I've had a terrible time importing all my classical music into iTunes, they just don't get along well. Any tips you can offer on the best way to do organise it?
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Organising Classical Music on iTunes
- Thread starter BeethovensPiano
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In what sense? Could you please provide more detail than 'not getting along well'?
Is it a problem with the importing of files? A problem with categorising? A problem with using the online CDDB database to fetch track titles?
What is happening or not happening when you're importing your CDs?
Is it a problem with the importing of files? A problem with categorising? A problem with using the online CDDB database to fetch track titles?
What is happening or not happening when you're importing your CDs?
Sorry, I should have explained better, everything imports fine and information is usually found in the CDDB database, although quite often it's incomplete.
It's more a problem of organising the music as iTunes is aimed at modern music. I'm getting my fist iPod this week and have been importing my music into iTunes.
Here's an example of what i've done so far. Ive organised it so that pieces of music appear as individual albums: eg
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Album: Piano Concerto No.5 in E Flat (Op. 73)
Name: 1. Allegro 2. Adagio etc as track titles
Artist: London Symphony Orchestra
Comment: name of Conductor and Soloist
I'm thinking of putting the conductor and soloist in the Album Artist field
When switching to Album view, each piece appears as a complete piece/album which is what I was aiming for. I'm just wondering if there is a better or easier way to do it?
It's more a problem of organising the music as iTunes is aimed at modern music. I'm getting my fist iPod this week and have been importing my music into iTunes.
Here's an example of what i've done so far. Ive organised it so that pieces of music appear as individual albums: eg
Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Album: Piano Concerto No.5 in E Flat (Op. 73)
Name: 1. Allegro 2. Adagio etc as track titles
Artist: London Symphony Orchestra
Comment: name of Conductor and Soloist
I'm thinking of putting the conductor and soloist in the Album Artist field
When switching to Album view, each piece appears as a complete piece/album which is what I was aiming for. I'm just wondering if there is a better or easier way to do it?
Unfortunately there is a lot of manual labour involved with iTunes
The way you have been cataloging your music is just like I have been doing
There is no easy answer
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The problem I have with classical music and iTunes is with the Artists field. For example, I have
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Alfred Brendel & Sir Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Alfred Brendel, Ingrid Haebler, Sir Neville Marriner & Wien Capella Academica
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Alfred Brendel
So when going through my iPod in artist view, I can't see the entire artist name so it's pretty much a shot in the dark what I'm selecting
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Sir Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Alfred Brendel & Sir Neville Marriner
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Alfred Brendel, Ingrid Haebler, Sir Neville Marriner & Wien Capella Academica
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields & Alfred Brendel
So when going through my iPod in artist view, I can't see the entire artist name so it's pretty much a shot in the dark what I'm selecting
Very true that. iTunes and the iPod's software design has some real problems for Classical music. (Same is true on Frontrow)
I mean we only got gapless playback very recently after years of complaints and pleas.
I have just kept to one artist's name and then use the Comment field for orchestra, conductor etc.
There was an article in MacWorld magazine a couple of years ago with a lot of tips on organizing classical music. Check their archives--it was quite helpful in figuring out what works. Regardless of the system, though, you have to do some work.
The Album Artist field for some reason sometimes causes multiple album covers when using Coverflow changing the compilation tick box doesn't help either.
The Album Artist field for some reason sometimes causes multiple album covers when using Coverflow… changing the compilation tick box doesn't help either.
Strange, doesn't do that with my library
Sometimes I think I spend far too much time organising my iTunes library
Cross-referenced, catalogued into playlists, folders
PS. Akhenaten great taste you've got
Back in 1991 through my headphones almost alone in the temple of Luxor. Just me & my Discman
eek and the lights and shadows. But I digress