorting through what music I plan to keep on it from over 5900 songs.

I definitely plan to utilize the convert to 128 Kbps option. However, I am thinking the collection will still be too large. I am looking to keep at least 5 gigs free on the iPhone which will probably force me to chisel 1500-2000 songs off.

I notice in the music tab on iTunes it allows you to add music by artist, album, song, playlist, etc. If I checkmark for example AC/DC in the artist section, it is obviously going to synch all albums by them. How can synch the artists I want in there, but remove some albums to conserve space?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[lr_zuber]

After you select Artist, I'm not sure there's an option to deselect certain albums (on work computer, can't look for sure). Your better option might be to select Albums, or even Create an "iPhone" (or whatever you want to name it) playlist and drag albums/songs over.

I have a 32gb Touch, but only sync the current stuff to it. My old 30gb iPod Photo has my entire 3k song library on it... but I never use the thing.

Do you listen to music THAT often? To each their own, but just a suggestion... Sync the important songs you want to listen to "in the moment" to your iPhone and keep your entire library on the Touch. Just take it with you when you think you'd want a song that isn't on your iPhone, or re-sync your iPhone with the songs you're wanting. I plan to get a 32gb iPhone, however, I'll keep bringing my Touch to work, to use for games/music, so I can save my iPhone battery. Yes, I have a USB Cable at work, but I can last a few days on my Touch without recharging where I know I'd have to charge my phone at home and at work, daily. Just my opinions.

 

[DougFNJ]

Thanks for the reply. I am ultimately looking to cut down on my devices. I like to have my entire collection handy, but realize that is not possible on a 32GB iPhone. I do plan to use it as my primary source of music. I guess the best bet would be to uncheck all the artists, and just check albums, and of course down convert to 128. Im tempted to just build the playlist, but at over 5900 songs, that would be a LOT to go through lol.

 

[ARSkemp]

What I have been focusing on since the Jan 11th announcement was rating my songs. I plan on keeping the songs rated 3 stars and above on my iphone using a smart playlist. That playlist, coupled with almost all my other playlists (which usually have songs rated above 3 stars anyways) has left me @ about 15-20GB of music to put on it. I still have a decent amount of songs to rate, but i do not expect it to reach the max capacity of the iphone. I've been wanting to rate my songs anyways, and although its kind of a pain, I now had a reason to push myself to actually do it.

 

[JakePleasants]

Thanks for the reply. I am ultimately looking to cut down on my devices. I like to have my entire collection handy, but realize that is not possible on a 32GB iPhone. I do plan to use it as my primary source of music. I guess the best bet would be to uncheck all the artists, and just check albums, and of course down convert to 128. Im tempted to just build the playlist, but at over 5900 songs, that would be a LOT to go through lol.

When I got the original Nano and it held like 2GBs of music I think it was, I had to cut down on my music too but I really didn't want to permanently reduce the quality of my music, so I did not then and will never compress it to 128mbps. I use a pair of $150 headphones (Diddybeats), so I'm serious about the quality of my music. And while I don't have nearly as much music as you (1,651 songs/9.16GBs), I opted to make a playlist to fit on my old first-gen Nano. If I were you, I'd do the same. It's worth the effort because you only have to do it once as you can always add to your playlist as you get new music and converting your music to a lower bit-rate is irreversible.

 

[DougFNJ]

When I got the original Nano and it held like 2GBs of music I think it was, I had to cut down on my music too but I really didn't want to permanently reduce the quality of my music, so I did not then and will never compress it to 128mbps. I use a pair of $150 headphones (Diddybeats), so I'm serious about the quality of my music. And while I don't have nearly as much music as you (1,651 songs/9.16GBs), I opted to make a playlist to fit on my old first-gen Nano. If I were you, I'd do the same. It's worth the effort because you only have to do it once as you can always add to your playlist as you get new music and converting your music to a lower bit-rate is irreversible.

iTunes gives you the option to down-convert music to 128 for the transfer to the device while maintaining the integrity of the original file in the entire library.

If I felt it to be that big of a hit to difference in quality, which I don't believe I will as I did this for my iPad, I could always shrink the choices for the iPhone even further and leave the quality up. Funny though, with as much music as I have, you would think I would care more about the quality, but I have a very slight hearing impairment which kind of hurts my ability to hear the fine difference between 128 and 320 which my collection is burned in at on my PC.

 

[Fausty82]

I just created a playlist (I called it iPhone)... stuck the stuff in that play list that I wanted on my phone... then I configured my iPhone sync to only sync that playlist...

 

[iSRS]

iTunes gives you the option to down-convert music to 128 for the transfer to the device while maintaining the integrity of the original file in the entire library.

If I felt it to be that big of a hit to difference in quality, which I don't believe I will as I did this for my iPad, I could always shrink the choices for the iPhone even further and leave the quality up. Funny though, with as much music as I have, you would think I would care more about the quality, but I have a very slight hearing impairment which kind of hurts my ability to hear the fine difference between 128 and 320 which my collection is burned in at on my PC.

I, too, no longer can notice the fine differences. I was in a couple of bands as a teenager/early 20's - a Drummer. Should have invested then in some good ear plugs, but never did. Practicing with my headphones on (and loud enough to hear over my drums) likely didn't help, either.

What I did when I moved from my 80 GB 5th gen (now called Classic) to my 16 GB first gen touch was to manage by check marks. I only sync checked items, and check what I want. For my wife's nano, I have created a playlist that she throws whatever she wants into, checked or not, and that is what syncs.

I'll be getting double the space when my iPhone comes in! So I'll be in the opposite situation as you. Now I have mostly "Greatest Hits" collections (self defined greatest hits in most cases), plus my favorite albums sync.

This is why I hope Apple soon releases streaming, basically, what LaLa did before they took it down. That would be sweet. I have also though of subscribing to Napster. That app is pretty good, works well, and has a decent selection. But I have been reluctant to pay for it yet and just tried the trial.

 

[JakePleasants]

iTunes gives you the option to down-convert music to 128 for the transfer to the device while maintaining the integrity of the original file in the entire library.

If I felt it to be that big of a hit to difference in quality, which I don't believe I will as I did this for my iPad, I could always shrink the choices for the iPhone even further and leave the quality up. Funny though, with as much music as I have, you would think I would care more about the quality, but I have a very slight hearing impairment which kind of hurts my ability to hear the fine difference between 128 and 320 which my collection is burned in at on my PC.

Oh I didn't know that! I thought it made you convert it on your computer as well.

I know what you mean about sound quality on the iPad - it kind of sucks. I don't really understand why though because my 6th gen Nano sounds 100X better than my iPad and the iPad costs 10X as much.

I just created a playlist (I called it iPhone)... stuck the stuff in that play list that I wanted on my phone... then I configured my iPhone sync to only sync that playlist...

Ditto.

I, too, no longer can notice the fine differences. I was in a couple of bands as a teenager/early 20's - a Drummer. Should have invested then in some good ear plugs, but never did. Practicing with my headphones on (and loud enough to hear over my drums) likely didn't help, either.

What I did when I moved from my 80 GB 5th gen (now called Classic) to my 16 GB first gen touch was to manage by check marks. I only sync checked items, and check what I want. For my wife's nano, I have created a playlist that she throws whatever she wants into, checked or not, and that is what syncs.

I'll be getting double the space when my iPhone comes in! So I'll be in the opposite situation as you. Now I have mostly "Greatest Hits" collections (self defined greatest hits in most cases), plus my favorite albums sync.

This is why I hope Apple soon releases streaming, basically, what LaLa did before they took it down. That would be sweet. I have also though of subscribing to Napster. That app is pretty good, works well, and has a decent selection. But I have been reluctant to pay for it yet and just tried the trial.

Kind of ironic that you were in a band, because I immediately thought of Bret Michaels when I saw you in your avatar.

Of course avatars are so tiny that it's really how to tell what someone actually looks like, but that's who you look like in the little thumbnail picture.

 

[iSRS]

Thanks, Jakes! Nothin' but a good time! My HS band, we called ourselves Whyt Noyz - Perfect 80's hairband name!

As far as the check for down converting to 128, it doesn't perfectly convert it. Only impacts the copies it actually puts on the device. For instance, once you delete a song (or restore a device and remove them all) it will need to convert it again when putting it back. The first time you check it and run it, it will take a while...