How do you organize you music library in Traktor?

[maf940]

In the past my library has gotten out of control and I'm looking for ideas on how to keep organized. I've thought about a couple ways to sort tracks

Genre/Style
Vocals vs no vocals
bpm
creating a playlist for a certain mix or set

what are some other things people do to help keep their libraries organized and efficient?

[MyUsername]

Step 1: DON'T organize your library in traktor.
Step 2: Organize your music library in iTunes.

Et voila

BONUS PRO TIP: ID3 tags are your friend

[ksandvik]

I started using # tags in comments, like #classic. Seems to work really well.

I also have my own genre system, re-classifying songs, House-Org, House-Techno, House-Pop and so on. Similarly, Disco-Nu, Disco-Org. If the first character in comment starts with [ as in [a], [b], [c] the song is graded and with a smart album I could sort those out. I grade songs based on how I like it.

Also, I use the star system to grade the energy level, from * sleepy to ***** high-high energy.

I tried to use Grouping in iTunes but that's not pushed out to Traktor's metadata so I can't use this field.

Anyway, all this is driven from iTunes, with iTunes match I could do all the organizing and playlist work on five computers and then just download to any laptop or system I need the sets at and then we go. iTunes gives all the support for doing smart lists based on when the song was added (last month), last 100 Nu-Disco tracks added, any track items that mention a specific remixer and so on and so on, all tracks in house that are 130-135bpm if I ever need it and so on and so on...

[3heads]

I tried to use Grouping in iTunes but that's not pushed out to Traktor's metadata so I can't use this field.

Well, why do you need its metadata in Traktor directly? Just use the grouping field, create the appropriate smart playlists in iTunes and play from the iTunes node in Traktor. Works a treat

[ksandvik]

Well, why do you need its metadata in Traktor directly? Just use the grouping field, create the appropriate smart playlists in iTunes and play from the iTunes node in Traktor. Works a treat

Yes, actually that's how I do it but the grouping field is not shown in the Traktor browser in case I need to glance that one -- filed a bug report about this to NI months ago, they should be more flexible with any id3 tags they encounter.

I must say, iTunes Match is the best thing that happened to me recently, just now I'm listening to all tracks I've imported with no genre and fixing those while listening to music at work. Then that is sync:ed across all my devices.

[ksandvik]

To show another feature I use with iTunes match, I could mark the songs/tracks I no longer want to play live (I place an - in front of the [a] et rest grouping. Then when doing iMatch sync I see all the files on the target laptop I no longer play and I just delete them to save space.

[MWagner]

I really don't do much beyond genre and key, though I do make a lot of playlists when I want a certain style or feel.

[ksandvik]

#tagging in comment fields is nifty! Another new one I will start using: #wildcard

[Tommi Bass]

I have dedicated folders on my external hds. (plus back up... in case that fucks up at the event.... its allways .. allways updated)

Example :

T R A K T O R P R O (this is the main root directory on my external drives)

Then I have sub folders like ...

Minimal Techno
Deep House
Tech

Each folder is then created into a playlist.

New tracks added to directory are added to playlist.

Playlist is soted out every so often as I get a lot of promos each month (40-50 eps) ... the perks of being in contact with a lot of labels and being a mastering engineer.

All tracks are archived on a massive 2 T drive cold back up. (only music)

So I have two working play out drives and a cold back up of everything........ and I have just got another 2 T external to back the back up. ........ (shit can happen)

If you are professional DJ and have spent four years ripping your vinyl collection ... data protection is vital.


Genre Playlists can be huge.

for example I have a Raw Funk folder, than contains 947 tracks ........ this is a huge playlist...... it never changes as it has taken me 30 years to find these tracks. (ripped from my own vinyl collection L.Ps and 45s recorded using a Linn Sondek LP12 turntable , Akito tonearm and Klyde moving-coil cartridge)

I never use iTunes........ all done by hand and I write all the tags myself ... also I do not use the gain function or bother with beatgrids but I will use the a load marker on the very start... and second cue piont on the first down beat if it has an intro.

17,670 Tracks........ and month by month it is still growing...... 30 years in music.

[milltown]

I do it in iTunes using the stars system.
I don't know what genre half of my music falls into so I started just rating it all with stars in iTunes. 1 star is slow or lightweight, 3 stars is house and 5 stars is techno. Basically anything with the same star rating can be mixed together. Most things can be mixed with something 1 up or 1 down, and a two star shift is usually a big transition. K.I.S.S.

I tried various other methods but this is the only one that was easy enough and effective enough to stick with.
It's still the big bugbear of digital DJing though, that we need to even think about this stuff. I never had to give it a second thought back when I was rifling through 12" records.