My new IPod

[springrite]

Vanessa got me a new IPod, telling me to put some of my CD music in it so I don't need to bring my walkman and CDs on my road trips. I have never used one before and have no idea how to use it. So far I don't see how I can upload my CD into it.

[Mirror Image]

You need iTunes, Paul. I love all of my iPods. I still feel that they're some of the best portable media players on the market. What kind of iPod did you receive? All of my iPod models are quite outdated now, but my main go-to iPod is my 120 GB Classic, which they don't make anymore unfortunately.

[mc ukrneal]

So Just to clarify - you need to rip to your iTunes library and then pick the music to put on the ipod itself. If you google your question, you should get several sites to help with steps (if needed). The most important thing is choosing the right file type and quality of the rip. You can always edit the information or add pictures (album covers) later.

The only tip I would add is that when ripping, you want to make sure the name of the folder it goes to will be the same for all tracks. If they differ, you might get one disc spread across several folders on your hard drive/external drive. This is just a pain from an organization point of view. There are different ways of doing it, but it means paying attention to the category you tell iTunes to use when ripping a cd (for example, album name or artist). I have forgotten about it at times when I have had different artists on the same disc, for example.

EDIT - And don't hesitate to ask any questions....

[springrite]

Thank for the replies. Unfortunately, this is China where, like North Korea, Google is blocked. So I can't google it.

But I will try to find out how to rip it and load to iTune. Sounds like lots of work as, 20 years after I left Silicon Valley, I went from a Tech Guru to a complete tech illiterate.

[Mirror Image]

Nonsense, Paul. It's like riding a bike, it just takes some practice. You'll be ripping CDs before you know it. Also, make sure you rip your CDs at higher bit rate than what iTunes is automatically configured for.

[mc ukrneal]

Thank for the replies. Unfortunately, this is China where, like North Korea, Google is blocked. So I can't google it.

But I will try to find out how to rip it and load to iTune. Sounds like lots of work as, 20 years after I left Silicon Valley, I went from a Tech Guru to a complete tech illiterate.

How about Bing? Any search engine should work. But here is a step by step link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Rip-MP3s-from-an-Audio-CD-with-iTunes
I agree with MI, so if you use a lossy format, switch to 320. If you use lossless, then just choose that.

[springrite]

How about Bing? Any search engine should work. But here is a step by step link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Rip-MP3s-from-an-Audio-CD-with-iTunes
I agree with MI, so if you use a lossy format, switch to 320. If you use lossless, then just choose that.

Thanks! Finally one that opens!
I will read it this weekend and see how that works. My next trip won't be until two weeks later so I still have time.

[mc ukrneal]

Thanks! Finally one that opens!
I will read it this weekend and see how that works. My next trip won't be until two weeks later so I still have time.

The key to setting it all up is really the preferences tab. Once you have that all set up, then it is just a matter of learning the process of ripping and getting used to it. Compilations are usually more work.

[Mirror Image]

Assuming this is going to be an iPod dedicated to classical music, one way to keep all of your albums together and in one place, a possible suggestion for you (if I may give you one) is to keep everything under 'Albums' instead of 'Artists' and here's an example of what it will look like:

Nielsen: Complete Symphonies - Blomstedt [Disc 01]
Nielsen: Complete Symphonies - Blomstedt [Disc 02]

I can't stress strongly enough how important it is to label a box set [Disc 01], [Disc 02], etc., because if you don't and you have more than 9 discs, it'll put 10 ahead of 1. Trust me, I've learned this from experience.

Nielsen: Orchestral Works - Dausgaard
Nielsen: Chamber Works, Vol. 1

Etc....

If you have a compilation album with more than one composer on it, try to go by the composer you want it to fall under, like for example:

Bartok, Stravinsky: Orchestral Works - Dohnanyi

I could give you thirty examples of ways you could sort your recordings, but I find that doing it the way I mentioned, eliminates what I call the 'artists problem' and keeps them organized under the composer like a classical recording should be anyway.

If you have any questions regarding any of this or even questions about iTunes and how to change things in your 'Preferences,' then don't hesitate to ask me, I'm glad to help.

[springrite]

I may start with PDQ Bach, so mistakes and accidents only enhance the experience.

[Mirror Image]

I may start with PDQ Bach, so mistakes and accidents only enhance the experience.

What you could do here is this (I don't know what PDQ Bach recordings you're putting on) for example:

Bach (PDQ): Complete Works [Disc 01]
Bach (PDQ): Complete Works [Disc 02]

etc.

Then when you get to JS Bach:

Bach (JS): Brandenburg Concertos

Of course, JS will come first since J is before P thus allowing you to be able to sort through both these composers rather easily.

[Holden]

If you decide to go lossless then ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec) is the format to use however, 320 kbps lossy is absolutely fine.

[Mirror Image]

Another word on iPods STAY AWAY FROM THEIR EQUALIZERS!!! Just set it to 'No EQ' as there's nothing in any of their EQ settings that sounds good for classical music. Again, trust me, I've listened to them all and found no EQ to be the best option. Unfortunately, Apple does not allow you to import EQ settings into your iPod, so you're pretty much stuck with what's on it.

[Madiel]

I can't stress strongly enough how important it is to label a box set [Disc 01], [Disc 02], etc., because if you don't and you have more than 9 discs, it'll put 10 ahead of 1. Trust me, I've learned this from experience.

It's not strictly necessary to do it this way any more. If all the discs in a box are given the same title, but labelled in the metadata as disc 1 of X, disc 2 of X, they will appear together as one entry, properly sorted.

This is the way anything you buy from iTunes now comes arranged. When ripping from CDs, though, they will usually come with the "[Disc 01]" stuff because that's how people used to always do it and that's how the Gracenote database tends to be arranged.

[Mirror Image]

Paul, did you figure out how to rip the CD and import the music onto your iPod yet? Inquiring minds want to know.

[springrite]

Paul, did you figure out how to rip the CD and import the music onto your iPod yet? Inquiring minds want to know.

No time for it yet. Maybe a couple of weeks later. I am busy writing my book. I will let you know.

I should be smart enough to do it, only it'd take more time than I'd like!

[Mirror Image]

No time for it yet. Maybe a couple of weeks later. I am busy writing my book. I will let you know.

I should be smart enough to do it, only it'd take more time than I'd like!

Sounds like a plan, Paul.