How do you organize your DJ Song Library?

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DJ_tMMPo

Guest
I was wondering how you all organize your Song library?

Currently, I have all my music in random folders, iTunes separates all your songs into individual folders which is not beneficial to pulling up your library in software. I want to organize all my music on my harddrive in a way that I can pull it up and see it all in ITCH.

1) Is there an easy way to do this? 2) What is the best for using viewing in ITCH? Thanks!
 
DJ_tMMPo said:
I was wondering how you all organize your Song library?

Currently, I have all my music in random folders, iTunes separates all your songs into individual folders which is not beneficial to pulling up your library in software. I want to organize all my music on my harddrive in a way that I can pull it up and see it all in ITCH.

1) Is there an easy way to do this? 2) What is the best for using viewing in ITCH? Thanks!
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We have had this same subject discussed on here time and time again and just recently as well. Do a search! :triwink:
 
SoftJock Rick said:
It doesn't matter -- your software should break it down, and categorize it for you. You should never have to look through your folders.
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It does matter, at least to me. If I were to allow my software to organize my songs automatically, I would end up with some songs going in the wrong Genres. I tag and name all my songs first in Windows Explorer within Folders that bear each Genre's Name. For instance there may be a song that I may want in an R & B Folder instead of a Hip-Hop Folder. When this is done I then add the Files/Names to a corresponding Folder in my DJ Software. I make sure that I Edit that Collection's folder to read the same name for each song (Done as a Batch Edit). Once in the Collection, the software then analyzes everything for BPM, Stripes, Time, Date Of Import etc.

When all is said and done, for example, if all my Classical music in Explorer adds up to a total of 3,000 then subsequently that amount should be the same in the Classical Genre of my software. I have found this to be extremely helpful when I plug in my HD to my Pioneer MEP 7000. I can select one Folder/Genre at a time. If it was all dumped in explorer I would have to look for each song manually.
 
sightsandsounds said:
Ours is simply done by the alphabet. 26 folders for each letter, and then we create a folder each week with the request list and dances for the client
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So Patrick, if someone came up to you and asked "Show me what you have in Blues?" how do you pull up just that one Genre with all its songs?
 
Hank Davidson said:
That's one for you Rick (and Microsoft). Multiple genres for cross referencing. (IE: classic rock, southern rock, oldies, 70s)
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The other night, you played American Dream for me -- how did you find it...?

The way I designed my software, I would either type in "Nitty", "American" or "Dream" into the search bar. Simple, effective, and I have the results in ms. :)


Perhaps you would rather search through folders, and get through that fog inside your head -- your choice... ;)
 
sightsandsounds said:
I have never once had someone come up and ask me for a list of genre....it is always artist
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LOL OK let me rephrase. If you had to plan a St. Patricks Day Dance using a playlist with only Celtic Music, how would you find find those songs?

I'll give you my answer..All I would have to do is either Click on the Celtic Genre (Located within Collection) or type in "CELTIC" and all those songs would come up. I could also look in Explorer Directory (Right within the software) and look for that folder in my Hard Drive Directory (This will take longer to load). How would you find yours?
 
ahoustondj said:
LOL OK let me rephrase. If you had to plan a St. Patricks Day Dance using a playlist with only Celtic Music, how would you find find those songs?

I'll give you my answer..All I would have to do is either Click on the Celtic Genre (Located within Collection) or type in "CELTIC" and all those songs would come up. I could also look in Explorer Directory (Right within the software) and look for that folder in my Hard Drive Directory (This will take longer to load). How would you find yours?
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we make a folder each week for each event...after talking with the client and seeing their request list....we have a pretty good idea of the type of music they will want, and create the folder.
 
sightsandsounds said:
we make a folder each week for each event...after talking with the client and seeing their request list....we have a pretty good idea of the type of music they will want, and create the folder.
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Now I'm getting confused as well...

Why would you create a folder, when you can simply create a playlist/waitlist for that event. Creating a folder will mean you are duplicating songs across your drive.
 
Basically, all my music is in a million separate folders, with the exception of a few large chunks of popular songs at the time, so do I take every song out of all the folders, put it into one large library and let ITCH separate them by how I chose, or do I go through every last one and organize it like some of you have mentioned by genre, or does it even really matter?
 
SoftJock Rick said:
The other night, you played American Dream for me -- how did you find it...?

The way I designed my software, I would either type in "Nitty", "American" or "Dream" into the search bar. Simple, effective, and I have the results in ms. :)


Perhaps you would rather search through folders, and get through that fog inside your head -- your choice... ;)
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Oh, that's exactly how "I" search. I know how to find my songs and that would be mostly by decade/genre. I don't use the software to retrieve tracks, but if I did I would type in what you suggest. However, genre tagging/sorting is essential for bringing up a list to browse through. Since certain songs can fit into multiple genres, a cross referencing feature would be useful. Although, one could sync a cross reference data base made in MS Works, etc., to generate lists. But that's a lot of work.
 
Hank Davidson said:
I don't use the software to retrieve tracks, but if I did I would type in what you suggest.
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So, then what's the point of using the software...?

Using folders and memory, is akin to having your albums in a crate, and you remember where each is -- seems rather ancient. and unproductive...


No skin off my back, if that's the way you like to do it -- but why should we developers write search algorithms, if yer not going to use them...?
 
SoftJock Rick said:
So, then what's the point of using the software...?

Using folders and memory, is akin to having your albums in a crate, and you remember where each is -- seems rather ancient. and unproductive...


No skin off my back, if that's the way you like to do it -- but why should we developers write search algorithms, if yer not going to use them...?
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Most people do use them. That's why I suggested it.

I don't mind the virtual record crates. Knowing your library and where to find things is part of what makes you a great DJ.
Ancient? Maybe. Unproductive? Not at all.
 
Hank Davidson said:
Knowing your library and where to find things is part of what makes you a great DJ.
Ancient? Maybe. Unproductive? Not at all.
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Not sure I agree on that Hank...


While watching the Lounge, I note you often spend a lot of time searching through folders to find an odd song (usually something I requested). When all you had to do was type in "Nitty" into Rockit... ;)

While your head is buried in the screen, searching your "virtual crate", you've lost eye contact with your audience. Is that a "great DJ"...?
 
sightsandsounds said:
we make a folder each week for each event...after talking with the client and seeing their request list....we have a pretty good idea of the type of music they will want, and create the folder.
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What software are you using?
 
Hank Davidson said:
Although, one could sync a cross reference data base made in MS Works, etc., to generate lists. But that's a lot of work.
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Once Tagged and then entered into the software's Collection/Memory/Shortcuts a simple query can give you anything you want. I can query/search by Dates entered/Imported, Time, Artist (Even if it is a contributing Artist), Title, Genre, BPM etc.

I even have some Genres of my own made up such as "Line Dances", "Birthday Songs", "Patriotic Songs" etc. If I want I can also make Playlists such as "Best of Classic Rock". It will all depend on the features and capabilities of the the Software one is using. With my software it is not a lot of work. Proper tagging of the MP3s before I put them in my HD is the key.
 
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