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How do you sort (organise) your CDs, LPs, K7s, Tapes; physical medias

Harmonie

Harmonie

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be indulgent, it's my first thread:

So many different ways and logics
Alphabetical
Style
Date of recording

and maybe more exotic ways.
Really interested to discover alternatives.

Me ? a bit of everything;
I have a special section for the rock bands of the seventies and annexed their leaders, drummers, guitarists.
 
Hi
I developed a method that work for me. One of the big things that I found was trying to put the item back in the same place so I could easily locate again. So here’s what I do I catalogue like this I have found for me that numbers work better than using the alphabet. So using Dave Brubeck, Time out as an example In my system it would be cataloged as

B - for Brubeck
18 - for R
21 - U
1- first artist in section B
/1 - first item by that artist

So the full reference looks like B 18.21-1/1
The next album by Brubeck would be B 18.21-1/2
Should there be another artist BRU (can’t think of one at the moment) but that would be
B 18.21 -2/1 and so on

I’m sure you follow the logic. I keep the catalogue in an Excel spread sheet just to keep track artists and recordings and only need to look at it when adding to the collection. Finding what you are looking for is simple and it is even easier to put it back in exactly the same place every time. Classical music may get a bit more complicated but is easy adapted. I have a section VA for various artists like compilations I just use VA.1 VA.2 etc for this section.

It looks complicated but it’s not really and it works for me.

Hope this helps

Regards

William
 
For me it's alphabetical for artist/band
Then chronological for their releases within the artist/band.

I used to have pop/rock, jazz, classical, new age, etc categories and it got too hard with crossover albums, collaborations etc.

Classical is hard. Generally alphabetical of the composer and title of the main headline piece on the disc.

As for putting them back in the same place, I just take out the disc and put the one before it either on a 45 degree angle as a placemarker, or pull the one before it out a little. Makes it easy late at night. But that doesn't mean I still don't end up with several piles to refile after a big listening session...
 
Hello Harmonie,

My music ( and video) library consists of mainly classical music and also with some jazz and popular.

My policy and actual operation of organization are as follows;

1. Digitize all, of course, save in silent SSD;

LPs: into 192 kHz 24 bit AIFF (non-compressed, easy to add unlimited tag info) "devided track files" using Audacity; if needed remove scratch and/or pop noises using Audacity, edit file name, add Tag info and cover art by JRiver (see below)

CDs: rip bit-perfectly into 44.1 kHz 16 bit AIFF track files with JRiver's safe mode dBpoweramp's CD Ripper safe mode

SACDs: rip the "DSD layer" into DSF (DSD64 2.8 MHz 1 bit) files (I will not discuss the method here...)

DVD Movies: rip into ISO (.iso) file by CloneCD, store in "DVD Movies" folder to be mounted on "virtual CD-DVD drive" which can be played by JRiver, add to JRiver's video playlist

Downloads: non-compressed format in as high sampling rate as possible, and save "as it is" in SSD of PC

YouTube etc. clips: beloved clips: download into .xml or .mp4 files by "4K Video Downloader", store in "my_webmedia" folder, add to JRiver's video playlist

2. Music Library Organization Policy in SSD
Track file naming policy:
Track #+content: for single CD album
Disc#+Track#+content: for multiple-CD album
Folder structure: Root - Music_Arcives - Artist - Album, like these images;
WS001492.JPG


WS001493.JPG


3. Tag info and cover art
Have the tag info at least;
Artist, Album Artist (same as Artist in my library), Genre, Date (recording year), Disk#, Track#, SamplingRate, FileType, Duration, FileSize, BitDepth, Channels, Composer (in my rule), Comment (with Company+Label+Catalog #, download link, etc.), Year (recording year)

Some of these would be automatically assigned by JRiver; I usually carefully edit the tag contents before and/or after ripping.

if needed:
Conductor, Orchestra, Soloists, Instruments, etc.

Cover art: must be embedded "in each track file" by JRiver or other software

4. Downloaded Booklet, purchasing info, etc. in PDF format
These PDF files should be saved in the same album folder for future reference

5. JRiver (or Roon) to Organize and Play all the files
Add all the above files (tracks) to JRiver to organize, search, and play...
(I recently abandoned using Roon because of many reasons; to be discussed separately if needed...)

For play with multichannel multi-driver multi-amplifier system with digital crossover software EKIO and Okto DAC8PRO, audio tracks are up or down converted into 192 kHz 96 kHz or 88.2 kHz 24 bit by JRiver "on the fly". (I also maintain the system configuration which can play DSF files in bit perfect native DSD format using OPPO sonica DAC or OKTO DAC8PRO.) (ref. here)

6. Extract audio track from video clips, DVD movies etc., if needed
If needed, we can easily extract audio tracks by using JRiver's "Convert Format - Convert video to audio", and we may organize the extracted audio files as shown above.

7. Size of the SSD...
We are living in wonderful era of computer technology and digital format.
In my audio (audio-visual) completely silent PCs, I use 2TB SSD for music+video library which easily keeps non-compressed tracks of about 2,000 CDs, 500 LPs, DVD movies, many of recently downloaded large DSD and FLAC files, YouTube clips, etc: really amazing.

Of course I have several backups of my whole library in 6TB HDDs in other PCs and also in QNAP NAS.

And I can easily carry whole of the library in my very tiny USB 3.0 portable 2TB SSD...

8. mp3 compressed library
BTW, I also always build and keep the mp3 library of my whole tracks/files (mp3 Variable Bit Rate VBR Encoding by JRiver) which can be easily loaded into 128 GB Apple iPod to be USB connected to my car audio system.

9. Physical LP, CD, DVD library
I also keep all the physical LPs, CDs, DVDs in shelves with glass window, in LP, CD, DVD sections; the order in each section is mainly;
Genre - Category - Composer (alphabetical) - Artist (alphabetical)

Categories in classical music is historic order like this;
old ancient, early+Renaissance (before baroque), baroque, classical School (Wiener Klassik, Viennese School), romantic, impressionist-period, modern contemporary, etc.

Some of the unique Labels/Companies are separated as a group in specific shelf space, like "Dorian Recordings", "Gimell for The Tallis Scholars" (I have all Gimell's), etc.

Jazz and popular physical disks are of course separated, and in usually artist's alphabetical order.

If needed, I can rather easily access to the specific physical disk of interest...
 
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Hi

I just have one collection per media ie lps, cds, DVD’s. I use the same reference for the same artist in each of the media types., my lip collection being by far the biggest is the driver for the others. Yes, I agree things can get complicated, but I’ve found it’s about being consistent that really counts.

Regards
William
 
I've organised alphabetically a few times but it doesn't take long for it to all get jumbled up again.

I'm just too lazy to put things back where they are supposed to go.
Most of the time I don't know what I want to listen to so I just scan through the piles until I see something that takes my fancy. If I do want to listen to a specific album this can take a bit of a search but that's the price you pay for being idle and disorganized.

Sometimes I will pull out a cd I really want to listen to to find that the case is either empty, or contains a completely different album. That's annoying. I put them to one side, and eventually I will pull out a case that has two cds in it, the one that's supposed to be there and the one that is missing from the other case, At which point I reunite them.

If the missing one does not turn up after a few months then I will buy another copy. Once the new copy arrives the missing one will turn up within the week. I think this is some sort of universal law at play. I have learned to accept it.
 
I have arranged in three main sections ; Bollywood film music, Indian Classical, and Western Classical, pop, rock jazz etc. each section alphabetically, Have little more than 100 Vinyls and around same no. of CDs.

Vinyl when taken out to play I move adjacent vinyl little forward to replace after listening. Some friends here have more than 4K records. A nightmare to upkeep neatly arranged and to remember.

Time to resurrect THIS * ?
Looks handy and usefull for small collections.

* I like vintage well made stuff can anyone tell which turntable is in the ad ?
Regards
 
All my CDs, tapes and vinyl are in boxes in the attic. Organisation? Mostly random.

The only physical media I still use are a thousand or so Blurays and DVDs. Organisation also random but films I haven't watched yet are mostly on the top left shelf.
 
Around when my LPs+CDs exceeded 500, it became difficult for me to remember which LP or CD I have or not... So I have decided organizing all in digital format within SSD under my strict policy and rule, and added them to JRiver (or Roon), as shared in my above post #4.

After giving proper tag info to each of the tracks/files, now I (JRiver) can search and identify specific album(s) or individual track(s) almost instantaneously among the total ca. 40,000 tracks/files; really amazing and convenient.
 
CDs in a rack.

Chronological when I've collected a single artist.

Alphabetical when it's a mixed group of disks.

I'll pull one out to play, and then not push it all the way in, indicating I heard that one (again), and play something else the next time, and repeat. When enough get pulled out, push them in and start over.

Takes about a year, now.

No streaming services used, though I might listen to something online occasionally.

TV, HDRadio, and PC can all feed the main system.

It's enough.
 
Pegwill said:
B - for Brubeck
18 - for R
21 - U
1- first artist in section B
/1 - first item by that artist
So the full reference looks like B 18.21-1/1
Click to expand...

Hi William,
certainly a clever way, but reminds me a library. I'm more visual and will rather recall that memory. I'm sure it can give good ideas to others though.
 
restorer-john said:
For me it's alphabetical for artist/band
Then chronological for their releases within the artist/band.

I used to have pop/rock, jazz, classical, new age, etc categories and it got too hard with crossover albums, collaborations etc.

Classical is hard. Generally alphabetical of the composer and title of the main headline piece on the disc.

As for putting them back in the same place, I just take out the disc and put the one before it either on a 45 degree angle as a placemarker, or pull the one before it out a little. Makes it easy late at night. But that doesn't mean I still don't end up with several piles to refile after a big listening session...
Click to expand...
Agree with you.
But I'm still into categories.
I realize that it has to do with the chronology.
Not the one of the artists, but the one of my taste for music over the years:
Initially Rock bands and their artists.
For example Genesis associating Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Mike and the Mecanics aso.

For Classical music it's by composers, or when known, the artist /conductor.
It gets complicated when it's Jordi Savall, Philip Pickett and so.
 
@dualazmak
I wasn't expecting something else from you. You are so methodic. I realised this since your multi-amp thread :)

Genre - Category - Composer (alphabetical) - Artist (alphabetical)
We are a bit on the same line, (in general) though I'm sure you are doing it in a much more rigorous manner.
In classical music however; you are muuuuch ahead.
Definitely a lot to learn;

Merci beaucoup !
 
RayDunzl said:
CDs in a rack.

Chronological when I've collected a single artist.

Alphabetical when it's a mixed group of disks.

I'll pull one out to play, and then not push it all the way in, indicating I heard that one (again), and play something else the next time, and repeat. When enough get pulled out, push them in and start over.

Takes about a year, now.

No streaming services used, though I might listen to something online occasionally.

TV, HDRadio, and PC can all feed the main system.

It's enough.
Click to expand...

I so much agree with your practical logic.
I have about 800 dedicated cd's and it would take quite a while listening to all the tracks.
Proof is that I frequently bought the same CD several times.
Reminds me the TV back then when only a few channels were available.

II have, however, many other multi track cd's that are very well recorded excerpts, found initially in French magazines like Diapason and NRDS (Nouvelle Revue du Son) and just starting to rip them in view to organise them easily and listen to them in the plane.

I have many more tracks on MP3 that I got from friends, mostly in my phone, but these "don't count".
 
dualazmak said:
Around when my LPs+CDs exceeded 500, it became difficult for me to remember which LP or CD I have or not... So I have decided organizing all in digital format within SSD under my strict policy and rule, and added them to JRiver (or Roon), as shared in my above post #4.

After giving proper tag info to each of the tracks/files, now I (JRiver) can search and identify specific album(s) or individual track(s) almost instantaneously among the total ca. 40,000 tracks/files; really amazing and convenient.
Click to expand...


That's where I'm heading, but it may take so much time that it will be a great moment when I'll stop working.

I can easily carry whole of the library in my very tiny USB 3.0 portable 2TB SSD...
Really ? I'll certainly take example and will keep your posts and might ask you for help.
 
Harmonie said:
I can easily carry whole of the library in my very tiny USB 3.0 portable 2TB SSD...
Really ? I'll certainly take example and will keep your posts and might ask you for help.
Click to expand...

Yes, I really can carry whole of my uncompressed library in my very tiny USB3.2 portable 2TB SSD or portable USB3.0 4 TB HDD!!

Now the size of my whole uncompressed library (ca. 500 LPs, 2000 CDs, 50 DVDs, 1500 Downloaded DSD FLAC files, 300 YouTube .mp4 .xml clips) is ca. 1.7 TB, well fit within my portable 2 TB SSD.

You can find so many affordable portable USB3.0 or USB3.2 HDDs of capacity 2 TB to 8 TB and SSDs (rather expensive than HDDs, though) 2TB to 4TB...

As for the PC internal use SSDs, you can also find silent SATAIII SSDs or silent NAND NVMe SSDs now up to 15.36 TB!
 
My LP's were destroyed during a flood in 2017 along with the house which was torn down. CD's are all ripped and sitting in a box in a closet. Cassettes were tossed years ago. I have moved to high ground.
 
Alphabetical except ambient which is bunched together in the front, I have no idea why....
 
Harmonie said:
That's where I'm heading, but it may take so much time that it will be a great moment when I'll stop working.
Click to expand...

As you may easily assume, the most time-consuming part was the digitalization of 500 LPs using Audacity. I did it sometimes on relaxing weekend days, and it took about four years finishing 500 LPs... Of course, I very carefully cleaned-up each of the LPs before the processing...

During that period, I always checked the CD re-release of the LPs; fortunately (?) about my 60 LPs were CD-released which somewhat reduced my workload. One really nice example is CD re-release of;
WS001496.JPG


Let me share one more nice example of CD release of original monaural SP recording in 1936;
WS001497.JPG


I have several recordings of Chaconne/Vitali including recent DSD format one, but I still best love this Jaques Thibaud's.
 
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