Tips and Tricks

This page breaks down some of the advanced features or use-cases of the extension.

Random Sorting

Random sorting shuffles tracks differently each time the Google Music tab is reloaded. The ordering can also be reset manually from the syncing menu.

Alone, this isn't very useful: you could just shuffle during playback instead. However, random sorting becomes very powerful when combined with a limit or other sorts.

combined with a limit

Random sorting with a limit yields a random subset of tracks.

For example, you can use this to work around Google Music's 1000 track playlist limit by:

• creating multiple playlists with 1k tracks
• creating an autoplaylist with multiple "playlist equal" conditions to combine them
• applying a random sort

This gives you a different random selection from your playlists every time you load Google Music.

combined with other sorts

Random sorting can be applied after another sort to interesting effect.

For example, sorting by album and then random yields shuffled tracks from album 1, then shuffled tracks from album 2, etc.

On the other hand, sorts applied after random usually have no impact. This is because the random sort is usually a total ordering, leaving no ambiguity for the next sort to change. Think of this like sorting by title, then album: since titles will usually be unique, sorting by album within each title doesn't change the result.

Pomodoro Playlist

The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method where you focus for a short time without interruption. Normally it uses a timer, but you can also build an autoplaylist to serve as your timer.

For example, this autoplaylist will last ~30 minutes and contain tracks you've listened to often:

• all of:
  • duration (ms) greater than 180000
  • duration (ms) less than 420000
  • play count greater than 20
• sort by random
• limit to 6

To use it as a timer, work until the playlist ends, take a break, then refresh the page for a new playlist and start again.