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Secondary Search

B
Userlevel 1
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How is a secondary search function performed in the Windows App (but the same applies for the iOS)
For example, I want to find Bach Concerto for Violin and Oboe performed by Itzhak Perlman.  This involves two different fields (Song and Artist) - yet only 1 search field is available.

If I search on Itzhak Perlman, I get thousands of responses as he has recorded for decades.
If I search on Bach Concerto for Violin and Oboe, I get at least hundreds of responses.
I would have to manually slog through a lot of search results to find what I’m looking for.

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Best answer by Ken_Griffiths 13 April 2023, 17:16

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10 replies

B
Userlevel 7
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New Search doesn't give any results from your own music library (on a NAS). Therefore it is a useless product.

B
Userlevel 1
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What music service are you searching? Or local library? Search works differently on different back-ends.

I’ve just started using the new “Classical” app from Apple.  The search function within the app seems improved to what I am used to.  (My problem is, most of my music is directly accessed through the Sonos app directly.)  Although I also use a large local library (NAS), I’m primarily referring to the Classical app from Apple, as I assume there would be too many variables/limitations searching home libraries.

B
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On the whole, searching works less well on classical music than on other genres.  There are more variables than the search can cope well with: composer, orchestra, conductor, soloist, work, album.  And the tagging is not geared to classical and is used inconsistently.

I have sometimes found that searching on Album gives the best results (although still poor).

However, I just tried the new Sonos search, entering “perlman bach violin oboe”, and rather to my surprise...bingo!  I may have got lucky….

Edit: on further investigation I realised that somehow it had landed on the ‘Song’ that is the second movement of this work.  But it just needed a tap on “Album Info” to get the whole work… and much besides, on what is a rather splendid album.

 

Yes - I agree.  If I can find one of the relevant tracks (piece movement), then using the “Album Info” option to get the whole piece works pretty well.
 

controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

 

This screenshot shows another challenge with dealing with classic music: a phone’s screen is way too small for that amount of information, especially if the default font size is increased for older eyes.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
J

On the whole, searching works less well on classical music than on other genres.  There are more variables than the search can cope well with: composer, orchestra, conductor, soloist, work, album.  And the tagging is not geared to classical and is used inconsistently.

I have sometimes found that searching on Album gives the best results (although still poor).

However, I just tried the new Sonos search, entering “perlman bach violin oboe”, and rather to my surprise...bingo!  I may have got lucky….

Edit: on further investigation I realised that somehow it had landed on the ‘Song’ that is the second movement of this work.  But it just needed a tap on “Album Info” to get the whole work… and much besides, on what is a rather splendid album.

 

controlav
Userlevel 7
Badge +23

What music service are you searching? Or local library? Search works differently on different back-ends.

Author of the leading independent Sonos app for Windows, the only Sonos app for Xbox, and a Sonos app for iOS
Ken_Griffiths

Here’s a link about the new Sonos search facility and it’s rollout…

 

B
Userlevel 1
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Thank you very much for your reply.  The playlist/favourite work around may be a good way to go -- I will try that.
I guess the new Sonos search is not available to me, yet.  I am not familiar with it.  I ran “updates”, but nothing new is available, yet.  That does look like a better search interface - so I’ll try it when it becomes available to me.

Thank you.

Ken_Griffiths

Note: The new Sonos search feature is not rolled out everywhere yet, so you may not have that at the moment, perhaps🤔? So you may still find the native music app search suggestion a good option to try and use a favourite/playlist shortcut to the track instead, which will in turn feed through to the in-built Sonos service.

Ken_Griffiths

If you can’t find it via the Sonos search maybe add it to a playlist/favourite in your chosen music service ‘native’ app instead. I’m not sure which track you’re after, or if you are using the classic or new Sonos search, but this how I searched for the terms you mention… (see attached screenshots).

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