Apple Music Question (2018)

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by MrMudPuppy, May 15, 2018.

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  1. MrMudPuppy

    MrMudPuppy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    I've scoured the Internet for information & called Apple Care, but I trust SH forum members more. :)

    Background:
    I have an iTunes library of imported music (CDs & a handful of iTunes purchases) on a PC, Mac Mini & iPad Pro (77,000+ songs). I have NO music on my iPhone X.

    Here's what I want to do:
    I'd like to sign up and try Apple Music on my iPhone X only. I do not want Apple Music touching/corrupting my music library on my other devices (PC, Mac Mini, iPad Pro). I'd like to keep it all separate.

    Is the key to disable the iCloud Music Library and/or iTunes match features (if that still exists)? Is overwriting music files still an issue in 2018? Can I even do this? Any tips appreciated!

    Thanks!!!
     
    head_unit likes this.
  2. The7thStranger

    The7thStranger Part of the Rhythm Nation

    Location:
    An der Lahn...
    There's really no way to use Apple Music with your local library without it screwing up your tags on the device if you also plan on saving music offline.

    Apple Music is truly garbage.

    EDIT: And I misread the OP! If you're not going to be syncing anything from your music library to the phone, then just turn off iCloud Music Library on your computer and you *shouldn't* have anything to worry about.
     
    mj_patrick likes this.
  3. crispi

    crispi Vinyl Archaeologist

    Location:
    Berlin
    I did that a year ago and it worked. I only turned on Apple Music on the iPhone, not in iTunes. It worked. My iTunes library stayed intact and still is. Use the method you mentioned.
     
  4. Galley

    Galley Forum Resident

    That’s how I do it; iTunes on my iPhone X and Apple Music on my iPad.
     
  5. AudioEnz

    AudioEnz Senior Member

    Then that's all you need do. Just switch on Apple Music on your phone and enjoy.
     
  6. MrMudPuppy

    MrMudPuppy Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Thanks! So I disable the iCloud Music Library? Is that the critical step? I do sync my iPhone occasionally with iTunes (via wired connection) for contacts, I manually manage music/don't sync music, so nothing gets copied to the phone. Is there anything else I need to be aware of?
     
    crispi likes this.
  7. rockin_since_58

    rockin_since_58 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Simi Valley, CA
    If you disable iCloud Music Library, you won't get your music that is on your local computer on the phone.
     
  8. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    There is a way round this (can't remember which SHF user told me).

    1. Switch iCloud Music library OFF on your iPhone. This will delete any music synced from Apple Music from the phone.
    2. Sync whatever music you have on your local computer via USB as you would do normally.
    3. Switch iCloud Music library ON on the iPhone, and when asked "Do you want to keep the music that's on your iPhone", select "Keep Music".

    I have all of my CD ripped to Apple Lossless on my PC and Mac, and don't think using iCloud Music Library has messed around with the tags or original files. However, I have always left the "Keep iTunes Media folder organised" option (Preferences>Advanced) unchecked.

    I have iCloud Music Library enabled on the PC but not on the Mac as with two machines with identical libraries weird duplicates sometimes occur.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2018
    head_unit, coffeetime and BayouTiger like this.
  9. ky658

    ky658 Senior Member

    Location:
    Ft Myers, Florida
    Yup, did the same, it works.
     
    crispi likes this.
  10. SamS

    SamS Forum Legend

    Location:
    Texas
    Not true.
     
    crispi likes this.
  11. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    Amazing that after all the backlash, that Apple will still futz with the tags on your hard drive in exchange for the privilege of coordinating your library with their cloud service.

    I wish that they would read the titles of the albums as well. For example, I can’t sync a live version of Springsteen tracks from the download site. The cloud service will look to my library and play their ‘matched’ version of the studio track.
     
  12. AudioEnz

    AudioEnz Senior Member

    I've never had any of my metadata interfered with by Apple Music (save a couple of album covers changed). I've also never had the "wrong" versions of songs appear - they've all been whatever I've uploaded.
     
  13. Sevoflurane

    Sevoflurane Forum Resident

    Apple Music frequently plays odd versions of songs via a phone or HomePod.

    Examples: I asked Siri to play Dark Side of the Moon on my HomePod. It started okay, but inserted the live version of Us and Them from Delicate Sound of Thunder followed by the live Any Colour You Like from Pulse. Hardly an obscure album to mess up.

    Another one: The Thieving Magpie by Marillion has a live rendition of Misplaced Childhood. Last time I tried to download this to my phone I got a cut and paste of songs from different live shows, including one I am sure I haven’t heard before (and as an avid fan I thought I had all of the official releases featuring MC live).

    Try getting the Beatles Monos from Apple Music and you’ll get the 2009 stereos whether you like it or not!

    For thes reasons I find syncing such albums straight from my iTunes library tue only way of getting the right versions.
     
  14. guidedbyvoices

    guidedbyvoices Old Dan's Records

    Location:
    Alpine, TX
    I have a large digital collection on iTunes and a family account for Apple Music with 4 users. I created a separate library on my computer for Apple Music vs my digital library that had tons of personalized tags and info that I didn’t want messed up. Used it like this for over two years and have never had anything mix or get goofed up. I use Apple Music on some devices, iTunes/digital library on others, and use ‘choose library’ on logging in to iTunes on my laptop to pick whether I’m steaming or playing something I ripped.
     
    mj_patrick likes this.
  15. GetHappy!!

    GetHappy!! Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    There is a way around this, at least on a Mac: when integrating your own ripped music with an Apple Music library, use a program (such as dBpoweramp) to upsample your file to 24/96, even if it's an mp3 file. Then add the file to your library. Uploading will take a while, as you're going to be dealing with rather large files. When finished, check on the iCloud status, and it should say "uploaded". You can then click on "remove download", and from there on the file you download on your computer or iDevice will be a 256 AAC file of the particular mastering you've uploaded.

    I've uploaded over 7,000 of my own files, and as long as the status is "uploaded" in iTunes, my MacBook/iPad/iPhone gives me the file I've uploaded (including The Beatles In Mono, as mentioned in your post.).
     
    zombiemodernist and btltez like this.
  16. btltez

    btltez Forum Resident

    Location:
    I'm From Detroit
    I tried this a year or so ago, but if I had icloud library/apple music turned on on the first ''streaming apple music" library, it was turned on on the second ''my ripped music" library, hence both libraries would ''match'' my ripped live/mono/etc songs to the apple studio stuff. Does starting a second library allow you separate preferences? I want a second library with just my apple lossless bootlegs/rare/mono stuff on both my mac and my iphone.
     
  17. btltez

    btltez Forum Resident

    Location:
    I'm From Detroit
    would this work just by making them ''apple lossless" files?
     
  18. GetHappy!!

    GetHappy!! Forum Resident

    Location:
    NYC
    I would say there's a 90% (and up) chance that it would work, but I have had instances where a 16/44.1 ALAC file will be matched; I then convert the same file to 24/96, update iCloud music library again, and the track will display "uploaded" instead of "matched". So you can try, but I know that with a 24/96 file I've never had an issue.
     
    btltez likes this.
  19. Nesto719

    Nesto719 Active Member

    Location:
    Colorado
    When Apple Music first came out . People libraries got messed up including mine , but this has been fixed for awhile now , and I now have my own music mixed within the service
     
    Coltrane811 likes this.
  20. Stereosound

    Stereosound Forum Resident

    Location:
    USA
    Care to explain how to properly and safely do this?
     
    btltez likes this.
  21. Bubbamike

    Bubbamike Forum Resident

    Turn off match and you'll be fine. If you don't trust my answer go over to Computer Audio and find ITunes and Everything Apple in the Equipment forum and ask over there. You'll get better informed responses there than here where just mentioning the word "Apple" gets some people upset.
     
    wavertonwood and btltez like this.
  22. Joey_Corleone

    Joey_Corleone Forum Resident

    Location:
    Rockford, MI
    I switched to Roon for my home setup, and just have Apple Music for my iPhone and iPad. Works well for me.
     
  23. btltez

    btltez Forum Resident

    Location:
    I'm From Detroit
    I tried Roon but man what a complicated mess. And I didn't like Tidal at all. But Roon had some really cool features I should have given it more time and just used my own music maybe.
     
  24. cdash99

    cdash99 Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    I hate to nitpick, but when I gave AM access to my library when they first launched, they left the music files alone but FUBAR'd the artwork. Moreover, their matching left something to be desired. For example, they would play a different version of a live track when I clicked on anything in the Grateful Dead's Dave's Picks series.

    If both these problems are solved, I'd be willing to give it another try, but I'd like a bit more definitive confirmation.
     
    Sevoflurane and zombiemodernist like this.
  25. ukrules

    ukrules Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kentucky
    I love my local Apple ecosystem. That's why we use Amazon Music instead so the streams don't cross.
     
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