Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: "Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation? (Read 22979 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

"Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation?

Hello.

I got a question that maybe someone find very stupid, but I really need an answer... Well, english is not my native language so I don't understand it perfectly. I know how to use dictionaries but they didn't help me answer my question:
What is the difference between two play modes - "Shuffle (tracks)" and "Random" ? What does it mean Shuffle and what does it mean Random? Essential question is - what is the behavior of foobar in "Random" mode and what in "Shuffle (tracks)"?

I asked this question because I don't understand how foobar works or maybe just my expectations are incorrect due to misunderstanding of words "shuffle" and "random". In both Random and Shuffle modes I have impression, that after about 15-20 tracks from about 200-300 on playlist, foobar tends to play mostly the same tracks as were already played. Some tracks are played 3 -4 times, some (most of them) just never. It looks like "Random" mode is worse of them two - more tracks are more frequently repeated, while rest of tracks is just omitted

The simplest answer, the most appreciated it will be

"Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation?

Reply #1 –
i don't know the actual implementation, but in theory random is what it is - random selection from a list.

if you have a list of 100 songs, random number is chosen in the range of (1..100) and then the song representing that number is played next. each time a selection is made from 100 songs.

shuffle should select 1 song as the method above and remove it from the 100 list. so next selection of random is made from 99 songs. next - 98 songs and so on, until the list is empty. then the list is regenerated (possibly in random order) again and the cycle repeats.

personally i've never (i think) used the 'random' play order. always use shuffle and i haven't noticed tracks repeating until the whole list was played through.

"Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation?

Reply #2 –
Quote from: EpicForever on
The simplest answer, the most appreciated it will be

Random may repeat tracks (plays tracks indiscriminately regardless of repetition).

Shuffle doesn´t repeat any track (plays tracks 1 time in a random order).

"Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation?

Reply #3 –
Guys - thank you for your quick and clear answers 

So - partially I was wrong ("Shuffle" doesn't repeat anything - that was JUST my impression or duplicated tracks in tracklist) and partially I was right ("Random" is kinda "worse" - it really repeats tracks accordingly to both my experience and theory).

Thanks again !

EDIT:
I found source of my confusions and wrong impressions about "Shuffle" mode. Sometimes, when I play my tracks in Shuffle I want to skip particular track and listen to another one. But often I don't press "playback / next" button" but "playback / random" instead. So tracks are played random, and sometimes they are repeated after just 2 tracks. I did this a while ago and I was confused, but then I've read description of button that I used to change track  .

"Random" vs. "Shuffle (tracks)" - explanation?

Reply #4 –
Yep, there's also an FAQ regarding this question on foobar's website.

http://www.foobar2000.org/FAQ
You'll need to scroll down quite a bit.