New guy, Help with music library folder structure
Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Tech Student
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    1

    Default New guy, Help with music library folder structure

    hello to everybody in DJTT

    let me introduce myself first, as this is my first post. So my name is Efthymios, and I am new to DJing.
    I have a ton of questions but I just want to focus on music library organization here. I had read some articles and tips from several sources and I fully understand that is a subjective matter, so I will tell you what I try and I hope for some help.

    At the begging I Had one folder (Music) with a lot of subfolders mostly in Genre style (there I have till now many genres (electronic,rock,ethinc,jazz,etc).

    Since I want to be a DJ of electronic music (tech-house,minimal-tech,techno,ect) I realize that the other grenres-folders don't have to be inserted in Tractor. I also don't want to delete my music so I rename the folder to (Old Music).
    The next step was to create a new folder (Music UnTagged), and I cut-paste a small amount of music from the (Old Music) here. I also create some folders like relative to the download source, like (beatport,soundcloud,youtube) and some others totally irrelevant like genres or artist (dubstep or Maceo Plex, coming from Old Music)

    Finally, I create a third folder (Music), possible in future rename it in (DJ Music), which I plan to be the main directory for traktor.

    So I have 3 main folders
    1(Old Music)
    2(Music untagged)
    3(Music)

    Next step: I download some programs and trying to tag my music. (Mp3tag, MediaMonkey, Beatport, Itunes) *still learning them, i have questions for some of those also). I don't care about tagging folder No1 and I think should not right? I mostly care about folder No2. The plan is obviously put new download/purchase music to folder No2, tag it and then move it to folder No3.
    My main problem here is to establish a way of doing it right, mostly in my mind and then on PC, since I am in the begging in order not to lost it in the future.

    And here comes some questions:
    should i care about the subfolders of the No2-Untagged Music folder or leave it in this Chaos (beatport,Dubstep,Maceo Plex)
    For folder No3-Music (Main traktor directory) I obviously care. In the begging, I was thinking of a genre structure but after doing some research, I realize that If you play your music in Traktor through playlists and if there are several ways to manipulate and create smart playlist via itunes/beatport, there is no need for the folder to be in this structure too. So right now this folder have a simple structure with only 2 subfolders (artist and complications)
    In artist I plan to create subfolders of alblums/ep/lp with the years writting next to album. example: Nicolas jaar/time for us (2010)/tracks. In compilcations, the same name of complication or VA (I regarded them as the same) example: 1) Renaissance The Mix Collection - Gui Boratto (2010)/tracks, 2) Beatport Biggest Basslines Tech House September (2016)/tracks.
    A little problem with this structure is in which artist folder I should put the remixes/edit etc. I currently have this track: Trentemoller-Sycamore Feeling (Gui Boratto Remix) in Trentemoller folder. Does this sound good ?
    I also reach this structure so far since I discover albums with several genres form even same artist, in artist folder for example there is a folder Paul Kalkbrenner/Berlin Calling (2008)/tracks, which have and techno and tech-house, so i didn't want to separate the tracks. Big question about this, how anyone with genre folder structure handle this ?

    I saw that some softwares like MediaMonkey and Itunes have the ability to recreate folders like N.jaar/Time for us/tracks... so i think this can help me in future not doing it manually... but I'm not at this point yet.

    I plan to purchase MixedinKey also. so regarding the tagging part, I see it like Mp3tag(when necessary)/MixedinKey/beatport(comments,mood,ect,playlist),Itunes(smart playlists or beatport playlist to traktor)

    Do I have to chose between beatport/Itunes for main software library? (I guess yes) and if I have to regardless of which one, which main folder I have to make them constantly watch? The No2(Music Untagged) or No3(Music)?

    I will stop now and say sorry for the big post here, but I want to be clearly enough and I'm a detail oriented person.
    I don't have problem to change my folder structures to genre style, but I really prefer some suggestions on what I've done so far...

    By the way since, I'm new (amateur) and not able to play in crowed yet (just home) time event folder structure like Startup/prewarm,afterhours don't really care me.. also think tags/playlists can do this job.

    Thank you all and nice to meet you !!!
    Last edited by violok; 11-03-2016 at 09:34 AM.

  2. #2
    Tech Guru Patch's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Bristol, UK
    Posts
    6,481

    Default

    You're pretty close, mate. But you're MASSIVELY overthinking it!!!

    I go:

    MiK>MP3Tag>iTunes

    Basically, I DON'T use folders at all. I have all my music in one folder, and use iTunes Smart Playlists to sort, based on my tags. So, I download tracks, run 'em through MiK, run 'em through MP3Tag (including populating all necessary tags, and cleaning up filenames), then move 'em to my music folder and then import 'em into iTunes.

    Then, I generate Smart Playlists as I need 'em. Honestly - I don't see a need for folders if you are going to use iTunes.

    The combination of iTunes and MP3Tag is un-beatable. As long as you develop a tight tagging system, and ensure that all of your existing, and any future tracks, are all tagged in accordance with your own tagging system.

    Also - there isn't a need for separate folders for your non-DJ'ing (I think you called it "Old Music"). Just put a tag in the comments field of all of those tracks (you can do it in a single operation in MP3Tag), and then you can exclude them (using a condition in your smart playlists) from all of your smart playlists.

    I basically have two folder - 1 is where I download my tracks to, and one is where my music collection lives. All other sorting is done in iTunes using Smart Playlists.
    Last edited by Patch; 11-03-2016 at 09:03 AM.
    DJ'ing: 2x1200MK2, DJM 850, Dicers, F1, Zomo MC-1000, Sony MDR-v700, i7 Win 10 HP Envy
    Production: Ableton Live 8 and a mouse, Sennheiser HD400, Sony VAIO

    Click HERE to D/L Free Tracks from Soundcloud!!!
    https://www.facebook.com/Patchdj

  3. #3
    Tech Guru DJAdeSands's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
    Location
    Lisburn, Northern Ireland
    Posts
    535

    Default

    I don't use itunes, but to be honest, less is more, I do have genre specific folders, chart/country etc, that's to keep music genre specific tracks together, that's all. I do run through MiK and tag with mp3tag, it's a great program.

    Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
    Denon DJ/MC6000KMK2/Launchpad S/LaunchcontrolXL/Traktor Pro 2/Bringin it since 96.

  4. #4
    Tech Mentor Chael's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Manchester UK
    Posts
    284

    Default

    Have you tried the beatport pro app? I find it an easy way to organise my library and can keep everything in the one folder, its abit of work maintaining you tags/comments etc but once you have it set up its a piece of cake

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •