Ableton Forum

hey everyone. my sound library is getting so massive its unmanageable.
i suggested to ableton that they add a few extra features like being able to tag files in the library with colour coding or other info, but for now i need a solution soon.

i wanted to ask is there anything else out there that would do a good job of this?

I currently just have the sound library arranged by disc title, and whatever directory structure they provide. but this sucks. and i cant move samples around because then they go missing from projects. some kind of tagging and extra browsing capabilities would be good if theres something around.

every half year go listen through it all and delete about 70%. this increases quality and working is more fun and less administration again.

ploy wrote:every half year go listen through it all and delete about 70%

That there is good advice, son. I do this regularly.

Never ADD or REMOVE samples/tracks when you're drunk, though...

ploy wrote:every half year go listen through it all and delete about 70%. this increases quality and working is more fun and less administration again.

i agree with you there, good advice. but what about the risk of removing samples that are used in past projects? a lot of my projects dont use collected files because alot of the time they are just doodling.

queglay wrote:but what about the risk of removing samples that are used in past projects? a lot of my projects dont use collected files because alot of the time they are just doodling.

maybe i don´t get it exactly, but re-opening it once in live and "collect it all and save" could solve this. if you got thousands of unfinished project you need to keep..... i don´t know... would result in hard work. maybe you´d then better delete them all, feels like being born new again;)

further a certain risk of unwished loss is always there (hd crashs for instance) and for me it works well to consider it all more loose.

ploy wrote:further a certain risk of unwished loss is always there (hd crashs for instance) and for me it works well to consider it all more loose.

haha i like your style. i grasp onto my data with all that i can, which is why i run two raid 5 arrays on seperate machines and an external disk.

even though its still not an offsite backup. and once i had BOTH raid 5's fail on me. mostly because one fucked up, and i was stupid and removed a failsafe for the other. learnt that lesson.

dont buy adaptec raid cards. bout to get an areca instead.

queglay wrote: and once i had BOTH raid 5's fail on me. mostly because one fucked up, and i was stupid and removed a failsafe for the other. learnt that lesson.

hm. life is that sweet whore leaving fading trails of neverending insights.

btw i checked xplore² (whichs was recommended in the linked thread) and by its preview function maybe it could help establish a fitting file structure easily. but when it comes down to complex tagging the alarm bells ring for me and its time to leave the train.

since i can probably find the space, I think ill just keep a copy of my entire structure in its current state, and start to create a new one which has been sorted. that should solve my problems

i use SoundMiner & am totally dependant on it...
its all about the metadata
tag the sounds in your library - personally, not generically
& u can always find what u need/whats important to you
but hey, I dont throw out data
u just never know who/how or why u might use something later
eg out of context and/or attitudes & tastes change...

personally, i would happily be in record 24/7
& drives are so cheap these days
my library is 1.2 TB & growing
& TB drives are just around the corner....

which means if u walk around the block & wait
they will be as affordable as 300GB drives are now....

try buying some 2" 24 track tape in comparison

queglay wrote:hey everyone. my sound library is getting so massive its unmanageable.
i suggested to ableton that they add a few extra features like being able to tag files in the library with colour coding or other info, but for now i need a solution soon.

i wanted to ask is there anything else out there that would do a good job of this?

I currently just have the sound library arranged by disc title, and whatever directory structure they provide. but this sucks. and i cant move samples around because then they go missing from projects. some kind of tagging and extra browsing capabilities would be good if theres something around.

You might want to consider AudioFinder if you're on a Mac, it is really cool!!

http://www.icedaudio.com/

D.

sorry, running 3 pcs. though that audiofinder does look good

audiofinder mac only, soundminer mac only. somethings wrong in here!

soundminer isnt mac only

go have a look b4 u cast (misappropriated) aspersions....

subbasshead wrote:soundminer isnt mac only

go have a look b4 u cast (misappropriated) aspersions....

seemed so first, sorry. there is soundminer xp, but the price is laughable.