Metadata- MP3 tag Trouble

[Jonharding]

Hey Guys
I'm using MP3 tag to add metadata to my tracks for the first time. All seems well adding the data and saving it but how do in know if it has worked?
The file directory is correct for where my track is but when I check properties of the track expecting to find my meta data, it isn't there- I also dropped it onto iTunes to check and again there's nothing
Do I need to export a certain way? Can't find anything online to for my specific question.
Or is there a better way to add metadata? I'm on Windows if that makes any difference.
Please help me guys- I'm pulling my hair out here!!

[jaywilliams]

Hey Guys...
Or is there a better way to add metadata? I'm on Windows if that makes any difference.
Please help me guys- I'm pulling my hair out here!!

Jon -

hey, I don't use Windows so off the top of my head I don't know of any PC programs that would help you

BUT to answer your question you might consider the disco.ac service

its a cloud based file sharing service that's designed for sharing music, and includes a pretty easy to use interface for adding metadata to your tracks.

hope this helps, and good luck!

[AlanHall]

I'm using MP3Tag also, and have from time to time lost the metadata I've so carefully typed in. Be sure to save before clicking on anything else, the tenuous way the editor links the tag window to the file seems a bit wonky. HTH

[Casey H]

If you are on Windows, simply right click on the track, click properties, select Details tab and enter the info. Save, of course. It should always work for mp3 files. HTH.

[cosmicdolphin]

My DAW ( Cakewalk ) pops up with a screen to add the ID3 tag info when you export as an MP3. I would have thought this would be a fairly standard feature among other DAWs ?

You can also set it to automatically put your artist info in every time by default

[RPaul]

Cakewalk doesn't provide as many potential fields as MP3tag (and probably other programs of that sort). For example, it doesn't have the Publisher field, nor the BPM or Initial Key fields, the web site fields, etc.

The method mentioned above regarding right clicking on an MP3 file in File Manager then going to the Details tab can help, and a quick check of that on some files I just tagged with MP3tag demonstrates that it shows most of the tags I used, but not all. For example, there are both WWW and WWWARTIST fields, and the details only shows one of those. I've also seen similar things with tags in photographs, where not all fields that are in the tag are shown in the File Manager details.

One sanity check that will give you an idea if everything is there is to close down MP3tag, then load it again to check files in the same directory. If you want to check all the tags for a group of files that would have all the same tags, you can select those, then go into the Extended Tags view to check out all the fields. If the some of the tags are different in the list of files, you'll see something like "<keep>" instead of values, but if the tags are consistent between all the selected files, you'll see the tag values you added.

Rick

[Casey H]

Cakewalk doesn't provide as many potential fields as MP3tag (and probably other programs of that sort). For example, it doesn't have the Publisher field, nor the BPM or Initial Key fields, the web site fields, etc.

The method mentioned above regarding right clicking on an MP3 file in File Manager then going to the Details tab can help, and a quick check of that on some files I just tagged with MP3tag demonstrates that it shows most of the tags I used, but not all. For example, there are both WWW and WWWARTIST fields, and the details only shows one of those. I've also seen similar things with tags in photographs, where not all fields that are in the tag are shown in the File Manager details.

One sanity check that will give you an idea if everything is there is to close down MP3tag, then load it again to check files in the same directory. If you want to check all the tags for a group of files that would have all the same tags, you can select those, then go into the Extended Tags view to check out all the fields. If the some of the tags are different in the list of files, you'll see something like "<keep>" instead of values, but if the tags are consistent between all the selected files, you'll see the tag values you added.

Rick

Keep in mind that for 99% of purposes, only a few simple tags are needed for an mp3 file as far as sending to libraries, etc. The main purpose is to make sure song title and your name and contact info are in there. This is in case your mp3 gets separated from it's source (email, download, etc.) What you never want to have happen is for a library to be interested in a song and have no idea who to contact about it. When it comes to more details, libraries will want a hi res aif or wav file. Some will have you put tags in aif files (they can stick there) but many have you send them separately by spreadsheet, form, upload to website, etc. Based on my conversations with library owners, they rarely care about more detailed tags in an mp3 and wouldn't even look for them there.

My point is if you get those basic ones in there by Windows right click or other method, don't sweat the others. My method is to put my email address in as album name. That one pretty much always stick sand shows in most players. I will have song title, artist name, album artist name (I make those 2 the same), album (email address) and my phone number in the comments.

Title: The Fire We Breathe
Comments: (215) 350 - XXXX
Contributing artists: Charles P. Hurowitz
Album artist: Charles P. Hurowitz
Album: Casey@gmale.com

Keeping it simple helps.

Casey

[Casey H]

I don't know if it helps, but as the last step of production I normally load the high quality WAV track into Audacity, make minimal adjustments to start and ending and export it to MP3 or a new WAV file from there. This gives the opportunity to set many tags easily. Important tags like Composer and Title can easily be verified by simply playing the file from Windows Media Player (or other players).

For TAXI submissions however, I can recommend to never upload MP3 files, but only WAV. That is because their algorithm takes all files and reconfigures them as MP3 192 KBit/s files. On some occasions I found that when you upload an MP3 the resulting TAXI file can be a catastrophe in sound quality (which is a result from the MP3 on MP3 conversion), while when you upload the high quality WAV it works out fine.

Just a note that what you hear when you listen to songs on your profile (the result of website algorithm conversion) it NOT what screeners and clients hear. They hear the real source file. It's a nice feature that you can now upload wavs for your songs. It's only been that way for around the past year with the new website (which is great!). I've been uploading 192K mp3 for the past 15+ years and it's never been an issue. For screening purposes, your mp3 should be just fine. 99% if your track is returned, it has nothing to do with mp3 vs wav. That being said, you can't go wrong uploading a wav.

[Casey H]

A VERY handy program to have is "Switch" from NCH Audio. It does just about any file format conversion (mp3, wav, aif, bit rate, resolution, etc.) AND supports audio tag editing. I find it SO much quicker and easier than programs like iTunes. Available for PC or Mac.

https://www.nch.com.au/switch/index.html

They offer a free version but that may be only for a trial period. However, the home version is only $19.99 right now.

Casey