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Topic: Tagging box sets - how to? (Read 5672 times) previous topic - next topic
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Tagging box sets - how to?

I recently stumbled upon a problem when tagging box sets: how to preserve the info that this CD is part of a box set?
When a box set contains CDs which were not released seperately, then this is not a problem, because the disc titles would be "<name of boxset> - Disc 1", etc. But what to do when the box set contains only CDs which were released seperately (e.g. the Black Sabbath "Rules of Hell" box)? I'm using FLAC and can't see an applicable tag which I could use here. The best solution thus far is just using the 'comment' tag ("Part of XY box set").

But isn't there a better solution? Any ideas?

Tagging box sets - how to?

Reply #2 –
I subscribe to the 'keep it simple' principle:

Rules of Hell (disc 1: Heaven and Hell)
Rules of Hell (disc 2: Mob Rules)
Rules of Hell (disc 3: Live Evil 1)
Rules of Hell (disc 4: Live Evil 2)
Rules of Hell (disc 5: Dehumanizer)
Rules of Hell (disc 6: Live at Hammersmith Odeon)

Tagging box sets - how to?

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Teknojnky on
I subscribe to the 'keep it simple' principle:

Rules of Hell (disc 1: Heaven and Hell)
Rules of Hell (disc 2: Mob Rules)
Rules of Hell (disc 3: Live Evil 1)
Rules of Hell (disc 4: Live Evil 2)
Rules of Hell (disc 5: Dehumanizer)
Rules of Hell (disc 6: Live at Hammersmith Odeon)


Keeping it simple is ok, but...

In this example, I'll get one problem: "Live Evil" is a double disc album. I'll tag such an album "<album title> - Disc X". You can't do this with the tagging style above, otherwise you'll get something really weird.
However, I consider these discs to be albums on their own. So in this case I would not tag these files with the box set name. Only the info that these discs were part of a box set should not be "lost".

Tagging box sets - how to?

Reply #4 –
Quote from: exec on
I recently stumbled upon a problem when tagging box sets: how to preserve the info that this CD is part of a box set?
When a box set contains CDs which were not released seperately, then this is not a problem, because the disc titles would be "<name of boxset> - Disc 1", etc. But what to do when the box set contains only CDs which were released seperately (e.g. the Black Sabbath "Rules of Hell" box)?

Actually, CDs which were released only in a box set may have each  a title, like James Brown's "Star Time" 4 CDs box set (CD 1 : "Mr. Dynamite", CD 2 : "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" etc.). Even an original multiple album may have a title for each CD, like Kate Bush "Aerial" (CD 1 is "A Sea of Honey", CD 2 is "A Sky of Honey"). And you may even stumble on an album from the vinyl age where each side of the original LP has a specific title.

If you wish to preserve all these titles and don't want to mix different kind of informations in the same tag, you'll have to create your own fields. This is allowed by FLAC's Vorbis comments. I use a DISCTITLE field, a SIDETITLE field, and in answer to your question a BOX field when every dic in the box has been previously released with its own title. So if I owned this box, it would go like this:

Disc 1:

BOX = Rules of Hell
ALBUM =  Heaven and Hell

etc.

But it's up to you to choose you own custom fields. Obviously, you probably won't be able to read them on a portable player (or any half-baked PC player, for that matter) but you'll be fine with the likes of Foobar, MediaMonkey etc.

Tagging box sets - how to?

Reply #5 –
Quote from: exec on
Quote from: Teknojnky on
Rules of Hell (disc 3: Live Evil 1)
Rules of Hell (disc 4: Live Evil 2)


In this example, I'll get one problem: "Live Evil" is a double disc album. I'll tag such an album "<album title> - Disc X". You can't do this with the tagging style above, otherwise you'll get something really weird.


erm, I am not sure how you consider it can't be done, look closely again.

keeping it simple as my example allows everything work correctly in any type of player that can read/display/scroll the album tag

Tagging box sets - how to?

Reply #6 –
I use the album and comment tags in this situation. I don't use disc #s unless one of the albums spans 2 discs.

Album: Please Please Me [2009 Stereo Remaster]
Comment: 2009 Stereo Remastered Box Set

I use iTunes and create a smart playlist to isolate the box set. You can sort by comment or grouping as well, but the albums can't be displayed in order of year like the smart playlist.