How do I listen to music on my tablet?
Listening to music on a tablet provides a more immersive experience than on a phone, with a bigger screen and often better speakers. Tablets strike a balance between portability and sound quality. They are easy to carry around the home and take on the go, while providing a richer audio experience than a phone.
Compared to listening on a computer or laptop, tablets provide more flexibility. You can pick up a tablet and walk around while listening to music, without being tethered to a desk. Tablets are lightweight enough to use comfortably while reclining. The touch screens also provide intuitive controls for music playback.
However, computer and laptop screens are generally larger than tablet screens. Their larger speakers can potentially output louder, higher fidelity sound. Computers also offer more power and multitasking capabilities compared to tablets. But for portable personal music listening, tablets offer greater convenience and quality than phones, while remaining easy to carry and use compared to laptops.
Getting Music onto Your Tablet
There are several ways to get music onto your tablet, including downloading music files from a computer, streaming with a paid subscription service, or purchasing songs or albums directly through a music store app on your tablet.
To download music files from your computer, connect your tablet to your computer using a USB cable. Open the file manager app on your tablet, then locate the folder where music is stored on your computer. You can then copy music files over to your tablet. Make sure to create a folder like “Music” on your tablet to keep things organized.
Alternatively, you can use a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive to upload music files from your computer and then access them on your tablet by installing the app and logging in. This keeps your music synced across devices.
Paid subscription streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and others allow you to stream millions of songs over the internet. Just download the app, create an account, and log in to access music. You can also save songs for offline listening.
Finally, you can purchase and download songs or albums directly on your tablet through apps like the Google Play Music Store, iTunes Music Store, or Amazon Music. The songs will be downloaded directly within the app so you can access them offline.
Music Apps
Many tablets come preloaded with music apps from their manufacturer. For example, Apple tablets have Apple Music built-in, while Android tablets often include Google Play Music. These preloaded apps provide access to millions of songs that you can stream or download for offline listening.
There are also many popular third-party music apps to explore. Some top options include:
- Spotify – Streaming service with over 70 million songs. Free version is ad-supported.
- Pandora – Popular internet radio app that creates customized stations based on your tastes.
- SoundCloud – Stream and discover new music uploaded by emerging and established artists.
- YouTube Music – Stream official songs, albums, playlists, and music videos.
Most major music apps are available on both iOS and Android. Try out a few to find your favorite features and library of songs. Read app reviews to help decide which is best for your listening preferences.
References:
https://www.ranker.com/list/best-music-apps/rockboy
Playing Music Files
If you have downloaded music files onto your tablet from the internet or transferred them from a computer, here are some tips for playing those files:
First, you’ll need to find where your music files are stored on your tablet. Typically they will be in the “Music” or “Downloads” folder. You can use your tablet’s file manager app to browse folders and locate music files.
To play the music files, you will need to use a music player app. There are many good options available including AIMP, Fildo, and Another Music Player. These apps allow you to play common music file formats like MP3 and FLAC.
It’s a good idea to organize your music library by creating playlists. Most music player apps have playlist features that let you make custom playlists based on artists, genres or songs you like. This allows you to easily queue up music instead of browsing your entire library.
By using a dedicated music player app and organizing your downloaded music into playlists, you can conveniently listen to tracks stored locally on your tablet.
Streaming Music Services
Streaming music services allow you to access vast music libraries and playlists without having to store the audio files on your device. Popular options like Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, and Google Play Music work well on tablets. To use them, you’ll need to download the app from the Play Store (for Android) or App Store (for iPad). Then connect your existing account or sign up for a subscription.
Once set up, you can browse featured playlists or search for artists, albums, or songs to listen to. The apps make recommendations based on your listening history. You can also create your own playlists and stations based on your musical tastes. Some services like Pandora let you create stations focused on specific artists or genres.
For uninterrupted listening, make sure your tablet is connected to WiFi. Streaming uses a lot of data, so listening over your mobile network could get expensive. Most services offer offline listening, allowing you to download songs, playlists, or stations to your device when connected to WiFi. These downloads are then available anytime without an internet connection.
Refer to the settings of your preferred streaming app to enable offline listening. Downloads are available for a limited time, around 30 days, before you need to re-download them. This saves storage space on your device.
Streaming services provide a robust music experience tailored to you. With vast libraries and smart customization features, they make it easy to always have the perfect soundtrack for any occasion.
Purchasing Music
There are a few different options for purchasing music to download directly to your tablet. Setting up an account with an online music store like Amazon Music or Google Play Music allows you to browse their music libraries and make purchases.
To set up an account, you’ll need to download the store’s app from the app store on your tablet and enter your payment information. Once your account is active, you can search for artists, albums, or songs to purchase.
When you find a song or album you want, you simply tap the purchase button to buy it. Purchased music will automatically download to your tablet so you can listen offline. You can buy individual tracks or full albums.
For example, on Amazon Music you can search for a song title, tap on the MP3 version, and choose to buy just that track. Or you can find a full album and purchase all the songs at once.
Services like Amazon Music and Google Play Music have millions of songs available for purchase so you can build up your own music library.
Bluetooth Speakers/Headphones
One of the most convenient ways to listen to music on your tablet is by pairing it with Bluetooth speakers or headphones. This allows you to stream audio wirelessly without any cables getting in the way. Most tablets have Bluetooth built-in, making the pairing process quick and easy.
To pair your tablet with a Bluetooth speaker or headphones, start by turning on the Bluetooth setting on your tablet if it’s not already enabled. Then turn on the speaker/headphones and put them in pairing mode so they are discoverable. Your tablet should detect the Bluetooth device and prompt you to connect. Tap on the name of the speaker/headphones and your tablet will automatically pair with it.[1]
Once paired, you will be able to play music and other audio from your tablet and have it stream directly to the connected Bluetooth device. Most tablets allow you to have multiple Bluetooth connections active at once. You can manage these connections through the Bluetooth settings menu on your device. From there you can connect and disconnect devices as needed.[2]
Your tablet may also give you options for changing the audio output destination. You can toggle between playing sound out of the built-in speakers vs. routing it to the Bluetooth device. Just check your tablet’s sound/audio settings menu to switch back and forth.
Listening Controls
Tablets give you full control over music playback and volume. Playback functions like play, pause, and skip are standard on most music apps. Tap the play button to start a song, pause button to pause it, and skip buttons to go to the next or previous track. Some apps may also have rewind and fast forward controls.
Volume can be adjusted in a few ways. Swipe down from the top of the screen to access the device’s volume slider bar. You can also use the physical volume buttons on the side of the tablet. Finally, some music apps have their own in-app volume controls.
Many apps include repeat and shuffle options to customize your listening experience. Tap the repeat icon to loop the current song or playlist. Shuffle will play songs in random order instead of sequentially. Turn these settings on or off as desired.
With touch controls, gestures, buttons, and sliders, tablets give you full command over your music playback. You can start, stop, skip, shuffle, repeat, and adjust volume seamlessly.
Offline Listening
One of the benefits of music apps is the ability to download songs, albums, or playlists for offline listening when you don’t have an internet connection. This is great for situations like flights, road trips, or when you are in an area with poor connectivity. Most music services allow you to toggle options to download content for offline use.
For example, Spotify Premium subscribers can download playlists, albums, and podcasts to listen to offline. The Spotify mobile app has a toggle for available for offline listening. Any content marked for offline will be downloaded to your device storage and available without an internet connection. Spotify limits offline content to 3,333 songs per device and up to 5 devices (source).
Similarly, YouTube Music Premium members can download unlimited music and playlists for offline listening. The downloads are available as long as you are subscribed and can be accessed through the Downloads section of the YouTube Music app (source).
One limitation of offline listening is that the downloaded content is tied to the specific app and service. So songs downloaded in Spotify won’t be available in another music app. If you want to switch services or apps, you’ll have to download everything again. Some apps like Musify allow you to play your own offline music files.
It’s also worth noting that offline content takes up storage space on your tablet. So you’ll want to manage your downloads and remove content you no longer want offline. Most apps allow you to easily delete downloads when you need more space.
Conclusion
In summary, there are several main ways to listen to music on your tablet:
- Transfer your personal music library files onto your tablet storage or SD card
- Install streaming apps like Spotify, Pandora, or Apple Music to access millions of songs
- Use a music downloading app like Amazon Music to purchase and download songs
- Listen to internet radio stations through apps like TuneIn Radio or iHeartRadio
To get the best music listening experience on your tablet, invest in high-quality Bluetooth headphones or a wireless speaker. This allows you to listen untethered without draining your tablet’s battery. Also, look for apps that allow offline listening for when you don’t have an internet connection. With the right apps and accessories, you can enjoy your entire music library anywhere with a tablet.
