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Author Topic: tagging compilation cds using EAC and MC9  (Read 2475 times)

nickharambee

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tagging compilation cds using EAC and MC9
« on: July 03, 2003, 02:31:46 pm »

i have been using exact audio copy to rip cds succesfully, put my folders/files in the right place on my hard disc, and import tags correctly to Media Centre 9, but only when the cd is by a single artist. on compilation cds i have been having problems, as follows:

when attempting to rip an original compilation cd, EAC gets the info OK from freedb, and then sets up my files/folders correctly on my hard drive, but instead of putting all of the tracks into a 'multiple artists' branch on MC9, it lists the tracks individually under each artist name, and in this branch lists the name of the compilation and then the track name.  I would rather keep the info for each cd together.

for my own cdr compilations (for which i obviously need to input the tags manually) i have tried two methods:

(i) clicking on cd-rom drive in Media Centre, YADb automatically searches for info, but can't find it, so i manually enter all of the fields.  one problem here is that it won't submit the info unless i put in artist info in the main artist field, when of course i don't want to do this because there is no one artist (i am listing them all seperately with each track). so i enter only a space here.  once i have submitted all the info for the cd, it is all tagged ok to the files, except that the info for the last track of the cd is not recognised.  when i now go to EAC it now also recognises the info for the cd, and that it is a various artists cd, but does not show the artist info. only the track info.  when i now rip the cd using EAC with monkey's audio encoder, it puts the tracks in the correct album folder, but uses the 'track name' tag for both the track and the artist.  when i then import the files into MC9 not only do i have the same problems with the tracks being filed in the wrong place in the tree (i.e. not under 'mutliple artists' branch, but rather listing under individual artists), but also the name of the track and the artist are the same (i tried this method first because i find it easier to enter tag info. in MC9 than in EAC)

(ii) the other method i have tried is to tag all of the files in EAC, by seperating track and artist name with a '/', which gives me the correct info on my music folders/files on my hard drive, but again, does not file under multiple artists branch in the tree, but under individual artists as before.

(iii) i can rip using EAC and then enter tag info in MC9, but then my folders/files on my hard disc are simply labelled 'unknown artist/unknown track' (not ideal).

i want to keep using EAC if i can because i understand it is the best software for ripping/encoding, but would also like to have the correct info for my music on my hard disk and in my media library and in the right branches of the tree!!  can anyone help me get this set up right.  i would be grateful.  thanks for reading this rather lengthy missive,

nick   :-*  :-*
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Wobbley

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Re: tagging compilation cds using EAC and MC9
« Reply #1 on: July 03, 2003, 03:19:18 pm »

Nick,

Drop EAC and use MC for ripping (use the "Digital Secure" setting, it's practically the same as EAC, plus this only really matters if you're ripping scratched or otherwise imperfect CDs). Before you rip, but after MC (YADB) has or has not recognized the CD, you can do what I do if you want:

Artist field - Enter the track artist name (that actual artist's name who sings/performs the individual track) for each individual track

Album Artist field - enter "Various Artists", "Multiple Artists", "Original Soundtrack", etc...you get the idea.

In your file name and location options in MC, set the folder structure to be [Album Artist (auto)]/[Album] and in the file name section, set it to [Artist] - [Album] - [Track #] - [Name]

In case you don't know, MC has a pseudo-calculated field called "Album Artist (auto)".  This field will contain the same value that is in the "Artist" column for those albums where all tracks are by the same artist.  On the other hand, if you have a compilation album, like a soundtrack or a mixed disc, and you fill in each track's "Artist" value with the individual track artist name, then MC recognizes that there are multiple tracks on the same album with different artist names, so it puts "(Multiple Artists)" in the "Album Artist (auto)" field.  Additionally, regardless of what MC attempts to put in the "Album Artist (auto)" field, you can directly control what's in that field by entering a value in the "Album Artist" (not the 'auto' one) field, which will override anything that MC has automatically put in the "Album Artist (auto)" field.

Assuming you do all of this, you'll end up with something like this:

1st Example
Rip album by Radiohead called "Kid A". Because of the aforementioned track location and file naming sheme, the files will be stored on your harddrive as such (for example):

C:/My Music/Radiohead/Kid A/Radiohead - Kid A - 01 - Everything In Its Right Place.mp3 (or .ape or whatever)

2nd Example
Rip soundtrack with multiple artists called "Brokedown Palace".  Again, because of the track location and file naming scheme (and let's assume you've filled in the Album Artist field with "Original Soundtrack"), the files will be stored as such (again, for example):

C:/My Music/Original Soundtrack/Brokedown Palace/Delerium - Brokedown Palace - 01 - Silence (feat. Sarah McLaughlin).mp3

Finally, in MC, the Radiohead album would show up under "Radiohead", while the "Brokedown Palace" soundtrack would show up under "Original Soundtrack" (or "Various Artists", or whatever you chose to put in the Album Artist field.

I Hope this helps...

Wobbley
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zevele10

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Re: tagging compilation cds using EAC and MC9
« Reply #2 on: July 04, 2003, 12:00:21 am »

Do not know if of any help to nick-....

But ,it is to me.
This page is going to 'My Favorites ' --MJ

Thank you
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