Garritt Hampton

A couple of years ago, I made a little Automator application, (now) called Good Morning Music!, available for free on the Realty Response website. It has been pretty popular, so I decided to put it here too. Basically, when you start your computer in the morning, it sets your computer volume and iTunes volume, for nice morning levels, then it starts any iTunes playlist you select. I set my energy saver preferences to start my computer at 8:55 am, and when I got to work, I always knew there would be good music playing in my office.

The other day, I got an email from a user, asking if Good Morning Music! could be used for internet radio. While it is possible to modify it to work for internet radio, it is kind of a pain in the neck, but I liked the idea so much, that I created a second version on Good Morning Music! specifically for internet radio, and renamed it Radio Startup.

In the process of creating Radio Startup, I noticed some bugs in the latest version of Good Morning Music!, so I fixed them and moved the downloads to my new web host. I have updated the links on this page, and added a version list outlining the changes that have been made.

Enjoy.

Good Morning Music!
Version: 1.1.0
License: Freeware
Author: Garritt Hampton ©2006, ©2008

INTRODUCTION

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD for Power PC Macs

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD for Intel Macs

Good Morning Music! is a simple automator application intended to start your day off right. I like to start my workday with music, but I want it to start at a nice low-medium volume level. Good Morning Music! will set your computer volume and iTunes volume at a reasonable level, then begin playing a specified playlist in random mode.

SETUP

1) Place the Good Morning Music! application icon in your iTunes folder (Users/’you’/Music/iTunes).
2) Create Startup Playlist in iTunes (These instructions are for a “Smart Playlist”, but the program will work equally well with a regular playlist).
• To begin using iTunes Startup just create smart playlist in itunes (Select “File”, “New Smart Playlist”)
• When the “Smart Playlist” window opens select “Comment” in the first dropdown menu.
• Enter “Startup” in the text box. (no quotes)
• Make sure the only check box that is selected is “Live Updating”.
• Click “OK”.
• In your iTunes Library, select any songs you would like to add to the Startup playlist (To select multiple songs hold the apple key and click songs).
• Right click on any selected song.
• Select “Get Info”.
• In the comments box enter “Startup”.
• Click “OK”.
• If you get a warning about editing information for multiple tracks click “OK”.
3) Add iTunes-Startup application to Login Items
• Open System Preferences.
• Select “Accounts”.
• Select the “Login Items” tab.
• Click the “+” button below the list.
• Select the Good Morning Music! application in your iTunes folder.
• Click Add.
• Check the box next to iTunes-Startup to hide the application when it starts.
4) Enjoy.

I Have encluded the Good Morning Music! Automator Workflow to enable you to change volume or playback settings or to adapt this workflow to do other things. Take a look at Radio Startup for ideas.

If you like Good Morning Music! please tell a friend.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD for Power PC Macs

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD for Intel Macs

VERSION CHANGES
1.1.0 – (10/15/2009) Intel Mac Version
1.0.2 – (11/05/2008) Corrected name of playlist, from “Strartup” to “Startup”
Bug Fixes, Changed Name
1.0.1 – Bug Fixes
1.0.0 – (2006) Original Release