How to: Cloud matching your music library.

[Snowy Nokia]

So I finally figured out how to cloud match my music manually if the Xbox music app doesn't do it for you or missing some songs from singles to albums. Also if you don't want your music edited album, meaning you want the explicit album.

So on your windows 8 machine go to Xbox music, my music then organize by albums, only works like this so far. Pick your album open bottom tab for options and you will see match album. From there you'll see the rest.
Hope this helps others. Any questions or details let me know.

 

[Sam Sabri]

Thanks for the tip!

 

[elee@ulgm.org]

Pardon my ignorance... can you help me understand what it actually means to cloud match an album? Thank you!

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Are you running a windows 8 OS?

 

[elee@ulgm.org]

Are you running a windows 8 OS?

Yes, I have a Windows 8 pro PC, Surface RT, Windows Phone 8 , and Xbox 360.

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Okay that's good news. So your music should be my music folder so Xbox music reads the files.
Now according to your file names and metadata of your tracks(not exactly sure which its based on) Xbox music will identify the tracks automatically and match it with the Xbox music store data and will have a cloud symbol next to that track if it reads it right. Theoretically it should match all your tracks to the cloud. Meaning the actual file is not transferred to the cloud but the track title allowing you to stream it on your windows phone device if you have Xbox music pass.
Does this clarify things?
Ask more if you like....

 

[elee@ulgm.org]

Ask more if you like....

Thanks for the info! I definitely have some additional questions if you don't mind...

1. Does it basically keep a list of all my music in sync between devices or does it actually download the track on each device?
2. When playing a track on my Win 8 PC, is there any way to know whether it's being streamed, whether it's a download from Xbox Music, or whether it's the (WMA lossless) version that I ripped myself from CD?
3. On Windows Phone, is there a way to view only music that is stored on the phone? For example, if I'm somewhere without Internet access, I don't want to see music in my list that is in the cloud.

Thanks.

 

[Snowy Nokia]

1) This one is a bit tricky for me. I do not have Xbox music pass yet.
On desktop, Xbox music, settings, choose to download on device if purchased on other.
I hope you understand by now cloud matching is basically just a list in the cloud of what you have to stream across other devices.
So in essence on your main machine where you handle your music files(tagged & identified by cloud) will become available for streaming across all other devices(if you have Xbox music pass).

2)on PC/tablet yes its easy. Next to track if there is no sign, then its yours. Streaming looks like this ((.))
Ask me more on this the more you play with it. Besides move mouse over symbol and it should tell you.

3) on mobile device the only way I know is go under songs page/list you will a small highlighted word saying all. Click on then you'll have choice of storage.

 

[elee@ulgm.org]

1) This one is a bit tricky for me. I do not have Xbox music pass yet.
On desktop, Xbox music, settings, choose to download on device if purchased on other.
I hope you understand by now cloud matching is basically just a list in the cloud of what you have to stream across other devices.
So in essence on your main machine where you handle your music files(tagged & identified by cloud) will become available for streaming across all other devices(if you have Xbox music pass).

I think I got it. Thanks!

Question though... is there really a "main machine?" Isn't the idea that my song list stays in sync across all devices... regardless of where I add new songs?

2)on PC/tablet yes its easy. Next to track if there is no sign, then its yours. Streaming looks like this ((.))
Ask me more on this the more you play with it. Besides move mouse over symbol and it should tell you.

Ah yes, thanks. I see the ((.))

It looks like tracks that are mine have a cloud next to them. Xbox music tracks that I downloaded also have a cloud. Wish there was a way to differentiate.

BTW, where on my PC are the Xbox music tracks downloaded to?

3) on mobile device the only way I know is go under songs page/list you will a small highlighted word saying all. Click on then you'll have choice of storage.

This is great... EXCEPT you can't do the same thing to view by album or artist. :-(

 

[Snowy Nokia]

Main machine should have a hard copy of all your music files found on the desktop, libraries, my music.
Did you find it?

 

[metsfan421]

Anyone know if you can select an album from the store and have it added to your collection to stream from anywhere, "without" having to download it to say a Surface RT first? Limited space, but would like to be able to add an album to my streamable collection without having to actually download it.