On-the-fly equalizer
If you want a quick way to adjust equalizer settings, you can add an EQ
column in your view options. Go to View > View Options, and check
Equalizer. The EQ column will appear with pull-down menus that let you
choose the appropriate EQ setting.
Right-click Options
Some of iTunes's features can be accessed via right-clicking. Use the
"Get Info" option to view details about a song and the associated file
and to edit any info. You can also convert the song to another file
type, and download free album art from the iTunes Music Store.
Make Shuffle More Random
Sometimes iTunes repeatedly plays the same artist in shuffle mode. To
make shuffle selections more random, head to the Playback pane in
Preferences and drag the slider in the Smart Shuffle setting all the way
to "less likely."
Stream Faster
In the Advanced
pane of Preferences, you can adjust the streaming buffer size based on
your Internet connection. If you are on dial-up, you can still get
smooth playback by changing to a larger buffer size; you'll just have to
deal with a longer wait. Those with a speedy broadband connection will
want to use a smaller buffer size for quicker playback.
Parental Controls
If there's questionable content in your library that you don't want
your youngsters exposed to, simply set the parental controls in
Preferences (under Edit). You can also restrict what they buy from the
iTunes Music Store.
Turn iTunes into a PDF Manager
If you're scratching your head over this tip (iTunes and "¦ PDFs?), read
on. iTunes has PDF support because some purchases on the iTunes Store
come with accompanying documentation. Thus, you can drag-and-drop PDFs
in iTunes as you would songs (a book icon appears next to the file name
in the library). Create a separate iTunes folder, and now you have a
great way of managing your PDFs.
Back up Your Music Library to Disc
If you're worried about losing your iTunes collection, try the "Back Up
to Disc" function in the File menu, which will burn your entire
collection to DVD or CD. (You'll be prompted to insert another disc if
you're collection is larger than one disc's capacity.) Keep in mind that
this is just meant to back up your collection—the discs won't play in
DVD or CD players.
Create a Separate Music Library
If you want to start a new library in iTunes without getting rid of the
old one, then hold down the Shift key when launching iTunes. You'll be
given the option of creating a new library.
Find Duplicate Songs
If you do a lot of downloading, then chances are you might have a few
duplicates in your collection. To get rid of them, go to View > Show
Duplicates, then delete the extra copies.
Change iTunes' Default Audio Format
CDs ripped to iTunes will be encoded into AAC format by default. This
can be changed by going to Edit > Preferences, then clicking on the
Advanced tab. Once you're there, select the Importing tab, open the
dropdown menu, and choose whichever format you want your tunes encoded
in.
Mouse-free Tunes
You don't need to rely on your
mouse when you're in iTunes—several keyboard shortcuts can take care of
most basic functions. Tapping the spacebar, for example, will pause a
track. Hitting left or right will go to the previous song or move on to
the next one, respectively, while holding Ctrl. And moving the up or
down arrows will raise or lower the volume.
On the Move
If you want to take iTunes off your task bar and move it into the
system tray, where it will be less obtrusive, then simply go to Edit
> Preferences, select the Advanced tab and, under the General tab,
check the box next to "Minimize iTunes window to system tray."
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