Classical Music Composers

[yarguy]

In Classical Music one of the choices is Composers, important because that is a frequent (if not most frequent) way to access classical music. When a composer has been selected all the albums with compositions by that composer are displayed. Selecting an album where all the content is by that composer presents no problem. It is when only some of the content is by that composer that MMA poses a problem. Instead of showing just the tracks by that composer, all the tracks on the album are shown. There is no indication of composer in the track listings for that album. Contrast that with PowerAmp. Although it doesn't have a separate Classical Music section it does have Composers as a choice. Selecting one brings up all the albums with that composer just as MMA does, but things differ after that. Selecting an album shows just the tracks on that album by the selcted composer, just what a listener wants. I appreciate that MM (both MMA and MMW) seem to want to appeal to classical music listeners, but it is as if the designers themselves never listen to classical music and never ask classical music listeners how they listen.

[IanRTaylorUK]

I am not certain if this will achieve what you want but consider this.

In MMW5 create a "top-level" playlist for the "Composer" then underneath this create separate playlists for each of the "works".

Let's consider Sergei Prokofiev as an example, then it go something like this:

• Sergei Prokofiev
  ===> Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67
  ===> Tales of an Old Grandmother. Op. 31

where the top level playlists just references the two playlists below. The two playlists below contain the respective tracks.

After checking the Playlists are selected in the sync Profile for the MMA device you should see some sort of confirmation when the Sync is complete like - Updated 20 Tracks Downloaded 3 Playlists.

On the Android device, the top level Playlist shows a "White Folder" icon but if you select this the two Playlists below are shown complete with the tracks (in the correct order).

But Cinderella is missing!!! On investigation the composer was set to Sergey rather than Sergei. After correcting this, making a new playlist, dragging it beneath the "Composer" playlist, updating the sync profile and then a quick re-sync... Updated 8 tracks Downloaded 1 Playlist:

• Sergei Prokofiev
  ===> Cinderella, Op. 87
  ===> Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67
  ===> Tales of an Old Grandmother. Op. 31

Therefore, by using Playlists you have control over grouping by composer / works but the files will still appear on the Android device (if tagged correctly) under the right Genre / Year / Rating / Composer / Works (Album).

Hope this example helps.

Images:
a). MMW5
https://octoberclub-my.sharepoint.com/: ... w?e=M556J9

b). MMA
https://octoberclub-my.sharepoint.com/: ... w?e=jTgpic

and

https://octoberclub-my.sharepoint.com/: ... A?e=qdmxlR

[rusty]

Yarguy,

When you navigate to Composer1, there are 2 tabs: Albums & Tracks.

Although the Albums tab shows the full albums, the Tracks tab only shows tracks by Composer1. This approach was taken because it could be confusing to navigate to an album and then only see a subset of the album. I wonder whether the simplest solution might be to change the order of the tabs (so that the filtered tracks list shows by default)?

-Rusty

[yarguy]

I have to be honest and say that I never noticed the tracks option. So making it the default would be my choice. I would also make Composers the first item at the top horizontal list when selecting Classical Music.

Here's another little problem (that should be easy to solve). After I get the list of tracks for a composer, I can select the tracks I want to play, but there seems to be no way to play them immediately if some other tracks had not completed. The three dot menu at the upper left only gives me three play options: Play Next, Play Last and Add to Playlist (there are other non play options). Shouldn't there also be a Play Now option?

Thanks

Yarguy,

When you navigate to Composer1, there are 2 tabs: Albums & Tracks.

Although the Albums tab shows the full albums, the Tracks tab only shows tracks by Composer1. This approach was taken because it could be confusing to navigate to an album and then only see a subset of the album. I wonder whether the simplest solution might be to change the order of the tabs (so that the filtered tracks list shows by default)?

-Rusty

[rusty]

Re. changing the order of the subnodes (Artists / Albums / Tracks) to Tracks / Artists / Albums, we'll consider that for a future release (I want to collect more feedback about that for other nodes).

Re. changing the other of Classical Music nodes, you can do so via the Edit button on the home screen (if you have MediaMonkey Pro). e.g. You can change 'Classical music' to display Composers, Album Artists, Years, Ratings.

Re. playing tracks immediately: if you tap a track all the tracks in the list will start playing starting with the one that you tapped.

-Rusty

[rusty]

Although the Albums tab shows the full albums, the Tracks tab only shows tracks by Composer1. This approach was taken because it could be confusing to navigate to an album and then only see a subset of the album.

I take that back. Other nodes are filtered in the manner that you suggest. Tracking this at https://www.ventismedia.com/mantis/view.php?id=20098