how do I transfer my music from my iPod touch to iTunes

Actually, yes there is a great app out there that allow you to browse your iPod file system called 3uTools. It works GREAT. Download it from http://www.3u.com/ . Just be careful what you do with the system files. You can mess things up. Just export the music files you want to keep. I just used it for the first time. It was perfect!

Hello,

Synchronization only works one way, iTunes to iPod. Not the other way around.

You are welcome.

Does that mean whatever is on the iPod cannot be retrieved by any means? Forget the sync option. Is there any way to read the files on the iPod like any other external drive?

I am sorry, no.

One more reason not to buy anything from Apple!

There are lots of 3rd party apps such as iExplorer that will do this. Most are not free but do occasionally appear on the giveaway sites.