Music on iPhone: Why is Shuffle Not Very Random?

I have a playlist of just over 350 songs (about 22 hours of music) which I have downloaded to my iPhone. I listen to this playlist during my morning cycling workout which covers about 12K and takes bout 30 minutes. I always hit the "Shuffle" button to start this playlist. I normally hear eight to ten songs per workout.

But, Shuffle seems not very random. For example, I've heard the same Bob Dylan song (Girl from the North Country) every day this week. I've also heard the same Diana Krall song (Frim Fram Sauce) both yesterday and today.

Now, I realize that humans are not very good at determining what is random and what is not and that probability is not well understood by most people; especially old men like me.

But….

It does seem like Shuffle ought not play the same song three days in a row when it's only playing ten songs from a 300 song playlist.

Any ideas?

Try reading over some of these hits from a Google search on:
iphone Shuffle Not Very Random
https://www.google.com/search?q=iph...i57j69i61j0.7911j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

It seems you're not alone in questioning the playlist choices...



- Patrick
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This is very interesting. (And, excuse me for not searching anywhere but this forum….)

Back in the 60s when I was at university I was learning to write code (PL/1) on an IBM 360/40. One day the random number generator stopped working so the operator offered up a box of chads punched from Hollerith cards which, of course, each had a single random (?) digit. We were invited to take as many as we needed.

Perhaps Apple has based its shuffle algorithm on a similar method.

After reading some of the posts turned up by @pm-r's Google Search I figured out a way to get more randomness.

Instead of starting the playlist by hitting the Shuffle button, pick a song, any song, and play it. Then hit the Shuffle button. That will play a new, seemingly random song after which subsequent songs do not repeat the songs I've been hearing all week. Perhaps that changes the seed song to which Apple applies it's random algorithm.

After reading some of the posts turned up by @pm-r's Google Search I figured out a way to get more randomness.

Click to expand...

I'm glad to read that you found a solution, and without having to resort to using any punchcards or a spinning Roulette or gaming wheel.

And probably a bit of relief that you can skip some of the Bob Dylan and Diana Krall repeats. That would sure be a relief for me, especially if they never played. ;D



- Patrick
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If you leave the Music app open, can’t you just press Play/Resume and it will continue the “shuffle”process?


Bob -

Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

pm-r said:

I'm glad to read that you found a solution, and without having to resort to using any punchcards or a spinning Roulette or gaming wheel.

And probably a bit of relief that you can skip some of the Bob Dylan and Diana Krall repeats. That would sure be a relief for me, especially if they never played. ;D

Click to expand...

Well, I did say I was old….

ferrarr said:

If you leave the Music app open, can’t you just press Play/Resume and it will continue the “shuffle”process?

Click to expand...

Only if you don't play anything else in between. I've got a cycling playlist that I listen to every morning. But, by the time coffee hour arrives I'm listening to something completely different.

Well, I did say I was old….

Click to expand...

Well, I'm sure not a young'en with my 78th B day happening this Saturday. But just not my music style...



- Patrick
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pm-r said:

Well, I'm sure not a young'en with my 78th B day happening this Saturday. But just not my music style...

Click to expand...

Yeah, you win. I'm only 69. And, you'd probably be appalled at my playlists. But, hey, it's a choice.

I remember from BASIC days that a computer random number generator is not all that random.

However, I would hope things are better these days

Any one who considers arithmetical methods of producing random digits is, of course, in a state of sin.

Click to expand...

- John von Neumann

Ratsima said:

-
Any one who considers arithmetical methods of producing random digits is, of course, in a state of sin.
- John von Neumann

Click to expand...

- Patrick
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Ratsima said:

Instead of starting the playlist by hitting the Shuffle button, pick a song, any song, and play it. Then hit the Shuffle button. That will play a new, seemingly random song after which subsequent songs do not repeat the songs I've been hearing all week. Perhaps that changes the seed song to which Apple applies it's random algorithm.

Click to expand...

I've been using this method for a week now and am happy to report that it Makes Shuffle Great Again. In many hours of listening to several playlists I have not yet heard the same song twice.

@pm-r - Nor have I heard a single song from either Bob Dylan or Diana Krall.

What! Obviously you're not doing it right then.


Sent from my iPad using Mac-Forums

pm-r said:

And probably a bit of relief that you can skip some of the Bob Dylan and Diana Krall repeats. That would sure be a relief for me, especially if they never played. ;D



- Patrick
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Click to expand...

Oi, I am a Girl from the North Country!

Ratsima said:

I've been using this method for a week now and am happy to report that it Makes Shuffle Great Again. In many hours of listening to several playlists I have not yet heard the same song twice.

@pm-r - Nor have I heard a single song from either Bob Dylan or Diana Krall.

Click to expand...

Totally unrelated, but as you bought up Bob Dylan... I was in Trondheim last week where, during the 1960's renovations, the head of the angel atop one of the towers of Nidros Catherdral was replaced with the head of Bob Dylan. This fact brought to you as a free public service. Feel free to Google it

badshoehabit said:

Oi, I am a Girl from the North Country!

Click to expand...

But possibly not one of Dylan's old girlfriends...!!! Or are you all the same... ???



- Patrick
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