I am sure this is a very basic question with 1.8. I am simply trying to focus on a group of artists to play them, For instance, I want to Focus on Eric Clapton OR Dire Straits OR Wishbone Ash OR Pink Floyd. This seems like a very basic filtering/focus? If I start at the Artists page in My Library the Focus options only allow by Genre or Performer Type ( as far as I can tell ). How can I create this simple focus list? I don’t want to pick a Genre as that will produce all artists for that Genre.
I also tried on the Albums page in My Library. You can focus on ‘Performers’ - very long list not just primary artist! One interesting thing here I can pick artists but if they appear in a compilation I get that Album in the focus along with other artists that may be on the complication, which is not want I want.
I am sure I am over complicating this, so appreciate any help
One additional observation. If I select Performers I also get albums where they may have played on a track. For instance, selecting Eric Clapton includes a Beatles album since he played on a track / backing. Again, not what I was looking for.
For all the reasons you mentioned I think you’ll have problems if you focus on the artists you want to include, particularly in terms of adding spurious albums to the set (compilation albums, guest appearance etc). I’d suggest you start with albums instead, and add them to a tag. For example, go to Eric Clapton, select all the albums you want to include, then add them to a new tag. Once you’ve done that, rinse and repeat for Dire Straits, Wishbone Ash and Pink Floyd. That way you’ll ensure that you’ll include all the albums you want, but no others.
Focus changed in 1.8 from OR to AND, so in Album view if you Focus on Eric Clapton then try to add Dire Straits you will not see Dire Straits to pick because the Artist list is “pre filtered’ for Eric Clapton . There are no albums with both so you simply can’t do it
David’s suggestion is a good bet , if a bit labour some.
Thanks. I can change between AND and OR which was added in a 1.8 update. That’s not the issue I am facing. I think my only option to make sure I don’t get compilations or the artist appeared as a backing or guest in the credits is the suggestion tags. Seems such a basic thing to want to do pick a bunch of Primary artists and play them shuffled as a playlist ?
Just to add a possibly useful bit to @DaveN’s method…
When choosing the EC albums, try focussing on not compilations, and filtering on Clapton. That should get you albums where he is the main artist. Tag and repeat for others.