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[tngiloy]

I have run across 2 problems that I would like help solving.

1- When I have ripped compilation albums like "Genuine House Rocking Music" on Alligator, it lists each artist as an individual album, so when I look in my library under 'albums' there are 20+ albums listed for just one actual album. Is there a way to consolidate 'various artist' type albums to just one album?? I understand that if I look under artists that it should list each artist, but when looking under Albums it should be listed as only one album.

2- when I bought and ripped the new remastered Led Zeppelin cd's  they combined the albums together in the library even though (I assume) they have different catalog numbers and were released in different years.  it reads:
1- good times, bad times
1- good times, bad times       ,etc.
Is there a way to separate these into 2 different albums?? And somehow mark them so I know which is which?? I would think gracenote, or whichever service you use, should have these listed as different albums.
Is there a setting I have missed or a fix??

[ferday]

1.  Album artist should be (multiple artist).  MC will do this automatically if you have the import set up, but the easy way now is select all the files that are in those albums and change album artist tag to read (multiple artist)
Some people use various artist or v/a but MC automatically uses (multiple artist) so I do as well to keep things clean

2. You need to tag them as separate albums.  I'm guessing from your question you don't know much about tags, try the wiki. http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Library_Fields

but the short answer is you have to decide how you want to separate them.  I have a custom field for remaster info, some people will change the album name to show the remastered version, or change the date to reflect the remaster date.

[tngiloy]

1.  Album artist should be (multiple artist).  MC will do this automatically if you have the import set up, but the easy way now is select all the files that are in those albums and change album artist tag to read (multiple artist)
Some people use various artist or v/a but MC automatically uses (multiple artist) so I do as well to keep things clean

This would be great if I could find where in MC20 to make this setting. I looked Under TOOLS>IMPORT,  TOOLS>OPTIONS,  TOOLS>ADVANCED .
I found in a search that there should be a setting with something like ARTIST/ALBUM/AUTOMATIC that automatically set the artist as 'multiple artist', but for the life of me, I can't find where the setting is.

You are right when you say I don't know much about tags, or streaming, sharing, converting, etc...  I will study the link on tagging and hopefully understand its instructions. Please understand that I appreciate your help, but also please understand that non-computer literate geezers like me need more detailed instructions.

[Arindelle]

Options=>Library&Folders=>Configure Auto Import. Then set your paths and options for each media type. It should be automatic on first import of files, it is not an option per se, it is a field [Album Artist (auto)]. Ferday was just referring to running "auto import" which nends to know where your stuff is at. You can always open the tag window and enter it later.

read this too about the Album Artist (auto) http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Album_Artist_and_Album_Artist_%28Auto%29 you might get it better.

[ferday]

We're all happy to help but we're busy
This is a very basic question, that's ok but they often tend to get skipped over

A good way to learn about tags is to select any file and right click, and select Tag.  On the left side of the screen a window will pop up with all of the tags, either empty or with the value that is in there currently.  Browse through the tags and you'll get a handle on what's what....tags are what tells your PC what the files are....computers are smart but they can't listen to music or read liner notes!

For example on all your compilation records, assuming you have them in separate folders (and not just grouped into one single folder on the PC) you could browse by location, find one of those folders, select all the files, right click>tag, and type in (multiple artists) for the "album artist (auto)" tag.  Now you have a single compilation album instead of 20 separate albums

For the other example (remaster disc), you could rename the album tag to say "II (remaster)", now it appears as a separate album from the original "II".  Or, you could enter "remaster" into another tag field like "keywords", or you could change the date to reflect the remaster date.  Those are all ways to differentiate between the original and the remaster.  Grace note or CDDB likely won't have separate tag information so they can't be counted on to "know" the difference between the two

Tags are just information, and MC is the database that allows you to view and sort the information in any order you like.  Remember though-if ANY tag is different (say one "album" tag has a different name then another, but the tracks are on the same album) then MC will think it's a different album, so your tags need to be accurate!  And it's worth noting as well, that "tag" and "library field" are somewhat interchangeable terms.  The "library field" is where you enter "tag data"

[tngiloy]

??

I went to options>library&folder>configure auto import. Where is [Album Artist (auto)] ?? Field?? What field?
I know you are trying to help, but so far your answers have not helped at all.

[ferday]

Are your albums in separate folders (on the PC itself?)

[Arindelle]

do not confuse the two

information (metadata) gets put into a field in (database (JRiver library) - one will be filled in automatically (most of the time) read the link I posted if you want to know why and how. This metadata is commonly called a tag. [Album Artist (auto)] and [Album Artist] are two separate "fields" in the database that can be embedded into the actual file.

if you don't run auto import, the automatic part of this will not necessarily function. Why you have to first configure auto import. If you have imported just a folder via windows or the folder import option you will need to retag it. SO select the album, open the tag window (where you will see the tag field names) and fill in the album artist name Do not confuse Album Artist with Artist. They are often the same but not always.

An album is grouped together by album name AND album artist (or the album artist(auto) field. Without one, multiple artist albums will be split.  Ferday had a very good explanation. Tags are visible in the tag window. The import configuration in options.

If this is not clear, not sure what else to add.

[tngiloy]

I tried to insert images to show what I am seeing, but this thread doesn't allow me to insert an image-- at least not the same way I can on any other thread or email I use.
There is no 'ALBUM ARTIST' in the window when I open tag There is 'ARTST' or 'ALBUM'.
I do not know if my albums are in separate folders.

I do know that this should not be a problem. When I import an album, that album has a unique catalog number. All the songs on that album should be grouped together as one unique album when I view my albums in MC. Not listed individually or piled on top of another album, even if it has the same name.

This is a shortcoming of MC and you need to fix it.

I should not have to jump thru hoops to fix your mistakes.

I am beginning to think that JRiver is run either by people who don't know what they are doing, or by geeks who don't care if normal people are able to use it.

[tngiloy]

Thank you to those of you who tried to help. It is not your fault that I am computer illiterate. Nor is it your fault that the system is not set to run correctly at the default settings. Nor that users need to do backflips to get it set up as it should be from the get-go.

[BryanC]

Thank you to those of you who tried to help. It is not your fault that I am computer illiterate. Nor is it your fault that the system is not set to run correctly at the default settings. Nor that users need to do backflips to get it set up as it should be from the get-go.

Select the files from an album that need to be grouped.

Click Alt+Enter to open the tag window. Right-click the tag info screen and select "show all tags." Fill in the album artist with the appropriate value. Your albums will be grouped correctly.

Computers don't operate on pixie dust. They can't assume everything for the end user because they would often assume incorrectly. There are already specific tags meant for this purpose that people have fought long and hard to standardize.

[JimH]

[tngiloy]

BryanC,
That second right click and selecting 'show all tags' did the trick. Now the 'ALBUM ARTIST' field appears.
And now it continues to appear every time I select 'TAG'. So it is understandable that ferday and Arindelle were frustrated with me for not seeing the same thing they were. Please understand how frustrating it was for me.

As far as the Led Zeppelin remasters--it was impossible to tell which song was the original and which was the new re-master, so I deleted and re-ripped the cd's and was able to edit the name during the rip.
There was one Band album that I had downloaded a 24/96 version that I was able to use your suggestion successfully since I could easily tell which song was which.

Thanks for your help. Sorry if my frustrations were showing.

So, do they sell that pixie dust on eBay or Amazon??