MusicIP Mixer

Note! Formerly known as MusicMagic - but it's the same thing...

(A more comprehensive guide to using MusicIP in a headless configuration can be found in the article "Integrating MusicIP with SqueezeCenter".)

From the MusicIP Mixer homepage http://www.musicip.com

"The MusicIP Mixer is the ultimate music library power tool to create dynamic and interesting playlists, or mixes. MusicIP automatically analyzes your music collection. Analyzed songs are used to build custom mixes for hours of listening enjoyment."

MusicIP Mixer (MIP) is a tool for building playlists. After analysing your music collection, MIP is able to select songs based on their sound profile rather than their tags. This allows you to create playlists of stuff that "sounds a bit like XXX". The nice advantage of this is that MIP picks songs that you might otherwise not select and I have found that it often opens up songs that I'd never have picked to play alongside one another.

A great tool. Give it a go.

Installation Steps

1. Download and install MusicIP Mixer; latest version is at http://www.musicip.com/mixer/index.jsp

2. Run MIP and select "Get a free key", this starts a 30 day premium content trial (no credit card details needed). NB this step is not necessary or possible with the newer "MusicIP" version.

3. Set MIP running on your music library as per these instructions: Windows and Mac: http://www.musicip.com/mixer/getstarted.jsp Linux: http://www.musicip.com/mixer/linuxstart.jsp

4. Enable the communication API in MIP. Select Preferences from the File menu. Look for the services option, make sure the API checkbox is checked and click "start".

5. Once all the tracks have been analysed go into SqueezeCenter and select "Server Settings" and then enable the radio button "Use MusicIP" at the bottom of the page.

6. SqueezeCenter will rescan and then the artists, albums and songs should have an MM icon on them. Click on this to trigger the creation of a playlist.

7. Go to "Server Settings" and then "MusicIP" to change all the options (such as playlist length, etc.).

8. Enjoy!!

Note: to use MIP past the 30 day period you will need to pay the $20 fee for the premium edition. (But not with MusicIP - the API needed is in the free version.)

Look here http://www.musicip.com/mixer/tipsandtricks.jsp for some useful hints and tips about MIP.

Access the MIP forums here: http://forums.musicip.com/.

Information on MIP and SqueezeCenter can also be found direct from the pony's mouth here: http://www.musicip.com/mixer/slimserver.jsp