I would like to be able to start playback from any point within a playlist

  • 2 December 2013
  • 33 replies
  • 2756 views

At present, I have two options:

1. Select a single track to play.
2. Select all tracks to play, starting with the first.

What I want to be able to do is find a point in a playlist, eg. halfway through / from 3 months ago / the bit where I added loads of Laura Mvula tracks / whatever, and play from that point. This is normal in most playback systems but, unless I'm very much mistaken, not possible in Sonos.

Am I being thick, or can we have an update please?

Thanks,
Manda

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33 replies

I have the same issue...which means a massive reduction in flexibility and functionality with Sonos compared to other music systems.

I am also surprised that no one has replied to Manda to address her/my query?! Poor reflection on customer service provided by Sonos.

Can somebody please let me/us know what can be done about this if anything or what plans are in store to fix this bug?

Thanks

Olly
Tracks play from the Queue. First, tracks should be added to the Queue by some method, usually Add To Queue or similar. On desktop controllers, right click on an artist, album, or track. Finally, once the tracks are added to the Queue, scroll to the desired play point and initiate play. Play will continue, track by track, until the Queue is exhausted.
Hi Olly. It's not a bug. Please see the following post for some explanation from Sonos that I found very enlightening.
https://en.community.sonos.com/controllers-software-228995/simply-want-it-to-play-next-track-6712132
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Indeed - mine is the most recent post in that topic.
This is what we need !

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I would love a play from here option. The way it is now is incredibly clunky and feels very backwards.
After reading up on links from John B (thanks!) and a Sonos reply to my Facebook post (which they answered within 5mins!) I've started using the queue feature which isn't particularly obvious and just to the right of the volume slider at the very bottom of the screen when a track is playing. This allows you to jump in at various places but again as Gtrance says it's very clunky and doesn't give you very much flexibility. It basically adds so many more unnecessary steps to an already quite long winded process!

Not really sure why Sonos developers haven't really got to grips with making this as user friendly as possible??
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I am completely with you! Same issue, same feeling of non user-friendlyness. Maybe you could post an idea to ask.sonos.com and I will surely vote for you!
This is a case of personal preference.

I like the Queue. It's really not much different than the other schemes, however, it is much more flexible. Unfortunately, some users don't want to change their way of interacting with their music. Apple started by trying to emulate a CD player. This was OK as an attempt to lure users away from CD's, but this scheme does not generalize easily. I did not enjoy the Apple approach and sat on the sidelines of digital music until SONOS introduced the Queue. Some iTunes expats, are initially annoyed by the difference.
This is a case of personal preference.

Very much so... I find the single queue concept very irritating, as it doesn't suit the way that I listen to music. This is now even worse on android devices using 5.x software, as they removed the track number/total number of tracks from the display.

Multiple queues on the same device could work for me, temporary queues, or even improved handling in the existing queue, but at the moment it's all a bit too basic...
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After discussions on most have said having a "Play from here" option would satisfy the non-queue liking crowd. What do you think?
What do you think?

Who is 'you'?

Personally, it makes no difference to me... For me, the basic problem is the lack of flexibility in the 'single queue' concept...
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I very much like it the way it is. Others have suggested that as a work around for those used to clicking on a song and it playing from there (which I personally very much dislike).
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Chris - why would you dislike it if it remains an option as per the above mockup ?
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Sorry Nick - I didn't mean I disliked the option. I like your option very much and believe it is a great way to make everyone happy.

I was referring to my dislike of actually playing from that point forward (ie I would never use the option box). I particularly dislike it when I'm away from home and use apps like Google Play etc. that play from that point forward. In most cases I want to hear a song not all the songs by that artist stuck in my queue.
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I'm with Buzz. I very much like the queue concept in picking exactly what you want. I have a dislike for most music apps because of the lack of easy to use queue. This is coming however from a former squeezebox user too - so I have been using a queue for a long time.
[quote=amun]This is a case of personal preference.

Very much so... I find the single queue concept very irritating, as it doesn't suit the way that I listen to music. This is now even worse on android devices using 5.x software, as they removed the track number/total number of tracks from the display.

Multiple queues on the same device could work for me, temporary queues, or even improved handling in the existing queue, but at the moment it's all a bit too basic...[/quote

How can you possibly use multiple queues? You can only play one track at once, only load up one list of songs at once, what would multiple queues bring to that? You have playlists if you want to store the same set of songs long term, just replace the current queue with a playlist. There's no logic to multiple queues, the concept doesn't even make any sense.
How can you possibly use multiple queues?

I choose to listen to (largely) box sets of classical music on repeat e.g. Haydn 150CD set. However, there will be times when I want to play one or more tracks (maybe even for a whole evening) that are contemporary music. I do not want these tracks left in the queue, so have to delete them all after use. I would then like the classical side simply to go back to playing, from where it left off. Because the Sonos queue handling is limited, I can't do this. I used to be able to make a note of the track number that was playing before I switched music type (e.g. 1289/2423), but now that Sonos has removed this info from all but the PC controllers I can't even do that. I'd have to make a note of the detailed title of the track that was playing, and then look through 2,423 tracks to try and find where I was.

Playlists or saved queues do not help, as they don't retain pointers to the track that was playing played - they always start at the beginning. So I'd quite like the facility for either multiple queues, each retaining their pointers, or maybe a 'scratch' queue of some sort - so that at the end I could just delete it and go back to my main queue, exactly where I left off.

Please don't assume that, just because Sonos suits your way of working, that it suits everyone - it doesn't.
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This is a case of personal preference.

I like the Queue. It's really not much different than the other schemes, however, it is much more flexible. Unfortunately, some users don't want to change their way of interacting with their music. Apple started by trying to emulate a CD player. This was OK as an attempt to lure users away from CD's, but this scheme does not generalize easily. I did not enjoy the Apple approach and sat on the sidelines of digital music until SONOS introduced the Queue. Some iTunes expats, are initially annoyed by the difference.


I like the queue. I wouldn't want the queue to be replaced. This isn't an either or situation.

A simple "play from here" or "add to queue from here" or words to this effect. Sometimes i wish to play an album, or playlist from a certain point. And in those instances, at the moment, I have to add ALL the tracks in the playlist, then go to queue, scroll down to the track I wish to start from and select. Very clunky and cumbersome. The suggestion above or similar methods made by others would make this much more user friendly and dare i say, logical.

Again, I like the queue and how it works but this is a feature that would signfiicantly improve the ease of use.
Queue or not, one needs to somehow navigate to the "from here" point, then start playing. To me this navigation is just as "hard" or "easy" in either scheme. I like the Queue because it offers an easy way to build playlists and, since I don't routinely clear the Queue, it retains a history of recent play.

This discussion reminds me of the difference between the simple four function style of calculator and a RPN (Reverse Polish Notation) calculator. Each scheme has its own vocal followers.
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I am also in favor of the "Play from here" in the queue!
I would agree I'm finding it very frustrating not being able to start my playlist from where I choose so I would welcome a PLAY FROM HERE option, come on SONOS I paid a lot of money for this stuff.
I would agree I'm finding it very frustrating not being able to start my playlist from where I choose so I would welcome a PLAY FROM HERE option, come on SONOS I paid a lot of money for this stuff.

So did I and I've got no interest in this, so I say they shouldn't do it! Whose opinion is more important?

Really the only thing that "I paid a lot of money for this" says about you is that you think not being a thief is worthy of praise and reward, odd way of looking at it.
I don't think what I'm asking for is too much, thanks for you unless input.

Edited by Max P
I don't think what I'm asking for is too much, thanks for you unless input.

No it's not asking for much and it could be easily done, I just find it highly amusing the way people use the fact they actually paid for a product as a reason for endlessly demanding improvements. Most companies in this line never offer any improvements to their products (or indeed fix long term problems, such as Denon's reaction to the BBC HLS issue, which was basically "tough s**t"), so you should think yourself damn lucky Sonos aren't one of those and be grateful for anything they do provide because they sure as hell don't have to do it.

Nothing I've ever said is as "unless" as "I paid a lot of money for this".

Edit made by Max P
Bla bla bla all I have asked for is a basic concept from I would like to choose to start listening from, we have been able to do this from the day of vinyls, tape, cd iPhones. I stil don't think it's to much to ask for. It is not a demand! I don't have just one item but I fact I have several Sonos speakers covering my ground floor of my house. I am not rich my family and I saved to get theses, your hooked up on "I have paid a lot of money" and Yes I bloody well have. you don't know me and quite frankly I find your reply Offensive.