iTunes Smart Playlist Help

[Ro]

Hoping to find someone familiar with iTunes smart playlists, and/or logic problems, who can help me solve this problem that has my head spinning.

I want to create a smart playlist with the following criteria:

All songs BY or FEATURING MEMBERS OF (Group A), that are rated THREE STARS OR HIGHER. (Group A) is made up of (Artist A), (Artist B), and (Artist C).

Sounds relatively easy, but I can't wrap my head around the parameters required to make it happen. I should clarify that I want to include songs from the albums they have recorded together as a group, and also songs by other artists that feature any of the three.

I can't use the "Match All," can I? I'm pretty sure I have to use the "Match Any" option, but I can't seem to make it work. Maybe this is an impossible dream!

[Rathji]

Ok I don't normally use complex smart lists, instead I normally use them as a quick way to group albums together.

What you are asking for seems impossible.

What you need is this

(Artist A OR Artist B OR Artist C) AND ( Rating > 3)

using 'Any' is the same as :

Artist A OR Artist B OR Artist C OR Rating > 3

which will show you any song by any artist or combo of those artists and any songs by any artist which have a rating of 3 or more

Using 'ALL' is the same as

Artist A AND Artist B AND Artist C AND Rating > 3

which will give you all songs that all artists were involved in ( and individually named in Artist, like Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young ) that have a rating > 3

If you drop the > 3 rating, it is simple though.

[Russic]

I might not be understanding exactly what it is you want to do. Is the problem that if you add the 3 star thing it will add all songs that are 3 stars in your entire library?

If you have the proper artist info tagged to the song I'm not sure how it wouldn't work.

edit: I'm starting to see the problems. Took me a moment to figure out what you are trying to do. I think you might be hooped because of that star rating.

[Shawn_Cronin44]

What if you specified your rules for the artists and not try to create a rule for the star ratings. Then below the rules use the next line to select the highest rated songs.

"Limit to 25 items select by Highest Rating"

Would that work for you? It's not an exact match for your problem but might be an acceptable work around?

[FanIn80]

Use grouping.

Just select all the bands, albums, artists (etc) that you want to put into "Group A" and then edit them as a multiple unit. Give them a group name in the "Grouping" field on the Info tab.

Then, in your smart list, you pick Grouping as the first parameter, and Rating as the second... using Match All as your method.


Edit: Another way, using the Match All method, is to define your artist, bands, albums parameters and then tack on a "Rating is not 2" and a "Rating is not 1" your last two parameters.

Edit 2: Actually... Ignore the first edit. I have this worked out, gimme a sec to type it. (see below)

[FanIn80]

OK... Using Metallica as an example.

Problem: Create a playlist that includes all songs performed by Metallica, including songs performed by members of Metallica.

Step One - Temp Smartlist

Method: Match Any

Parameter 1: Artist = Metallica
Parameter 2: Artist = James Hetfield
Parameter 3: Artist = Lars Ulrich
Parameter 4: Artist = Kirk Hammet
Parameter 5: Artist = Cliff Burton
Parameter 6: Artist = Jason Newstead
Parameter 7: Artist = Robert Trujillo

Step Two - Grouping

- Open up playlist and select all songs
- Right-click, Get Info
- Edit Grouping field, type "Metallica Members"
- Save changes

Step Three - Final Smartlist

Method: Match All

Parameter 1: Grouping = Metallica Members
Parameter 2: Rating = Greater than 2

Step Four - Finish

- Listen to new smartlist!



I would keep that temp list around for when you add future songs to your library, too.

[Russic]

By joe i think he's done it.

[Ro]

Awesome! Thanks a lot. A LOT. I figured it would have to include some type of "workaround" solution, and wasn't aware of the "grouping" ID tag option.

What what!