A few more quick notes.
First, I'm an Aussie also, so at least we are on the same time zone. Well, probably. I'm in Melbourne.
Ok, so under Background Tools Running it says "No tools currently running" and underAuto-Import all three boxes were already checked, and I've just now added the folder C:\2. MUSIC under "Add folders you would like the Program to watch (but I'm not sure what that means).
That means MC will watch for any files changes in that folder and any other folder below it. It uses "File Events" from Windows, so it should pick up changes immediately. If not, it will check every two hours anyway.
I assume that as you didn't have that folder listed in Auto-Import, that MC just searched your whole computer for all your files when you installed it, and picked up everything it found. On a new installation MC does that (searches everywhere) after a 45 seconds countdown unless you cancel it. While letting it do that is fine for some, MC won't pick up future changes unless the folder is listed in Auto-Import.
You should definitely have that folder in Auto-Import, and I advise checking all the check boxes at the bottom of the Auto-Import configuration, and set the "Fix broken links" to "Yes (protect files on missing drives)"
Also, select the folder you have added, click the edit button, and check the file types that will be looked for. Change as necessary. I think MC search for all Audio, Video, and Image files by default. You may want to change the to just Audio files for your "C:\2. MUSIC" folder.
Once that is done, run Auto-Import again, and it will probably do more work.
That is the only location I keep music (it's been created as a Music folder in Win 10 so should have the same attributes as the normal My Music or whatever).
MC doesn't need or care that the folder is created as a Music folder in Windows. It does a better job of classifying music than Windows does without that setting. But that will help when you are using Windows Explorer.
On the same pane should I check "Analyse audio for audio files"?
Yes. As above, check all the items in Auto-Import configuration. At least that is what I do. There is a Wiki article on Auto-Import which explains the settings.
Maybe I'm using MC in a naive way in these early days - I either just select the files in the folder and drag them to "Playing Now" or maybe just double click on it if I'm only after one track (mind ). I haven't really built many playlists yet, mainly because I've been so out of touch with my music for so long. Still going through listing tracks I like etc, for which I'm using Excel to keep a record.
Yeah you need to start using Standard View in MC and the Album and Artist views to get a better understanding of what it can do for you. If you can use Excel, you can learn to use MC, and it will do a far better job than Excel.
Research the Rating tag in MC, as a way to identify tracks you like. Give the good tracks a high rating, then you can easily search for and display those tracks. Research the Search function, which uses the field near the top right corner of Standard View.
One thing I find frustrating is that when I drag files over it always rearranges the order and I have to manually sort them back into track # order.
There must be a solution to that?
If you are viewing the Album view in MC, and you drag and drop an album into "Playing Now", MC will retain the sequence. The same if you select multiple files/tracks and drag and drop them. The sequence used is whatever sequence they are in from the source where you drag them from. Once they are in "Playing Now" they are sorted by the sequence in which they are added, but you can resort them but Shuffling, or clicking on the column headers.
Also, try hovering your mouse over things in MC, and left clicking and right clicking on them. You will find lots more functionality.
For example, if you select an Album, or a few tracks, then right click on them, you will see the option "More Play Options", within which are a whole lot of different ways to add music to "Playing Now".
You can also Sort any View as you wish, by clicking the column headers, or using the Sort function shown in the attached image.
If Shuffle was off and tracks don't retain their sort sequence when you drag and drop files, it is probably because you are dragging from Windows Explorer, or the sort sequence was not by track in MC.
When I put Audio Analysis into the search box, it brings up "Showing files etc etc" but no files are shown. Now I may be technically challenged but I'm betting that no files have been analysed. But there is no more info offered on what my choices of action are......
As above, I meant to search the Wiki and Forum. But also, if there are values in the "Volume Level (R128)", "Volume Level (ReplayGain)", "Peak Level (R128), "Peak Level (Sample)", "Dynamic Range (R128)", "Dynamic Range (DR)", and "BPM" tags, then audio has been analysed for the selected file.
I must say that MC looks like an enormously capable program, and is therefore a bit overwhelming. Maybe I missed a pointer to a tutorial or something during the install (and I've had a severe overload of new tech just recently - just come from XP/Office 03 to Win 10/2016 and me head is spinning - two weeks just writing scripts etc for the ribbon which I need heavily customised and it's SOooo much more complicated in Win 10).
In other words, you can correctly assume that I am the Sgt Schultz of MC and any other Media player.
You'll love MC when you get the hang of it. Read lots in the Wiki and Forum. If you can't find answers, ask in the forum, as you have now.