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- #REMOVING DUPLICATES IN SONY MUSIC CENTER FOR PC LIBRARY MAC#
- #REMOVING DUPLICATES IN SONY MUSIC CENTER FOR PC LIBRARY WINDOWS#
This kind of issue can be time-consuming to resolve if you own many compilations. With a misplaced click, you end up with a host of identically named compilation sub-folders appearing in multiple artist folders, each with just one or two tracks. That explodes your compilations across your media library. Some Artist > Compilation Album Name > Individual Track). Various Artists > Compilation Album Name) and relocate them individually to Artist folders (i.e. It might well decide to move individual tracks out of the compilation album folder (i.e. Be very careful, however, if you try an automated library management application. Nowadays, I hold these albums in a Various Artists folder in my media library, with sub-folders for each release. One area of music management that’s caused me considerable pain is cataloging compilation albums of tracks featuring various artists. Managing compilation albums and various artists Our favorite multi-room speaker We’ll look at de-duplication later but if, like me, you prefer to store tracks in multiple formats, this is something you’ll need to manage for each music player. Obviously, if you have both Lossless and MP3 versions of your tracks stored in your folders, there’s always the possibility of duplication in your favorite media apps. Music > MP3 > Artist > Release > Tracks & Artwork Music > Lossless > Artist > Release > Tracks & Artwork In this case, your folder structure looks more like this: You simply point the controller app to the Lossless sub-folder, rather than the top-level of your Music library. Say, for example, you want your Sonos speakers to only stream lossless audio. This configuration requires you to run separate Artist and Release folder trees in the lower levels of the hierarchy, but it does allow you to restrict apps to specific file types. In this scenario, you might prefer to split your folders accordingly, with (for example) MP3 and Lossless sub-folders tucked under the top-level Music folder. But it’s even more likely that your collection includes both types of files. If you’re a true audio enthusiast, you likely prefer lossless audio tracks (FLAC, ALAC, DSD files) to “lossy” MP3s. Music > Artist > Release Name> Audio & Artwork Files TERRY WALSH/TechHiveĪ clear music folder structure makes library management a cinch. In terms of hierarchy, a simple Music library structure looks like the following: Each release folder includes the audio tracks and cover artwork (named folder.jpg which is the standard nomenclature, ensuring artwork appears in your favorite media players). In each artist folder, create sub-folders for each release.
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#REMOVING DUPLICATES IN SONY MUSIC CENTER FOR PC LIBRARY WINDOWS#
I recommend creating a top-level Music folder in your Windows media library, with sub-folders for each Artist in the collection. Time spent reorganizing your files and folders now will be repeatedly paid back over the coming years.
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A clear and simple music folder structure makes library management far easier.
#REMOVING DUPLICATES IN SONY MUSIC CENTER FOR PC LIBRARY MAC#
I have tips for both PC and Mac users.īefore you get hands on with your audio files, you should do a little thinking. I’ll walk through some simple jobs and handy tools that’ll keep your collection in good order and help you save valuable storage space. If your music library is devolving into an audio jungle, there’s no better time to wrestle back control. Untagged or unnamed tracks, missing artwork, duplicate files, music scattered across a swathe of folders and devices-these are the “weeds” that must be found and uprooted before your collection goes to seed. And if you prefer to own your music, versus renting it in perpetuity via a streaming service, you’re likely still either buying (and ripping) CDs or purchasing digital downloads.īut like your neighbor’s well-kept garden, the secret to a strong music library is regular maintenance. I certainly have, and I spent weeks ripping my old CD library a few years back (and then repeated the job when I realized that 128Kbps MP3s weren’t going to cut it). The music industry is racing towards streamed distribution, but many of us have built up sizeable music collections.
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