Station picking tunes based on reasons I keep thumbing down
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My Frozen in Time station is set up to be a pared down, simple (mostly-instrumental) collection of pieces based around largely piano + violin or cello. I use it to focus on other tasks. While some pieces I have upvoted are based off of hymns, I’m downvoting anything with background “ambient” noises like waves or birds; covers of pop songs; and traditionally Classical works like concertos, suites, canons, etc. This includes really well-known Classical pieces. Basically, I don’t want bgd sound effects, I don't want ambiently slow spa/sleep pieces, and I don’t want tunes that are so common or heavily based on lyrics that I’m paying attention to that instead of using the music to focus. Unfortunately, the algorithm seems to spontaneously ignore these preferences, and at this point, my thumbs on the station are about 1-to-2 favoring downvotes. I’ve downvoted 5-6 versions just of Pachelbel’s Canon in D!
Today, I had another well-known Classical piece pop up in the algorithm. I figured since it was a piano sonata, it just selected it because of that, but when I clicked “Why This Song?” it said one of the reasons was it was an “Acclaimed piece.” This is what I've been avoiding and downvoting! I’ve also had it multiple times select things “Because” it has a slow ambient pace or background ambient sounds despite me consistently downvoting these, too. What’s going on, here? How do I get the algorithm to stop selecting styles I’m downvoting as recommendations?
Please note: deleting and starting the channel over isn’t an option. This is one that was already created as a successor to another station that started repeating the same songs over and over or picking things that didn’t fit at all. I can’t keep making and retailoring a new station every 4-6 months, and clearly that hasn't been working anyway, as evidenced by the high downvote rating on this 'new' station.
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@caldella At the moment, we don't have the option to filter out all songs with lyrics on Pandora stations, but I've noted your request for our product team.
In the meantime, I recommend you continue to thumb down any tracks that don't fit the sound you want to hear on your station.
Also make sure that any additional artist/songs you've added as variety, as well as any songs you've thumbed up align with the sound you are looking for.
This all being said, for complete control of what you hear on Pandora, try Pandora Premium. Based off of your previous feedback, I believe you may benefit from this level of subscription.
It combines our radio service with on-demand listening and allows you to create custom playlists, so you can create full playlists with only instrumental music, and you can pick and choose exactly what songs you want to hear during your listening sessions.
Use this link to learn about the many benefits of upgrading.
Hope this helps!
Adam | Community Moderator
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Sorry, I was not clear enough - when I say covers of popular songs, I mean instrumental ones. No lyrics. I thumb those down along with popular Classical pieces, as I don't want familiar tunes or ones with rhythms heavily based to fit lyrics in them, yet Pandora still is selecting these things for me over and over. I don't see anything in my seeds or thumbs that would do this. I've tried. Most of my thumbs/seeds are from the same artists as the old station.
I have tried to ask here before and received no answer - how would Premium improve my ability to add variety besides just allowing more thumbs down if wanted? I do not want a custom playlist or on-demand playing. Literally I wan the opposite. This station was created at Mod's recommendation (I cannot recall if you was you or someone else who spoke to me, sorry) since my original station was repeating certain tracks too often, and sorting seeds under strange categories like like Deep Cuts. Basically, not getting new songs in the style I want has been a problem now for 6-8 months.
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Look and see if you have upvoted a band called 2 Cellos. I found that while this band is big into classical, they also will constantly play "popular" covers of songs in instrumental form. One such band you've upvoted likely could be one of these bands, and there are a few. You are welcome to sample my station, which is mostly rid of all of these. https://www.pandora.com/station/play/98632792228760388?part=ug-desktop&corr=25589539
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I've also noticed that when you select a song, no matter what the similarities in your mind may be, that is not what the algorithm recognizes. I selected an Olivia Foa'i station because I love the Hawaiian chanting in her songs. No matter how many downvotes I handed out, the station would only ever play stupid Disney theme songs because Moana is a Disney production, so the algorithm assumed that's what I wanted. 400 downvotes later it will not understand, so some of this is based on the song that you selected initially. I would find a song you really love in the station that isn't the song you initially picked. Then make a new station with that song. Another thing I've noticed: If you've upvoted a selection on another station, it will play it on your current station. So I have a western station that plays themes from Good Bad Ugly type stuff. Then I also have a 70s lounge music themed station. Kind of like spy music. Any selections I've upvoted on my western station will occasionally play on the lounge music station because they were in the same era...it's stupid. There is nothing similar. You've got to learn how to work the algorithm more than the song. In fact, I rarely upvote. It's more about song selection and I only upvote what is perfect for the station. Then I will wait forever, letting it play bad songs until it plays another great song, then upvote that.