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moving CD audio/gfx to hard drive and cataloging it all
I would like to put my library of sd fx, music, and clip art on an external hard drive. (purpose: location editing, and to make it quicker to audition a number of selections) With a couple of hundred CDs to process, I would like to know the most efficient and most useful way to do this before investing a lot of time doing it the wrong way.
Questions that I can think of:
Best software to use (for audio quality and cataloging ease) to transfer audio. (iTunes?)
Which format/data rate(s) to use, for FCP, and future-proofing (in case I need to work with some other NLE).
How to generate a database with useful base information (CD source/track number/track title/etc.), so I can more efficiently find the best cuts during an edit session. I’d like the database to be open-ended, so that I can make notes about the cuts (where I’ve used them, my own description of them, etc.).
And of course there are questions I should be asking but don’t even know to ask.
I’d appreciate any insights into how to go about this project. (If you suggest iTunes, I would very much like to get your suggestions for a good tutorial/book about this program.)
Thanks for reading this.
It seems like yesterday that I was marveling at how fantastic it was to have ALL THIS STUFF on one little CD. Now that I have a shelf full of CDs, I want to get ALL THIS STUFF without rummaging through that shelf — and I want it on-location.
— Bob C
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6 Replies
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I use iTunes…and it REALLY isn’t that complicated at all. I don’t think there is a book about it, but I do go into detail on how I organize my music and SFX using iTunes on my tutorial DVD on GETTING ORGANIZED IN FINAL CUT PRO:
https://training.creativecow.net/dvd_store/get_organized_fcp/get_organized_fcp.html
One hint…import all your music an SFX as AIFF files, 48kHz and 16-bit Stereo. That is what FCP works with, and other systems can read this format as well.
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
Thanks Shane. I bought your DVD, just haven’t sat down to go through it yet….
But about my other question: Is it possible to automatically index this massive collection of files in a database? And customize it? I would like to have a way to very quickly put my own comments on a database. For example, I’d like to be able to listen to a cut, and then write “NG” and “****” and “used this in the ABC Corp 2007 video.” And then, I’d like to be able to search and retrieve a given cut — for example, type in “ABC Corp” and come up with the above-referenced file. Or, search for all the top-ranked, “****” cuts.
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BC
My son, who is all over the world of ipods, itunes, and mp3’s tells me that Windows Media Player has a Better Cataloging capability than Itunes, but i have yet to check it out.
Depending on the type of music, when you start importing your stuff, Itunes and other programs will search the internet and try and fine the titles etc, (i have had this work for some needle drop music, but not all)
There is a utility for importing an itunes playlist into FCP. its made by spherico and uses the XML
How about making an FCP project for all your sound? multiple comment feilds, and you can sift and find. just keep your project file on the same hard drive as the sounds
(its not like edit where we had to Jobnet bins and stuff)
hope these semi random tips can help you
“I like video because its so fast!”
Bob Flood
Greer & Associates, Inc. -
That’s a good idea Bob…use FCP to organize your music and SFX. You can type in all sorts of notes. The only issue with that is that FCP won’t organize the music or SFX on the FINDER level…that is something that someone would have to manually do. iTunes puts things into separate folders by album and artist…
But sadly doesn’t have a place to type notes…that would be a handy feature. Because iTunes lets you RATE your music…but a notes field…
We need someone to write music organization software…unless it already exists. I know I’d buy it in a HEARTBEAT. If it converted music as well, from MP3 to AIFF…
Shane
Littlefrog Post
http://www.lfhd.net -
[Shane Ross] “The only issue with that is that FCP won’t organize the music or SFX on the FINDER level…that is something that someone would have to manually do.”
Could you explain what you mean by that? Do you mean, moving files into different folders?
I like BF’s idea of a FCP project too. The only problem: what if three years from now, I want or need to use another NLE?
While I’m fantasizing about the program I’d like: Let it have a robust, searchable database, which would run on Win or Mac. It should analyze and report the bpm of each track. It should be “light” enough to run on a Mac Mini or a small laptop.
Anybody use Filemaker Pro for this sort of thing?
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Okay — the job is mostly done. iTunes automatically labelled almost all of my CDs. The few that Gracenotes didn’t fill in were a pita, but it is possible to use iTunes manually, to type in Artist/Album/Genre, etc.
I was surprised and pleased to discover that when either Gracenotes or the user supplies the Artist/Album data, the music file is placed in the proper Artist/Album folders. This makes it easier to organize when importing the whole folder into FCP.
I’ve already finished one project, using an external hard drive with a FCP project on it, made up of many music tracks. Very handy, esp. for on-location editing. It beats carting around a box full of CDs.
Thanks for all of the ideas.
— Bob C
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