help with shuffle

[MrDLP]

I have 7800 music files (578 hours). Sometimes I want to just play them all shuffled. MM's definition of shuffle must be different than mine because with that many songs it should take over a month before it repeats a song, yet it still will play a song multiple times in a day. What am I missing here? How can I make it play all the songs in a random order without repeating them?

[Rob_S]

Not official help here, just another user what I found works.

I have no idea what the algorithm for shuffle is, but I suspect it favors songs most played and higher rated, and always randomly selects from the entire pool as opposed to recently unplayed. Thus not what you want nor me.

If you hit the three-dot menu at the top of the now playing list, about half-way down is "Randomize list", preferably with the topmost song selected. This will sort the entire list in random order, and now you can play from the top in non-shuffle mode, and hear ALL your tracks in this randomized order.

You can add tracks using play-next, and they will actually play next. You can close MM and restart and it will remember where it was at.

However, if you play any other playlist in between, what you have set up is forgotten, and there is no way to restore it, nor play the rest of the list.

This is a feature I have often requested that there be some way to save a queue, along with the last played track in it, so you can in fact return to your list and continue from where you left off. I am not sure why it isn't a priority.

[MrDLP]

Thanks Rob! This has been bugging me for years. I will give it a try.

[Blorkersson]

Hi MrDLP,

I can offer a possible work round: create an AutoPlaylist that excludes songs from the playlist once they have been played, for a period that causes less (or even eliminates the) likelihood of a repeat and use this Playlist to "play your songs in shuffle mode without repeating songs". In the following example (with setup steps), I'll name the Playlist as Non-Repeat Shuffle.

The following method will not affect your library; all it does is add songs that meet the criteria to this Playlist. It does not move songs or prevent you from playing them in any other way that you usually do. You can modify the Playlist in order to make it do what suits you and if necessary, you can delete the Playlist without affecting anything else in your library.

One thing to note though, is that if you play a song via any other method, i.e. as part of an album, one song on its own, or in another Playlist, this will cause the song to be removed from the Non-Repeat Shuffle Playlist. It will still be playable through the other menus. I assume, from what you have told us, that this would suit you.

Method:

• on the top menu bar, select Edit/New Auto Playlist (this opens a new playlist dialogue with the playlist name field highlighted. You can rename it later if you prefer)

• change the Search: Entire Library drop down option to Search: Music

• on the line Match / All of the following criteria:, tap the + icon (to add a rule)

• on the pop-up context menu, choose Others / Last Played

• on the Last Played line, change it from Last Played / > / "date" so that it reads Last Played / > (days ago) / 32. The list might jump, so you simply need to scroll up to the top of the frame to see and edit the number of days

• tap the name of Playlist area and type in the name you would like for this Playlist, i.e. Non-Repeat Shuffle

That's it.

You then play this Playlist in Shuffle mode. The Playlist will update as you use it in MMW, removing any song that has been played and not replacing it for 32 days (the month you suggested). If the Playlist empties out too soon, then reduce the number of days that songs are excluded. If you still have issues with repeats, edit the Playlist to increase the number of days. If using this Playlist on a portable device, then every time you Sync your portable device to MMW the Playlist on the device will be updated. That is, songs will not be removed from the Playlist until it's updated, but that can only take place when you synchronise the portable device with MMW.

[TheEmpathicEar]

We don't have this option in MMA?

[Blorkersson]

TheEmpathicEar wrote:
We don't have this option in MMA?

What option are you referring to?

[TheEmpathicEar]

Doing in MMA what the member above was doing in MM5?

[Rob_S]

If you want to play tracks in random order continuously with no repeats and be able to recall where you were in the queue on your android device, you should try Musicolet, at least until they fix it.

[Blorkersson]

The EmpathicEar wrote:
Doing in MMA what the member above was doing in MM5?

The Auto Playlist method that I have suggested can be copied onto MMA (via Sync). However, it's important to note that the Playlist will only be updated (to remove played songs and add the additional ones) when MMA is synchronised with MMW. This is because the Playlist is static on MMA, but automatic in MMW.

It may not be a perfect solution, but if you play this playlist continuously, it should not repeat songs prior to a Sync. I haven't examined this process too closely, but as a usual rule, the repeat will only occur because the Playlist has been re-started; that is when the user returns to the Playlist after playing something else.

[Lowlander]

MMA can also do Random Play instead of Shuffle. You just select files and then use Random Play to add them in random order to the Playing. Disable Shuffle and you get all files played before a repetition.

[Blorkersson]

Lowlander wrote:
MMA can also do Random Play instead of Shuffle. You just select files and then use Random Play

My apologies, but I don't see Random Play anywhere. If I select multiple songs in Tracks view, the only option is Play Now (which has its own icon), and on the More Options menu: Play next, Play last, Add to playlist, Properties, Delete Share...

What am I missing?

By the way, this is MMA version 2.0.0.1073, with MMPro installed.

[Barry4679]

My apologies, but I don't see Random Play anywhere. If I select multiple songs in Tracks view, the only option is Play Now (which has its own icon), and on the More Options menu: Play next, Play last, Add to playlist, Properties, Delete Share...
What am I missing?

I see this also.
The random play icon disappears as soon as you start a track selection.
BTW, you can't fix by upgrading to v1074 ... it has the same problem.

[Lowlander]

Please discuss MMA problems in the MMA forum.

PS. Random play is available when no files are selected, but unavailable when a file selection is made: https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=19919

[mprgrl]

Just downloaded yesterday and having an issue find random or shuffle. The only choices I see with the three dots is Sleep time, equalizer, options (which I do not see an option for random) upgrade and about. I have a large library (over 50K) and prefer to have it on "shuffle"

[Lowlander]

Three dots in the Playing has Randomize list to randomize the Playing, in the Main Menu you can use Play > Shuffle to enable Shuffle.