Music library organization

Questions:
-should I let iTunes do all the work of organization my music? If not, what do you recommend. I’m not sure I get the folders organization.

I do. iTunes puts all of my music into the format it likes (folders by artist, then album) and it works for me. I organise all my tracks using the metadata and auto-playlists. Meaning that anything I tag also works in Virtual DJ.. It all just sort of works 🙂

-when importing my CDs which format should I choose (file size is not a problem)? Considering the software I’ll be using, that I get my music mostly from CDs and iTunes(AAC 256), sometimes from bandcamp or directly from producers and that I’d prefer not to have too many formats.

As you are on a Mac, I would consider ALAC – which is lossless, smaller file sizes than WAV/AIFF, has metadata, and works on Mac (unlike FLAC, an equivalent format). ALAC files will also sync to Android or IOS if you have any on your phone..

If using downloads from various sources, you can’t help what format they are supplied in. My library is a combination of MP3’s – most of my CD collection was ripped before file sizes weren’t an issue – and AAC files downloaded through iTunes. All are high enough quality to play out but very few are lossless.. Keep it to at least 320Kbps MP3 files or 256Kbps AAC files as a minimum.. Lossless is of course better but you would struggle to hear the difference.

-how do I proceed? Import through iTunes then MIK and Platinum Motes?

I would run the tracks through Platinum Notes, then MIK and then import into iTunes – so you don’t end up with either 2 versions of the same track or unprocessed tracks in your library. I personally don’t use either tool but I am considering getting Platinum Notes..

-the tags (genre, bpm…)before or after MIK and PN?

Either.. It shouldn’t really make a difference – but MIK will alter the tags of some tracks so before might be the better option so you don’t end up changing any of them? If you are using iTunes to do the tags though, I would do it after to save having to import over and over.. Make the system as simple as possible.

-anything else I should do?

Keep it simple. The more complex you make your system, the less likely you are to still be doing it in a few month’s time. Work out a quick, easy solution now and save yourself a headache when you have to re-do tracks down the line because you decide to change the way you do it. If it feels tedious now, you won’t still be doing it later on.

Hope that helps,

bob6397

Personally, I don’t use iTunes. I never have, but that’s just me. I won’t bash iTunes because I don’t use it. I just don’t own very many Apple products and iTunes doesn’t appeal to me as a Windows user. Again, that’s just me.

If you already use iTunes and you’re familiar with how it works or like the way that it does a lot of work for you; then you should probably stick to what you know. Importing the music through iTunes saves you from having to convert the file later.

Apple makes really good products and their software is far more stable than anything Windows has ever produced so that’s why there’s many people here who use iTunes and there’s a ton of DJ’s out there who will only use a Mac Book to DJ with.

DJ Bob – I was merely pointing out that it wasn’t the OS and that it was iTunes that doesn’t support FLAC.

I would agree that If he chooses to use iTunes for library management then the ALAC format would be a more convenient option in which no additional conversion would be necessary.