Quick start

The quickest way to become familiar with Helium Music Manager's different views and tools is to read the available tutorials. These tutorials cover the most common views and tools.

Common questions and answers

• How can I start to edit my tags?
• What do I need to do to rename my files using tag-information?
• How do I add my files to Helium Music Manager's database?
• How do I download tag information from the Internet?
• How can I create tag information from filenames?
• How can I change the language in Helium Music Manager?
• Which file types are supported by Helium Music Manager?
• How can I create a playlist?
• How can I install and use a Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition database?

• I have a large music collection; how can I improve the overall speed?

How can I start to edit my tags?

Helium Music Manager provides you with two main tools for tag editing:

• The Tag Editor
  Start the Tag Editor by clicking Tools | Edit Tags... or press CTRL+E

• The Tag Editor (Spreadsheet Mode)
  Start the Tag Editor (Spreadsheet Mode) by clicking Tools | Edit Tags (Spreadsheet Mode)... or press CTRL+SHIFT+E

Click here to read more about the Tag Editor.
Click here to read more about the Tag Editor (Spreadsheet mode).

What do I need to do to rename my files using tag-information?

To rename your music files using information stored in tags, you use the File Rename Wizard.
Start the File Rename Wizard by clicking Tools | Rename Files... or press CTRL+R.

Click here to learn more about the File Rename Wizard.

How do I add my files to Helium Music Manager's database?

The simplest way to add music files to your database is by using the Add Files Wizard.
Start the Add Files Wizard by clicking the button on the toolbar or by clicking Tools | Database | Add Files To Database... or by pressing CTRL+INS.

Click here to learn more about the Add Files Wizard.

How do I download tag information from the Internet?

Helium Music Manager supports downloading of tags, album pictures, artist/group pictures, lyrics, biography, artist/group data and lyrics from the Internet. This data can be download automatically by using any of the available plug-ins.

Read more by clicking the links below:

• Downloading information using the Tag Editor
• Downloading information using the Tag Editor (Spreadsheet Mode)
• Downloading album pictures
• Downloading artist/group information

How can I create tag information from filenames?

Use the Tag Editor to automatically create tag information from the filenames using a function called Filename To Tag.
 
Click here to learn more about the Filename To Tag function.
 

How can I change the language in Helium Music Manager?

You can change the active language in Helium Music Manager by clicking Tools | Options and then click the "Change" button.
Please note that you can download additional languages from Helium Music Manager's website, http://www.helium-music-manager.com.
 

Which file types are supported by Helium Music Manager?

Helium Music Manager supports the following file types:

• MP3
  When you are working with MP3 files, Helium Music Manager enables you to work with the following tag formats:
  • ID3v1.1
  • ID3v2.2 or  ID3v2.3 or ID3v2.4
  • Lyrics 3v2
  • APEv2
• Apple iTunes and iPod AAC (m4a, m4b) including protected m4p files and Nero AAC (mp4)
  When you are working with any of the above file formats Helium Music Manager automatically enables you to work with tags in QuickTime format.

• MusePack mpc/mp+ files
  When working with this file format Helium Music Manager enables you to work with APEv2 and ID3v1 tags.

• Windows Media wma and asf files
  WMA/ASF tags are used when working with this file format

• Ogg Vorbis and lossles FLAC files
  Native Vorbis Comments are used when working with this file format

• Lossless Monkey's audio
  APEv2 and ID3v1 tags are used when working with Monkey's audio files (.APE)
• WAVE files
  Native RIFF tags are used when working with this format

Read more by clicking the links below:

• Click here to learn more about tags and tag formats.
• Click here to see a reference of supported tag fields. (external link)

How can I create a playlist?

Playlists in Helium Music Manager are handled and managed from the Playlist Browser.
 
Click here to learn more about the Playlist Browser.
 

I have a large music collection; how can I improve the overall speed?

When you are working with larger music collections (around 15,000 or more tracks) it is highly recommended that you choose an alternate database engine to the default Microsoft Access DB.

Apart from Microsoft Access, Helium Music Manager comes with full support for Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition and Microsoft SQL Server 2005. These databases are more "sophisticated" than Microsoft Access and will give you improved speed while working with Helium Music Manager.
 
Typical examples of where the speed will be greatly improved are:
-The Album Browser
-Searches
-The Music Information Browser
 
When you have downloaded and installed your new database engine, simply open Database Management and create your new database.
Please note that you are able to fully import all contents from a previously used Microsoft Access database into a Microsoft SQL Server database.