Once those have been selected, we want to set our format. This is the crux of our many writings.
Click on Import Settings
Here I recommend AIFF, though ALAC can be used. I do not recommend selecting any of the other settings. Choose AIFF for raw uncompressed data identical to what's on the CD, ALAC for lossless compression if space is an issue. ALAC, once uncompressed, gives you bit perfect music identical to AIFF at half the storage space. My only hesitation using it is the potential for slightly compromised sound quality when your computer works too hard decompressing it. A small point, either will do just fine.
There's only one more setting we may or may not need - most of us will not need it. If you are copying music from a CD, that music has to be stored somewhere. iTunes creates a folder on your main hard drive for just this purpose. It's all automatic. If you're OK with that, and most of us are, then you need not go to the next screen. Just leave it alone and you're done.
Let 'er rip!
At this point, you're ready to let 'er rip. Start copying your CDs and building your library. In subsequent posts I'll tell you what the next steps are to have them sound good and curate your library into a thing of beauty, how to control your new library with a mobile device from your listening position, etc. We're almost there!
For more advanced users or for different storage areas
If you wish instead to place your copied music onto another hard drive–other than your main computer hard drive–perhaps a NAS, external USB hard drive, etc. then you need to tell iTunes where to place those files. This is the screen you need to go to, in that case.
There are two things of note on this screen. At the top, below the tabs, a window showing where your music files are kept. If you wish it to go somewhere else, click Change. A dialog box opens and you simply select where it is to go. If a NAS, make sure the NAS is connected so it appears in your menu when you click Change. Select where you want, and that's where iTunes keeps it.
Last and only for those few who know what they're doing
The second thing of note is the second checkbox, labeled Copy files to iTunes Media Folder when adding to library. This should not be checked if you are copying music from another hard drive that you intend to use as your storage. If it remains checked, you'll wind up with two copies of your music which is a pain in the ass. Here's how this works.
Imagine you already have your music copied to an existing external or internal hard drive. All you want to do is use iTunes as a music manager. You have some other method of copying CDs to this hard drive (rare - but it happens). You still need to import your music into iTunes but only for purposes of iTunes cataloging it, finding cover art and artist' data. You do not want a second copy of your files - because winding up with two copies of all your media is not a good thing.
Uncheck this box. Then, add the music on your external hard drive and iTunes will catalog it and get it ready to manage for you.
That's it!
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