Tagging Shows for Network Players

[deadtrader]

I haven't been to this site for 14 yrs. But in the last few yrs I've realized that my collection needs to be tagged so I can search it in many different ways. I've never played with itunes or other tagging formats. So don't have these formats making my rules. But I'd like to know if my current format needs some modification.

So we are talking about thousands of show as most of you have by now.
My thoughts are there should be a standard of sorts to tag and release or at least some minimal requirements since a person can modify tags to meet their own needs.

My collection is being setup on a NAS (so many shows so little time) so I can play on my network player or though any device I connect to the NAS wherever I am.
I have a system and have tagged at least 1k shows but I'd really like any input to want a standard should be. If there is interest in this topic I'll take the time to share my system.

I think tagging is the next big step in sharing tunes so a person can properly access what they want to listen to now. I'm taking about a searchable database via tags which don't take that long to add before sharing.

Any thoughts?

[LeifH12345]

Its nice when uploaders tag flacs before sharing, but everyone has their own preferences. If you tag a show as soon as you get it, in theory you shouldn't ever have to deal with it again, it only takes a few seconds, however I've had tags disappear on some files.

If you have lots of shows by the same artist, you can bulk tag the artist line.

[Audioarchivist]

Originally Posted by LeifH12345

Its nice when uploaders tag flacs before sharing, but everyone has their own preferences. If you tag a show as soon as you get it, in theory you shouldn't ever have to deal with it again, it only takes a few seconds, however I've had tags disappear on some files.

If you have lots of shows by the same artist, you can bulk tag the artist line.

The only problem with changing tags once you download something is that you'll also have to stop seeding it back once the tags are modified by you - the files won't check right in your torrent program after that. Unless you make a copy for your tag modifying needs and keep the original files seeding, that is...

I much prefer the taper or uploader to have tagged files as completely and as descriptively as possible before they upload. I hate when files are names with no real identifying names other than something that looks more like a Costco product code! So stupid when you've got to open the test file to see what the tracks are named! Fuck that system!

Tag your files before you share them!

[lintoni]

I used to use etree-scripts for live shows. It was a bit hit and miss, but convenient when it worked. Command line though, so...

Maybe have a look at musicbrainz?

[deadtrader]

The protocol I use for tagging has to meet a couple of standards. It has to play nice with network and music player software, and keep a good clean file structure. The most important element is the show's wrapping / directory folder. I've based mine from the basic etree structure (Artist)(Date)(source)(sound qual optional)(Venue)(other important info)
I use this info to create tags.
Artist is straight forward to a point, I've gone back and forth on how detailed the artist info should be, ie; Neil Young or more detail by including Group Neil Yong & Cray Horse or Neil Young and International Harvesters etc. I've finally stuck with the basic Neil Young. That way when searching by Artist/Album I can have the whole collection in chronological order, and if I want I can place band info in comments or Band tag.
Album is easy I just use the folder/directory name.
Date always YYYY-MM-DD not just the year. that way you can search for a show on any day of the yr
I try and include venue info but it sometimes gets missed.

For a while I was renaming the files [(Disc)Track] title. But then I'd have to either edit the fingerprint file to match the new track name or just create a new fingerprint. So unless the file names are really weird I leave them alone.

[dasmueller]

I generally retag all the shows I download, but I do that to a copy and keep the original as is. That way if I need to reseed no problem

[deadtrader]

Originally Posted by dasmueller

I generally retag all the shows I download, but I do that to a copy and keep the original as is. That way if I need to reseed no problem

I wish I could save the torrent version but I just don't have the server room.
Gonna have to upgrade my 12TB server soon anyways

[dasmueller]

Originally Posted by deadtrader

I wish I could save the torrent version but I just don't have the server room.
Gonna have to upgrade my 12TB server soon anyways

You must have one hell of a library if it taxes a 12TB server. I have 4387+ hrs. on a 2TB drive without anywhere near enough time to listen to it all !

[deadtrader]

Originally Posted by dasmueller

You must have one hell of a library if it taxes a 12TB server. I have 4387+ hrs. on a 2TB drive without anywhere near enough time to listen to it all !

Well it's fully mirrored so capacity is just under 6TB. I've only loaded 3.5TB but have a stack of old hard drives and a few boxes of dvds. I'd have it filled today but I'm tagging everything before it's loaded.

[Syco54645]

You may be interested in the application I have been working on. I just posted about it http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/...d.php?t=177247