# What feature do you want that you don't have on your music player? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 19, 2012, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145 "2012-09-19T05:31:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/21 "2012-09-19T15:51:02Z")
iPods do that - when you’re shuffling all, you won’t hear the same thing twice unless you interrupt the shuffle. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/22 "2012-09-19T16:06:13Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > iPods do that - when you’re shuffling all, you won’t hear the same thing twice unless you interrupt the shuffle. The problem is in interrupting the shuffle – it’s easy to do, and frequently happens. I want it to remember its place in the shuffle. I have 2,000 songs just in my “favorites” list – there is just no way I’m gonna get through that list without a lot of interruptions. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/23 "2012-09-19T16:19:39Z")
Each playlist needs its own shuffle setting! Some of my playlists are for background music, and best used with “shuffle songs” mode. Some are classical music and best used in “shuffle albums” mode. (Or even better, there should be a “shuffle groups of songs” feature where I can set, say, a piece with 4 movements as a group to be played in a row.) Some of my playlists are meant to be played in a specific order. So why can’t I associate a shuffle mode for each playlist?? Also, I don’t understand why most players don’t have a right/left balance adjustment. I listen to singing practice CDs with my part on one track and all other parts on the other track. The only way I can selectively listen to one or the other is to use stereo earphones and put just one earpiece in. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/24 "2012-09-19T16:36:12Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Each playlist needs its own shuffle setting!.. Very good idea! I’m for that too. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/25 "2012-09-19T16:47:14Z")
> [@scr4](#): > > Each playlist needs its own shuffle setting! > > Some of my playlists are for background music, and best used with “shuffle songs” mode. Some are classical music and best used in “shuffle albums” mode. (Or even better, there should be a “shuffle groups of songs” feature where I can set, say, a piece with 4 movements as a group to be played in a row.) Some of my playlists are meant to be played in a specific order. So why can’t I associate a shuffle mode for each playlist?? > > Also, I don’t understand why most players don’t have a right/left balance adjustment. I listen to singing practice CDs with my part on one track and all other parts on the other track. The only way I can selectively listen to one or the other is to use stereo earphones and put just one earpiece in. I’m pretty sure I’m achieving the individual shuffle settings for playlists on my current iOS and iTunes versions. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/26 "2012-09-19T16:51:55Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m pretty sure I’m achieving the individual shuffle settings for playlists on my current iOS and iTunes versions. You’re right about a separate shuffle for each playlist on iTunes. But it doesn’t carry over to my iPod – it has global settings only. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/27 "2012-09-19T17:08:17Z")
Would be nice if your version of iOS had the same features mine does. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/28 "2012-09-19T18:27:42Z")
I have an older sony walkman digital music player. Very basic. Charge doesn’t last as long as the library, and shuffle resets to song #1 on list when I plug it into USB port. So I’d wish for it to have the ability to recharge itself via solar power while in use. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/29 "2012-09-19T19:15:21Z")
I have an iPod Touch, and the single feature I desire more than any other? \*\* A balance control.\*\* I have a slight loss of hearing in one ear. Not enough to impact my life in any noticeable way other than when listening to music via headphones. With most songs, the lead vocal is panned dead center. Due to slightly less sensitivity in my right ear, that means that the vocals are all slightly to the left. Every one. I can only assume Generalissimo Steve decided that a balance control was not needed, I have not been able to find one on either the App Store or via source for the Jailbroken. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/30 "2012-09-19T19:22:32Z")
Rockbox [http://build.rockbox.org/](http://build.rockbox.org/) is a replacement firmware for a number of player brands and models. you need to install it carefully and learn how to use it. on versions i’ve tried it give you more or easier functioning. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/31 "2012-09-19T21:33:59Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > Rockbox > > [http://build.rockbox.org/](http://build.rockbox.org/) > > is a replacement firmware for a number of player brands and models. you need to install it carefully and learn how to use it. on versions i’ve tried it give you more or easier functioning. I had RockBox. Pretty cool, but in the end, I removed it from my Fuze. Found I wasn’t using any of the extra features, like playing Quake or Tempest, and I preferred the default interface. I got tired of having to hold a button in to boot into the Sansa interface, so I just removed it. It’s worth looking at for each person though. It’s really quite impressive, and opinions vary. ---
**Author:** ![cdsilv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cdsilv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cdsilv)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2012, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/32 "2012-09-19T21:47:27Z")
FM radio - my nano has it, but none of the ipod touch models have it - I’d upgrade quickly if they did… ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/33 "2012-09-20T09:55:18Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > I have an iPod Touch, and the single feature I desire more than any other? > \*\* > A balance control.\*\* > > I have a slight loss of hearing in one ear. Not enough to impact my life in any noticeable way other than when listening to music via headphones. With most songs, the lead vocal is panned dead center. Due to slightly less sensitivity in my right ear, that means that the vocals are all slightly to the left. Every one. I can only assume Generalissimo Steve decided that a balance control was not needed, I have not been able to find one on either the App Store or via source for the Jailbroken. What? That’s a feature built into ios. Go to settings, general, accessibility, and there’s a balance slider. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/34 "2012-09-20T10:03:20Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > As far as “play next” – I just updated my iTunes software today because that does sound like a nice function, but I can’t find it. How do you do it? Is it maybe on the Apple but not the PC version? At the iPhone announcement, they mentioned it. Not sure if that version of iTunes is out yet. You could try watching the iTunes part of the video. I think you right click on a song and click play next. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/35 "2012-09-20T14:38:54Z")
> [@AaronX](#): > > What? That’s a feature built into ios. Go to settings, general, accessibility, and there’s a balance slider. Not in iOS 4. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/36 "2012-09-20T14:52:24Z")
My old Creative Zen Jukebox had a Shuffle no repeats setting which was nifty. I think if I ever buy a dedicated MP3 player again that function would be the most important. Most Shuffle settings annoy the fuck out of me, that same song coming up a seemingly inordinate amount of times even though you’ve got 100s or 1000s of other tunes. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/37 "2012-09-20T15:04:04Z")
I have a 5th generation ipod classic, so maybe this feature is available on later models or something but…I really, really want to be able to put a single song on repeat while I’m playing that song. I know I could create a new playlist with just that one song on it and put that playlist on repeat, but I don’t want to go through all those stupid steps. When you’re listening to a song, you’re already able to go to the shuffle menu and choose "off / songs / albums " – why the hell isn’t there a “one” option there? ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/38 "2012-09-20T15:12:19Z")
I want a player smart enough to understand that classical music comes in movements - and sometimes smaller subdivisions. Creating a custom playlist for each symphony is a royal pain in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/39 "2012-09-20T19:16:45Z")
As far as I and the friends I’ve recruited to help me can tell, there is no way for me to transfer a playlist from iTunes to my iPod and preserve it as a playlist (as opposed to just adding it to the general collection of songs). If I want to have a playlist on my iPod, I need to actually construct the playlist on my iPod, which sucks. If anyone knows a way to do this (on a Mac, I should add) and shares it with me, that would certainly brighten my day. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2012, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145/40 "2012-09-20T19:24:38Z")
> [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](#): > > As far as I and the friends I’ve recruited to help me can tell, there is no way for me to transfer a playlist from iTunes to my iPod and preserve it as a playlist (as opposed to just adding it to the general collection of songs). If I want to have a playlist on my iPod, I need to actually construct the playlist on my iPod, which sucks. > > If anyone knows a way to do this (on a Mac, I should add) and shares it with me, that would certainly brighten my day. This, I don’t understand at all. My playlists have transferred from iTunes to my iPod without a problem for years. In fact, it’s quite difficult to create a playlist on my iPod at all. Oops, didn’t read your last line, but I can’t help you with a Mac. Mine’s a PC version. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-feature-do-you-want-that-you-dont-have-on-your-music-player/635145.md?page=3)