Can't connect to my music library - solved

Hello Brad, I’m using Sonos S1 Controller, but I don’t think it matters if you are using S2.  On your Mac, (upper left Apple logo), go to system settings, Privacy & Security, then Full Disc Access.  Toggle next to Sonos Library Server.  Then open your Sonos Controller, go to far upper left of your Mac screen, where it says Sonos S1 or S2 Controller, click on Manage, then Update Music Library Now.  I hope I’ve understood your question correctly.  I hope this helps.  It may also help to have open your music, not sure.  Does your music play OK on your computer?    Here is a pic of my screen:

Yes, from the computer it appears to play although, I’ve been focusing so much on the iOS app not accepting my adding the library that I haven’t tried playing it from the iMac’s desktop controller. When I try to add it, I get “Access Denied - Check User Name and Password.” As I mentioned, the iPhone app Sonophone finds and plays my music perfectly. I just want what I had fixed. Very frustrating. Thanks for the info and the screen shot.

I zoomed in on your Mac Settings and I don’t believe that I see SMB on my list and, I don’t believe Sonos reads as “SonosLibraryServer”. I’ll have to check in the morning as it’s on my wife’s computer. Did you create a server somewhere in your Mac settings and direct the Sonos Desktop Controller to it? Is your music stored on your Mac or on an external drive? I hope this isn’t too many questions. Thank you again.  Brad

I didn’t create a server, that I know of.  My music library is on my Mac under the app “Music”, which was formerly iTunes.  It has all of my iTunes purchases, plus the music I had put on it from CDs.  On the Sonos Controller on my Mac, the list of music from the music app on my Mac was all there, under “now playing”, but when I clicked on “select a music source”, then “music library”, there was no music.  With the fix I stated, I was finally able to get all of the music over to play on Sonos.  I also had messed around with trying to get different paths to be recognized by Sonos, but until the fix, nothing worked, which is why I credit the fix that I found to the problem.  Does your music list show under “now playing” on your Sonos Controller, on your Mac?  I had experienced this issue for a couple of months before I finally came across the fix that worked for me, which is why I am thinking it was my Mac setting after an IOS update, unless Sonos had access to my Mac setting and changed it with the Sonos Controller app update.  
I don’t mind at all trying to answer your questions, as I know how frustrating it was to not be able to play my own music library on my Sonos speakers, but was able to play other sources, like the radio apps, etc.  I hope this helps.

Jan71… Thank you for your willingness to help. This is why I find some comfort in this forum. Yes, I can play from the iMacs desktop controller to my Family Room Sonos speakers. I just can’t get the iOS phone app to recognize the network path to where my music is stored: on the Crucial SSD USB external drive. The difference between our situations is that you’re using the Apple app Music to store and catalog your music files IN your Mac and I’m using an external drive.

Isn’t Apple Music something you have to pay for? How does one get curated music into Apple Music? Is there an easy Import option?

Thanks very much, Jan71 🙏🏼

I use “Music” to store and play my music, whether it be on my iPhone, iPad, or iMac.  I don’t pay for Apple Music because I don’t use the Apple Music service.  I purchase music on iTunes on my iPhone. In order to play that particular music on my speakers through Sonos, I first need to do an iPhone backup to my iMac, and also iPad backup if I want to control the music that plays on my speakers.  After I’ve done the backup and the music appears on “Music” app, I can then go to the Sonos Controller and update the music library on Sonos.  I haven’t pulled Music from my backup external, just from my iMac.  Is what you’re saying, you want to get your music from your external drive in order to take with you?  Any music stays in my iPhone that I have put there with backing up my iPhone.  Not sure if this is what you want to do, or you just want to play your music from what is in your external?  If so, I haven’t tried that. 
Now, you have me wondering if my backup external has all of my music.  
Let me know what your thoughts are.

Jan71

As I think back many months, I went through the procedure that you initially posted where you refreshed the music library after adjusting the Full Access for Sonos and… your music appeared. I had to do that as well when I REinstalled the S2 controller on my wife’s iMac.

My goal is to be able to access and play my music (taken from my CD collection and other downloads) through the Sonos iOS app on my iPhone. That’s the convenience that I enjoy and we all used to enjoy.  The only time I play music via the desktop controller is in my upstairs office that has a separate music library on an older iMac with a much older operating system.

So, I’m assuming that when you transfer the music from your phone to your computer, the music files are stored in the Music folder in your home directory (see attached). Therefore, I’m assuming, the Sonos app doesn’t have to reach out to an external drive to access and play your music. Have you tried playing your music through the Sonos iPhone app?  If so, does it work?  And, last question (for now), IF your music is stored in the Music folder in your home directory on your Mac, how did you set up the Network Path in the Sonos iPhone app?

Thanks again for helping out, Jan.   Brad 

I’m sorry, I don’t remember how I did that.  It’s been at least 10 years, but I did find this phone # for support.  I hope when I upgrade my phone that I’ll have no issue connecting to my system.  If you get help, please let me know what the issue was.
 

Another thing I forgot to answer was that I have always been able to play my music through the Sonos app on my iPhone and iPad, to my Sonos speakers.  This all came back after I did the fix to my iMac.

Good to know, Jan. One of these days I’ll give Support a call, have them do a diagnostic and see what it finds. I’ll let you know if I stumble upon a solution. All the best… Brad