What are your smart playlists?

[jonallan]

Thought it would be a good idea to have everyone share their smart playlist definitions for critique/suggestions. Also, so that those who have iTunes libraries over 4 or 8 GB can get better ideas on how to utilize that space.

Anyways, I know that most of you have created a regular playlist for those 'have to have on me at all times no matter what' songs. I've substitued <iPhone Playlist> below for these kind of playlists...

Playlist is 'Most Played'
Playlist is not <iPhone Playlist>
Kind does not contain 'Video'
Kind does not contain 'Document'
Size is less than '30 MB'
Limit to '1' GB selected by 'random'
Match only checked items
Live updating

Playlist is 'Purchased'
Playlist is not <iPhone Playlist>
Kind does not contain 'Video'
Kind does not contain 'Document'
Size is less than '30 MB'
Limit to '1' GB selected by 'random'
Match only checked items
Live updating

 

[BamBam]

I have been using smart playlists referencing mostly 'date added', 'last played', 'playlist', 'rating', and my life's work: groupings.
I define songs with different 'groups' like Prog, Mellow, Instrumental, Pop, Choral, Jazz, etc so I can group songs across genres according to mood or style.
I have three basic ratings I use: 5 4 and three stars. (I keep 2 star to flag songs I need to edit, recategorise or recode, and 1 star if it needs to be deleted).
I build up multiple playlists eg:
Mellow-3 = 500mb of 3 star grouping contains 'mellow' sorted by least recently played
Mellow-4 = 750mb of 4 star grouping contains 'mellow' sorted by least recently played
Mellow-5 = 1000mb of 5 star grouping contains 'mellow' sorted by least recently played
Mellow - Any of: Playlist is Mellow-3 Playlist is Mellow-4 Playlist is Mellow-5

Thus I control the 'spread' good to better to best songs I load on the iPhone.

I also like to keep Mellow and Not-mellow easily distiguishable as I like to plug into mellow song rotations while I'm working (coding).

I have further playlists that include newer additions, unrated songs, 'auditions' - ie songs on loan, rockin songs (for the walk home), Dusty lists (songs least recently played regardless of ratings etc)..

This description reads as quite chaotic I'm sure, but it has a kind of order that works for me... honestly.

Bill

 

[sdge]

Thought it would be a good idea to have everyone share their smart playlist definitions for critique/suggestions. Also, so that those who have iTunes libraries over 4 or 8 GB can get better ideas on how to utilize that space.

Anyways, I know that most of you have created a regular playlist for those 'have to have on me at all times no matter what' songs. I've substitued <iPhone Playlist> below for these kind of playlists...

Playlist is 'Most Played'
Playlist is not <iPhone Playlist>
Kind does not contain 'Video'
Kind does not contain 'Document'
Size is less than '30 MB'
Limit to '1' GB selected by 'random'
Match only checked items
Live updating

Playlist is 'Purchased'
Playlist is not <iPhone Playlist>
Kind does not contain 'Video'
Kind does not contain 'Document'
Size is less than '30 MB'
Limit to '1' GB selected by 'random'
Match only checked items
Live updating

Hey when you make these smartplaylists how do you make them re-randomize the list? Do you have to make another smartplaylist or can you just do something to make the already made smart playlist re-randomize. If this makes sense.

 

[BamBam]

Hey when you make these smartplaylists how do you make them re-randomize the list? Do you have to make another smartplaylist or can you just do something to make the already made smart playlist re-randomize. If this makes sense.

The question definitely makes sense. I wish I knew the answer - being bugging me for years.
To help out a bit though, if you add a condition 'Last Played' 'Not in the last' 7 days (or similar), it will ensure that the playlist doesn't remain static after songs are completed.

 

[sdge]

The question definitely makes sense. I wish I knew the answer - being bugging me for years.
To help out a bit though, if you add a condition 'Last Played' 'Not in the last' 7 days (or similar), it will ensure that the playlist doesn't remain static after songs are completed.

yes, that's cool, a first step I guess.

What really irks me is that what I want is basically what I used to do with my shuffle. You just have the shuffle shuffle what songs it makes on its playlist either from one playlist or from your whole library. I LOVED that about the the shuffle, and it's the only thing I miss.

 

[arothman]

Are your date-based playlists actually working? I have a list that's got 'not played in the last 2 months' and 'not skipped in the last 2 months' on it, but when I sync the phone and listen to the list there's stuff in it that I just heard yesterday.