any program to clear out meta-data in aif/wav files

[keithl]

Is there a batch type program out there that can select multiple AIFF/Wav files and clear out all the meta data that was entered?

A company sent me back some master files for cross referencing and it looks like when somebody views them in iTunes there is meta data filled in for artist, song, etc..(I do not have iTunes loaded)

I pull the song up in Sound Forge, look at the properties and cannot find anything filled in.

I was just curious if there is an application where I can select a directory and it will blow away any audio meta data contained in the files. It would have to be for PC.

Thanks in advance!
-k

[orest]

Audacity is a free program, both for Mac and PC.
You can clear all the information in that program when you export the file.

[keithl]

Thanks for the input!

I did check out audacity, but I don't think you can do a batch process...meaning, select multiple files and let it do it's thing
(I could be wrong)

I think I found a version of J River that can do it (there is a free and paid version)
But it looks like the free version has the capability.

[orest]

I usually open Audacity and drag as many audio files I like into the program.
After that I use the Export Multiple option and delete the tag information.
You will have to do it file by file, but it's pretty easy.
I don't know if there's even an easier way to do it.

Does J River work for you?

Thanks for the input!

I did check out audacity, but I don't think you can do a batch process...meaning, select multiple files and let it do it's thing
(I could be wrong)

I think I found a version of J River that can do it (there is a free and paid version)
But it looks like the free version has the capability.

[mojobone]

Could you lasso the files for import, rather than dragging and dropping one by one?

[Casey H]

I guess you don't want to download iTunes? In iTunes, you can select muiltiple files for "Get Info" and edit/delete the tags in one shot. If your concern is how things will load in iTunes evenetually, it might make sense to make that your test anyway.

Best,
Casey

[panos]

iTunes may not delete all MP3 tags. Audacity will do.

[Casey H]

iTunes may not delete all MP3 tags. Audacity will do.

Thanks.... Good to know.

[teleblaster]

I think there could be some confusion around this topic. AFAIK, the .wav file specification does not provide rich metadata properties. There's a header with some description about the file for a rendering engine (sample rate, bit depth, offset to first sample, etc), the standard OS header with file sys info (name, size on disc, date etc). But nothing I know of for the kind of metadata that a composer or listener would use. Most music library programs like iTunes have a database on the local machine with a reference to the file. The database ( typically an XML file) has all the rich metadata info. When you move the .wav file to a different machine you lose the metadata. IMO, Soundforge is telling you the truth Keith. It's reporting back the actual information in the file, not any 3rd party database info.

MP3's are a different story. Their specification allows for semi-random name/value pairs of metadata. I don't know what the story is for .aif, but suspect it's the same as .wav.


Disclaimer: it's been a really long time since I've cracked .wav files in code, there could be new standards that apply, but I really sort of doubt it.

[teleblaster]

Well, turns out there is a provision in the RIFF standard (.wav and .aif files are built on top this standard) for random data in an in info section. I think the problem is that the standard for writing the data isn't as well accepted as the ID3 tags in mp3.

Interesting topic. It's always better to store metadata with a file rather than caching it somewhere else, that way the data travels with the file and you can build up databases on the fly by pointing code to content and having the code slurp up the data and put it into some useful view. But, there has to be a cross platform cross application standard for the metadata to make it truly portable. For instance, I'd love to mark up my .wav and .aiff files with info that's meaningful to publishers and music supes and know that they could mine it using any application on any OS. But, that would probably put SoundMiner out of business .