I’m waiting on a 2021 MacBook Pro M1 being delivered. Having not used my old iMac desktop for DJing for a long time (it’s a 2011 model) I’m curious as to what my options are for my music libraries.
I currently use an iPad Air 2020 with tidal which is fine. But I’m getting frustrated with music streaming services dropping songs I regularly use. Impeach the president has just been removed from tidal for example - the song is a hip hop staple in my opinion.
I also went through the pain of rebuilding my library in tidal when Spotify ceased support for djay. What a kick that was.
So I’ve decided to go back to the method of buying songs I want and having them saved on the hard drive.
But bringing myself up to speed with the new Apple Music eco system, and reading various reports, I need to know the following:
Can I use Apple Music (as opposed to iTunes) to manage my offline music content, and then link it to djay, so songs can be searched for and analysed etc?
If I subscribe to Apple Music streaming, can I use streamed Apple Music in djay like I do with tidal?
Sorry this may have been asked many times before, but I’ve read so many contradictions that I’m doubting what is actually possible.
I understand your frustration… managing the library can be tedious in streaming services and your songs are susceptible to changes made by the service themselves.
In djay, you can still manage your local (offline) library through Apple Music (FKA iTunes). djay provides a sophisticated integration for all tracks downloaded onto your device through iTunes. You can browse your music library by Playlist, Artist, Album, Genre, Key, History, and more.
Please note that no DJ software is capable of playing songs from Apple Music (streaming service). This also applies when songs are downloaded onto your device from Apple Music (streaming service), as the downloaded files will be DRM-protected. Furthermore, please note that when you download an iTunes Store song in DolbyAtmos or Lossless Quality, these songs are also DRM-protected.
Managing your library on Finder and using the Finder section of the djay library may also be an option for you.
I’m curious about Apple Music as well…
Although l own all my music, l did have a Spotify premium account up until they stopped supporting Djay… l recently signed up for Tidal and although it’s better than nothing, it has a lot of improving to do…
If Apple Music was compatible with Djay, l would switch over as well…
Based on what you have said, my preferred solution will be to obtain music outside of the Apple Music (so that it is not DRM protected), manage it within the Apple Music app which I can also use for casual listening and playback.
Then as far as Djay is concerned, utilise the integration with non DRM music contained within Apple Music.
@maurizio_T my thoughts exactly, if Apple streaming was compatible I’d drop tidal. From the research I’ve done and @Guillermo response, it seems pretty clear to me that it is Apple who need to be convinced, not algoriddim though I can’t see that happening any time soon sadly.
I’ve also been considering other streaming services that are compatible with djay, but I play such a wide range of music whether it be 80s pop, Hip Hop, house, trance or trap - I don’t feel that any of the other offerings have the music base I’d be after.
Frustratingly I’ve decided to keep my Spotify premium account open because I love the way music can be discovered on it. User created playlists being the key to that. So currently I find playlists I like on Spotify, use TuneMyMusic to transfer the list to tidal and then open it in Djay - then I have to analyse the playlist. I can see this becoming more process intense with a second device!
The thing I miss most about Spotify though is the predetermined song information - BPM in particular. It was so handy when getting a request to search for the song and see the BPM immediately, I could then think about exactly where I would play it so that I could mix it flawlessly. And the auto suggestions were far more relevant.
I have a subscription to Apple Music just to be able to listen to everything. Any music I want to play professionally through Djay, I purchase through iTunes and download it onto the hard drive. This works perfectly.
I stopped using iTunes and now manually organize my DJ library using the mp3tag app (https://mp3tag.app). It is a different workflow, but it’s easier to backup and restore the library to any computer or to any DJ software. And I feel a lot more confident that my DJ library is solidly curated and not being invisibly manipulated by Apple.
iTunes worked great for me for a long time, and I have all my playlists backed up on iCloud, but over the long run there were so many weird issues with iTunes. Sometimes stuff would get weird during OS updates, other times when loading playlists on a new computer. Add in my non-Apple library and it was just a lot of extra hassle to make sure 1. everything was actually there and 2. it was showing up correctly in the DJ software.
I still think iTunes is the way to go for smaller collections, and I think that’s what it’s really designed for. But when you start losing track (ha ha) of the songs in your DJ library, managing it outside of iTunes brings peace of mind.
A few months ago I retired my mid 2012 MacBook Pro for the new M1 Apple. I love it. It is too bad Apple Music won’t play ball. It is sad Spotify dropped out too. I ended up taking a snapshot of my Apple Music (iTunes )and branching it. So for listening on my iPhone and what not it is still iTunes. But the DJay stuff is now its own library. You will like the new MAC.
Thanks mate, looking forward to getting it (hopefully tomorrow - there has been stock issues).
For everyone mentioning iTunes, am I right in thinking that the Apple Music app can still manage my own content, which can then be searched for via Djay, by clicking on the Apple Music library?
Yes,
iTunes is now Apple Music on the Mac.
The iTunes Store is in there now.
You will still see your devices on the left side bar as before. It is extremely fast.
Even Wi-Fi
The MacBook arrived earlier this week, it is stupidly fast! already started migrating some downloaded music into ‘Apple Music’, and have loads of music on an old back up hard drive. it’ll be long process but worth it as far as I am concerned.
I’ve had a little go with DJay on the Mac, I’m impressed so far - love how much can be displayed on the screen at once - a step up from the iPad in that respect. Although I keeping trying to touch the screen to choose tracks (I’m so used to the iPad!). Sure I’ll get used to it though.
As ever, thanks everyone for your help on this topic.
I can’t see that happening any time soon sadly.
