Editing mp3 tags, keeping track of mp3's. How???

[midge]

Hi guys
This may seem very basic but it's been bugging me for a while now. If I rip a CD to mp3 or WMA format using windows media player the track and album details are, as often as not added automatically (not sure how it works,but Im grateful ;D). ANyway sometime this doesnt happen and I usually end up renaming the blank track one by one and this sometimes messes with the track numbers etc, theres got to be an efficient way to do this hasnt there?? If anyone has any advice on this I would be grateful.

Secondly I find that my mp3 collection of soul tracks is growing nicely and I wonder what is the best way of keeping track of what Ive actually got? I know some of you have big collections (Nick) so what do you guys use to keep a track of things. Thanks again guys.

Midge

[afcgotsoul]

You can edit the tags manually ... right click the file name, take properties and do it.

BUT

One good piece of software that let's you do it en masse (once you've decided a file naming convention ( --- I use Artist - Title.mp3 ie Frances Nero - Keep on loving me. mp3)) is mp3tag. It costs a little though but one other good feature of it is that it lets you export the contents of the folder you are working with to Excel. So you get file name, artist, title, duration, genre etc.(since you might tag some Motown, some Chicago, Phillie etc. You can then delete the fields you don't want and sort and print and ... and .... and.

[Nick®]

I have mp3tag and it is ok, I find Music Match very good for tagging files and again it does in bulk from the filename, pity it wants to rule the world as that makes me dislike it.

Many years ago I had some software called mp3rename, it was better and very easy to use, not sure if it is still around.

I suspect that Windows Media Player will title WMA files for you as it is Microsoft's own format, rumour has it that it puts all sorts of tracking information in the headers so I steer clear, old wives tales I know but another reason not to use WMA.

[afcgotsoul]

In MediaPlayer 11 you can choose the RIP format by checking mp3. This will get round any perceived problems of WMA files.

Don't know of anything that carries over tag info when burning a music cd. As you know mp3 burns do keep the info and the dual player is just about everywhere now. The compressed format does not bother my old ears and you can get loads on a regular cd. And play it shuffled/random for the surprise factor. So I don't bother with ordering either.

[midge]

Thanks guys
Great info I knew you would have the answers ;D


Cheers
Midge

[Nick®]

Midge, I will email you direct on your audio question as the hosts of the forum may deem the content to be against their rules, they are pretty strict on this and do monitor all the forums they host at random so could pull the plug on us.