How to play existing MP3s on iPad?

[kbojda]

All I want to do is get my existing MP3 library onto my iPad and be able to play it in background mode. I'd even be willing to use iTunes to do it, if it doesn't involve repurchasing everything I already own. I've owned an iPad 2 for about 6 months, but I haven't figured this out yet.

When I open the Music app that came with the iPad, it doesn't recognize music that I've downloaded off our music server using an app called MediaConnect. (MediaConnect will apparently let me stream what's on the iPad to another device, but won't play it on the iPad itself--go figure.) When I open the iTunes app, I don't see anything that allows me to upload existing MP3s. When I open the iCloud settings, I don't see anything that involves music. When I open Settings > Music, "Show All Music" is on, which says it will show everything on the cloud, but since I didn't get the mp3s from iTunes and I can't figure out how to upload them to the cloud, it says I have no music.

What do I need to do to play my existing MP3s on my iPad?

 

[TheRambler]

If you go into i tunes click on file, then add folder for a full album, or add file for a specific track.

Once all mp3s loaded, sync your iPad

Hope this helps

Just thought you can put your stuff on itunes then when you go into music, click on more, then shared, then click on your music library, you can then play wirelessly without taking up memory......remember home sharing needs to be turned on in itunes

 

[kbojda]

At the risk of sounding like a complete idiot, click on "file" exactly where in iTunes?

 

[TheRambler]

Top left of the screen, and never be scared to ask what you think is a silly question ;-)

 

[kbojda]

Oh good! 'Cause I'm still not seeing it. On the "Music" page, top left has "Genres." Should I be on a different page?

 

[TheRambler]

I thought you meant itunes on your pc, thats itunes on the ipad, sorry for the misunderstanding

 

[Mickey330]

Your best bet is to get the songs to your computer and put them into iTunes (per The Rambler's guidance). Then, you can sync them across to the iPad so you can play them on the iPad with the Music app (the orange icon with the note on it). The iTunes app on the iPad is really just a gateway to the App Store for you to buy more music (and movies and such). it's not really a management tool for getting your music to play on the iPad.

Hope this helps.

Marilyn

 

[kbojda]

Geez, this is convoluted! So I've got to go install iTunes on my PC, download files off our server onto the PC, upload them from the PC to through the iTunes I've just installed, download them onto the iPad, where in fact the files already exist but can't be played, just so I can play them when I don't happen to have network connectivity? Please tell me at least that I will be able to play them locally, even without Internet access? Or will I need access to the cloud? If so, that defeats a large part of the purpose of this whole exercise, as I can currently stream them when I'm at home from our server.

 

[TheRambler]

Once you have loaded on computer i tunes and then synced to your ipad, you can play freely without any connection necessary.

 

[kbojda]

So many things about the iPad are so effortless & beautiful, I guess there has to be something for me to complain about! But now I know what needs to be done. Thanks, Rambler & Marilyn!

 

[TheRambler]

No worries, come back and let us know how you get on, I'm sure it will be fine.

As a windows user i see two different sides of the coin, but i am coming round to the way Apple's operating system works, once iTunes is installed on your PC its a great tool for file swapping.

Try downloading the free ipad manual from here

Apple - Support - Manuals

It contains some great info

 

[MrStgeorge]

All I want to do is get my existing MP3 library onto my iPad and be able to play it in background mode. I'd even be willing to use iTunes to do it, if it doesn't involve repurchasing everything I already own. I've owned an iPad 2 for about 6 months, but I haven't figured this out yet.

When I open the Music app that came with the iPad, it doesn't recognize music that I've downloaded off our music server using an app called MediaConnect. (MediaConnect will apparently let me stream what's on the iPad to another device, but won't play it on the iPad itself--go figure.) When I open the iTunes app, I don't see anything that allows me to upload existing MP3s. When I open the iCloud settings, I don't see anything that involves music. When I open Settings > Music, "Show All Music" is on, which says it will show everything on the cloud, but since I didn't get the mp3s from iTunes and I can't figure out how to upload them to the cloud, it says I have no music.

What do I need to do to play my existing MP3s on my iPad?

OK, I am NOT a Apple person, however I was able to do it, even though it took 3 days of trial and error to figure it out. I was sent the Ipad Air 2 for Christmas. My FIRST Apple Product EVER.... I got it all set up and I had about a dozen albums in the MP3 format and I wanted to play them on the Ipad.... I was hoping after hooking the Ipad up to the computer, I could do a drag and drop.... Forget that!
I tried Dropbox and the music played but only one song at a time....
So, I opened the account with Icloud, and the Ipad and also on the PC computer. I dropped my music into the Icloud, however the Ipad would not see the music... So FORGET that !
I than installed Itunes on my PC.... it looked through my computer and found all my albums... Now we are talking...
I than hooked the Ipad to the computer by USB and opened Itunes.... You will see a Music symbol, Movie symbol and tv Symbol and than 3 small dots... if Itunes sees your Ipad.... you will see it to the right of the 3 dots... click on it... and to the right it will have... "SYNC MY MUSIC" click on it.

Below it you can select entire Playlist or select certain albums... Check what you want.... When you are finish, at the bottom right, it has "SYNC".... click on it....

NOW, go back into your IPAD and click on the Music App.... at the bottom, you will see albums.... it will list your albums.... Once all of your albums are listed.... you can disconnect the Ipad and take wherever you want and listen to your music.... You can do this with Movies, Photos, books....

It is too bad as smart as the Apple people are, they are too technical and make it difficult to obtain your music... and since I am NOT an Apple person, I do like the Ipad, and it had features which are great and NOT so great. The way they have it set up to obtain your music is NOT so great. However, since I was able to figure it out and I am NO Computer guru by any means. I will try many different ways by trial and error to figure it out, and I did.... I hope this helps.... Enjoy!

 

[twerppoet]

The Music app was specifically designed to work with iTunes and Apple's iTunes Store. That is why it is limited to importing/syncing music from those sources. The ability to import music from other sources into iTunes on a computer has been around since it's creation. You can even rip your CD's directly into the app.

If none of your music is from the iTunes Store, you can bypass the Music app altogether. There are several good third party music and video players with various methods of copying your music to the iPad. A couple of the more popular, well known ones are AVPlayer, and OPlayer.

By the way, this thread is over two years old. We have a few more options available now than before, and the iTunes interface has changed a lot (though not in basic capabilities).

 

[MrStgeorge]

If I had known this was OVER 2 years, I would not have written what I did, as I was trying to find a way myself and I was just as lost as he was. I thought it was a recent post....thanks for letting me know about the AVPlayer and Oplayer. I will go to the App store and look them up. I use the Windows Media player to rip my music as I have a large library of CDs. and I am ripping them into MP3s. I use MP3 because this is all the Samsung Note 3 will play.... and I know MP3 is a Apple Format, so I knew I was did not have to worry....

Also, something else I discovered on the Ipad.... I have the Ipad Wifi only.... I found out that I can call someone who has a Iphone from the Ipad and talk with them.... It does not work without someone who does not have an Iphone like myself... Interesting feature....

 

[twerppoet]

Yep. Facetime is pretty nice between iOS devices. You can use Skype to communicate between Android and iOS, but both sides have to have the software installed.

Apple's preferred format is actually AAC (M4a), one of the MP4 family of codecs; but Music and iTunes are backwards compatible with MP3. As is pretty much every music app in existence.