Can't just play music with ok Google

[jasonbmerrill]

When I am able to use okay Google, if I ask it to play The Beatles, it doesn't go to my vast store of Legally downloaded Beatles music. Instead, it gives me a bunch of random links to YouTube. When I had an iPhone, I simply had to tell it to play The Beatles and it would bring up Beatles music that I already had on my phone. Is there any way to make this happen on my Samsung S8? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[TheyCallMeBT]

Try ending your command by telling it what app to use. Like:

Ok Google (pause) Play The Beatles on Spotify

Or swap Spotify for Amazon or Play Music, etc. I've been using the command with Spotify for a while. I just tested with Play Music and it worked. With Amazon, it brought up the artist, but didn't start playing on its own.

 

[mikedt]

When I am able to use okay Google, if I ask it to play The Beatles, it doesn't go to my vast store of Legally downloaded Beatles music. Instead, it gives me a bunch of random links to YouTube. When I had an iPhone, I simply had to tell it to play The Beatles and it would bring up Beatles music that I already had on my phone. Is there any way to make this happen on my Samsung S8? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Siri just assumes you want to use iTunes. But matter of interest, what does it do if it doesn't have the artists you ask for in its library, e.g. you don't have any Beatles music and you ask it to play them? I've never used Google for music, as it's not available, but I think you have to specify what app or service you want it to use, like play The Beatles from Google Music, or play The Beatles from YouTube.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Siri just assumes you want to use iTunes. But matter of interest, what does it do if it doesn't have the artists you ask for in its library, e.g. you don't have any Beatles music and you ask it to play them? I've never used Google for music, as it's not available, but I think you have to specify what app or service you want it to use, like play The Beatles from Google Music, or play The Beatles from YouTube.

One of the issues I'm having here is that I just want to play the downloaded music that's on my phone. I have a 200 gigabyte card in my phone now, which is a major improvement over having an iPhone, but I would like to use it instead of streaming audio. I'm not sure what the iPhone would do if it wasn't on iTunes, and since I don't have an iPhone anymore I can't really find out. However, what I know is that telling it to use VLC media player for instance, doesn't seem to do anything except open VLC media player. I need a kind of app that will accept voice commands.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Try ending your command by telling it what app to use. Like:
Ok Google (pause) Play The Beatles on Spotify
Or swap Spotify for Amazon or Play Music, etc. I've been using the command with Spotify for a while. I just tested with Play Music and it worked. With Amazon, it brought up the artist, but didn't start playing on its own.

That's cool but I wouldn't want to use Spotify either. I tried to tell her to open up VLC media player in order to access the music, but it just opens the app and doesn't start playing. This type of hands-free operation is really neat to be able to have.

 

[mikedt]

It's probably easier with Apple actually, because Siri only does music with iTunes and nothing else AFAIK. Apple's products all work together,, and if you got anything else, ...sorry!

 

[mikedt]

FWIW, I do have a Mac myself, but much of my music is in a format that iTunes can't play and I can't ask Siri to play it. Android plays it no problem.

FLAC is NOT Apple.

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Here's how I was able to do it.

– 'Okay Google, play Prince music located on my phone'
I had done this before and it had asked me what app to use. I had indicated my music App at which point it open the app and began to play the appropriate music. The next time I made this request it went straight to the app and appropriate music.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[jasonbmerrill]

What am I doing wrong?

okay, I actually did get it to open Podcast Addict. But then nothing happens. I don't want it to open Podcast Addict, but it was only a choice between that and YouTube. So perhaps I need to have a music player that is compatible with OK Google?

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Try it without the 'The' in front of the Beatles. And other variations

what are some good apps for playing music? Right now I'm using VLC media player and it didn't show up in the list of option

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Try it without the 'The' in front of the Beatles. And other variations

what are some good apps for playing music? Right now I'm using VLC media player and it didn't show up in the list of option

 

[Rob]

Option #1 (and the first thing I would try):

1. Clear "Default" Music App in App Settings
2. Alternatively, visit Settings > Apps > Specific Music App that is default now and clear it as default
3. Uncheck "Play Music" from "In App" in Google Now Settings
4. Open your preferred music player and make sure it is able to successfully play music from your SD Card
5. BEFORE setting this as your default music player, say the voice command, "Okay Google, Play Specific Song/Artist On Specific App"
6. If it asks you to set this app as your default... do so, if not...
7. Go to Settings > Apps > New Default App and try to set it as default music player

Then try to say another voice command such as, "Okay Google, Play The Beatles" and see if it works.

Option #2

You can actually upload your music files directly to Google Play Music which will then allow you to access the songs through the app or anywhere you have Google Play Music.

You will likely then have to open the Google Play Music app on your phone and choose to save certain files to your Micro SD card for playback, which seems tedious, but I believe it will work. Note: haven't tried this myself.

Here are the instructions:
https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1101500?hl=en

 

[TheyCallMeBT]

That's cool but I wouldn't want to use Spotify either. I tried to tell her to open up VLC media player in order to access the music, but it just opens the app and doesn't start playing. This type of hands-free operation is really neat to be able to have.

Yeah, you don't have to use Spotify, just replace "Spotify" for any music app that you want to use. VLC isn't really a music app. I'm sure you can use it to play audio files. But I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't work with the command. Try Amazon Music app or Samsung's music app (not sure what the command would be, maybe just "Music").

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Option #1 (and the first thing I would try):
Clear 'Default' Music App in App Settings





Alternatively, visit Settings > Apps > Specific Music App that is default now and clear it as default





Uncheck 'Play Music' from 'In App' in Google Now Settings





Open your preferred music player and make sure it is able to successfully play music from your SD Card





BEFORE setting this as your default music player, say the voice command, 'Okay Google, Play Specific Song/Artist On Specific App'





If it asks you to set this app as your default... do so, if not...





Go to Settings > Apps > New Default App and try to set it as default music player




Then try to say another voice command such as, 'Okay Google, Play The Beatles' and see if it works.
Option #2
You can actually upload your music files directly to Google Play Music which will then allow you to access the songs through the app or anywhere you have Google Play Music.
You will likely then have to open the Google Play Music app on your phone and choose to save certain files to your Micro SD card for playback, which seems tedious, but I believe it will work. Note: haven't tried this myself.
Here are the instructions:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1101500?hl=en

I got it working Thanks to this and some points in the other posts!!!!!

 

[jasonbmerrill]

Option #1 (and the first thing I would try):
Clear 'Default' Music App in App Settings





Alternatively, visit Settings > Apps > Specific Music App that is default now and clear it as default





Uncheck 'Play Music' from 'In App' in Google Now Settings





Open your preferred music player and make sure it is able to successfully play music from your SD Card





BEFORE setting this as your default music player, say the voice command, 'Okay Google, Play Specific Song/Artist On Specific App'





If it asks you to set this app as your default... do so, if not...





Go to Settings > Apps > New Default App and try to set it as default music player




Then try to say another voice command such as, 'Okay Google, Play The Beatles' and see if it works.
Option #2
You can actually upload your music files directly to Google Play Music which will then allow you to access the songs through the app or anywhere you have Google Play Music.
You will likely then have to open the Google Play Music app on your phone and choose to save certain files to your Micro SD card for playback, which seems tedious, but I believe it will work. Note: haven't tried this myself.
Here are the instructions:

https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/1101500?hl=en

I got it working Thanks to this and some points in the other posts!!!!!

 

[christcena]

I use to play music, especially Apple Music with Siri, which I think it is more convenient than using Hi google mode.