Featuring: Savable Matchlists

Yes, it's time again for a beaTunes Early Access release - this one's number 9.

The biggest new item is the ability to save Matchlists. Yep, that's right - you can now create Matchlists and re-run the same rules, seeds etc. to update the already created playlist. This is particularly useful, when you added a bunch of songs to your library since you created the Matchlist. Or you fine-tuned the used ruleset and want to apply these changes. Or... well, I guess you got the idea. To update a Matchlist, just CTRL/Right-click on the list icon and choose Update Matchlist.

Another major improvement for Matchlists is the selection of multiple seed songs. You don't anymore have to select all seed songs before you create the Matchlist. You can start with some easily selectable songs, open the Matchlist dialog, and then add some more songs, by simply dragging them into the dialog.

I also tried to undo the damage done to the user interface by Apple's Java 1.5.0_16 update, which left most button margins/insets in a rather unattractive state.

Alright, here's the obligatory warning: Before downloading and installing this, please make sure you understand what Early Access means:

• Absolutely no warranty for whatever
• Features may or may not work, appear, and disappear
• It may not be possible to migrate data to future versions (even though we make a reasonable effort)
• This version will cease to function 2 weeks after its release
• You cannot buy this version

Just so that there is no doubt about it: EA9 isn't even a beta version.

And here are the download links:

• beaTunes-2-0-0-EA9 (OS X)
• beaTunes-2-0-0-EA9 (Windows)

Note for EA8 users

There will be some updates to the database.

The right music makes you faster!

The right music can motivate you to perform significantly better in your daily workout routine and even in competition. That's the gist of a number of recent articles in The New York Times, the British Telegraph and other reputable publications. They all quote the work of Dr. Costas Karageorghis, reader in Sports Psychology at Brunel University. According to his studies, six factors contribute most to the motivational properties of music:

• rhythm
• genre
• melody (tune)
• tempo (BPM)
• sound of the instruments
• beat

Together, these six factors can be measured with the Brunel Music Rating Inventory (BMRI-2).

According to the NYT article, Dr. Karageorghis found that one of the most important elements is a song’s tempo, which should be between 120 and 140 beats-per-minute, or BPM.

Since beaTunes lets iTunes users measure the BPM of their songs, it is an ideal tool to help people improve their workout playlists. Furthermore, with its configurable Matchlist feature it actively supports users in considering more than just one factor when building playlist.