iPod: The Missing Manual, 11th Edition

Chapter 11. iTunes Power Moves

You’ll learn to:

• Rate songs and albums

• Stream Internet radio

• Swap songs, music, and TV shows with family members

• Re-download previous Store purchases

• Keep copies of all your songs online

• Add album art and lyrics

NOW THAT YOU’VE SEEN how easy iTunes makes it to convert your favorite CD tracks into small, great-sounding files, it’s time to do some serious tune-tweaking. Apple’s music-management program lets you do things like rate albums and individual songs, tap into Internet radio, share music and videos with other folks on your network, and even download your past and present purchases to your iPod or other iOS devices right in the iTunes 11 window.

You can also use iTunes as an editor: It gives you the tools you need to change song formats, edit on-stage banter from live recordings, and apply preset or customized equalizer settings to tracks. Once you get everything to your liking, you’ll learn how to add, delete, and manually manage the music on your ’Pod.

Finally, you’ll learn how iTunes can help with a vital—but often ignored—part of music management: backing up your catalog for safekeeping in case your hard drive croaks and takes all your songs and videos with it.

You’re the Critic: Rate Your Music

ALTHOUGH THERE’S NO WAY to give a song two thumbs up in iTunes, you can assign an album—or each song in your collection—a rating of from one to five stars. Then ...