Topic: Tagging FLAC?

[skotdee]

Is there an app folks are using to easily tag FLAC files? I searched and found the live show tagger for Foobar, but the link doesnt seem to work anymore. Also found a FLAC multi tagger, but it wont install properly. All these are from older topics, I wondered if there is anything more up to date.

Suggestions?

[morst]

xACT 1.6.2 for Mac OS X is simple but good.

[JasonSobel]

I like using the command line metaflac.exe that is included with the official release of FLAC.
actually, I have an excel file that I enter the tag info that I want, and its set up to create a batch file that works with metaflac.exe
So all I have to do is enter the info into excel, copy and paste into the batch file, and then run it.
get in touch if you are interested, I can send you my excel file.

- Jason

[Gordon]

foobars live show tagger can be found here for now

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mt32u5



it is simple and fast.  right click > tagging > live show tagger.  it pulls everything from the textfile.

[skotdee]

thanks Gordon! This is the one I really wanted to begin with. Could you please elaborate a little more on this text file thing? Is there a particular format it needs to be in? Do you just make sure its in the same directory as the FLAC's? How the hell does it know what is what from the text file, they seem to all be formatted a little different depending on who types them out...

Thanks so much!

[Gordon]

thanks Gordon! This is the one I really wanted to begin with. Could you please elaborate a little more on this text file thing? Is there a particular format it needs to be in? Do you just make sure its in the same directory as the FLAC's? How the hell does it know what is what from the text file, they seem to all be formatted a little different depending on who types them out...

Thanks so much!

try and keep the textfiles neat and organized.  you may have to change a few things here and there but here is a example


Larry Keel & Natural Bridge
02/16/2008
Stella Blue
Asheville,NC

source:   Schoeps mk21 (NOS) > kc5 > cmc6 > Lunatec V3 (analog out) > Sound Devices 744 > coax > Tascam HD-P2 @ 24/48
location: fob,dfc hung from the ceiling in the sweet spot
transfer: compact flash card > PC > wavelab 5.01b (fades) > cd wave > flac (level

*24bit/48khz fileset*

recorded by Derek Davis & Gordon Wilson
transfered by Gordon Wilson


set one:

1. Intro
2. Instrumental
3. Rocky Island
4. Southbound
5. Diamond Break
6. Town & Country
7. The Knowledge
8. First Day In Town
9. Strugglin' Man
10. Don't Go Out Tonight Little Darling
11. Ralph's Banjo Special

set two:

1. Intro
2. 30 Hours to Vail *
3. All Fall Down > *
4. Soundcheck *
5. Stone Walls & Steel Bars
6. Bohemian Reel
7. Culpepper Woodchuck
8. Instrumental
9. Corn Liquor **
10. I'm Still Here ***
11. The Last Song ***
12. Doin' My Time  >
13. Durham's Bull

* w/ Sean Foley (accordion)
** w/ Bobby Lee Rodgers (guitar)
*** w/ Bobby Lee, Bobby Miller (mandolin, vocals), & LJ (mandolin)

now here is a screen shot of live show tagger.  drag all files into foobar > select all > right > click > tagger > live show tagger



another of it maximized and then one of the final result.  sometimes if there is another textfile in the folder (ffp or shntool) it will try and grab the info from those instead.  easiest thing to do is copy it and then delete while you tag and then put it back.

[skotdee]

Wow, thanks! Best. Tagger. Ever. I can't imagine anyone using anything else.

 

[shaggy]

foobars live show tagger can be found here for now

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mt32u5



it is simple and fast.  right click > tagging > live show tagger.  it pulls everything from the textfile.

+T, been looking for something like this.  I have been a dbpoweramp guys for quite a while but using it can be a bit of a pain in the ass.  This text file stuff is my dream come true (if it is as easy as it looks!)!

[mmedley.]

I prefer Tag&Rename, but that looks kinda cool. I don't typically tag my stuff anyways. Laziness.

[Fatah Ruark (aka MIKE B)]

I sure wish everyone would take the time to make a good text file (and follow some sort of semi-standardized format), and then tag your files.

It makes it much easier to keep things organized, and I use my computer to playback the majority of my music. It sure is nice to see the names of the songs, or to find a particular song in a set.

It's pretty damn easy, especially with the Live Show Tagger.

[alpine85]

I don't normally tag FLACs, but here is a great program I use for MP3s, and it works equally well for FLAC, WMA, AAC, APE, etc.

http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

It also converts filenames to tags and vice-versa, and will load tags from a text file. 

Excellent tool, I use it a LOT.

[OFOTD]

The Live Show Tagger can be pretty picky sometimes.   I use Tag & Rename generally with the Live Show Tagger to help.

Lots and lots of Dead text files are so scattered that foobar can't make any sense of any of many of them.

[mmedley.]

I sure wish everyone would take the time to make a good text file (and follow some sort of semi-standardized format), and then tag your files.

It makes it much easier to keep things organized, and I use my computer to playback the majority of my music. It sure is nice to see the names of the songs, or to find a particular song in a set.

It's pretty damn easy, especially with the Live Show Tagger.

I could go on all day long about txt files, but it does no good. I just edit them myself after downloading to my liking...which is the best. 

[Jammin72]

Tag & Rename is nice.

The new Metadata Editor in Easy CD-DA Extractor is kick ass.  Open one window with your text file, the other with The Program Highlight the first track and field you want to edit.  A simple enter processes the data then jumps to the same field in the next track, has been a lifesaver as far as getting me off the mouse and alt keys!

[morst]

Do any of these fancy automated ones run on a Mac?

[davepeck]

another vote for Tag & Rename here. fantastic program.

http://www.softpointer.com/tr.htm

[deadhoarse]

I don't normally tag FLACs, but here is a great program I use for MP3s, and it works equally well for FLAC, WMA, AAC, APE, etc.

http://www.mp3tag.de/en/

It also converts filenames to tags and vice-versa, and will load tags from a text file. 

Excellent tool, I use it a LOT.

Yes, great program.  I also like how it can reach out to amazon.com for album art (to either put a jpg into a folder, or attach the jpg to the end of the mp3).  It makes streaming music from my modded Xbox look really sharp. 

I just recently started tagging my flac's with it as well.

[davepeck]

so i just used the foobar live show tagger for the first time tonight. it definitely beats typing out all the song titles.

however, i don't like the fact that the date/venue/city/state don't populate to the 'album' field. i typically put all that info into the album field.

i'll probably start using this in conjunction with Tag & Rename for tagging my shows from now on. it will definitely save me a bunch of time (typing out song titles). appreciate the walkthrough!

[3-Fan]

I have a few questions:

If I tag a FLAC show that already has a FFP, will the FFP still check out OK?

I was trying to use the Live Show Tagger via Foobar last night.  The show I chose to tag had 2 .txt files in the directory.  One was the actual setlist and the other was showown.txt.    I opened the FLAC files in Foobar, went to the live show tagger and the showown.txt file popped up as the default.  I loaded the actual setlist .txt and all the FLAC files disappeared out of the LST window.  I drag the FLAC files back into the LST window and the .txt line goes back to the showown.txt.  I tried temporarly removing the showown.txt file from the folder and still had the same results.

I chose another show to tag.  All worked perfectly.  But then I compressed it for my portable device and brought it into the portable device software.  The song title, track # and composer showed up just fine, but the album name didn't appear.  It still came in as Miscellanos.

Any guidance?

Thanks,
G

[bgalizio]

I have a few questions:

If I tag a FLAC show that already has a FFP, will the FFP still check out OK?

For tagging - yes, the FFP is the same. It is a checksum of the audio only.

Not sure about your other questions.

[davepeck]

I chose another show to tag.  All worked perfectly.  But then I compressed it for my portable device and brought it into the portable device software.  The song title, track # and composer showed up just fine, but the album name didn't appear.  It still came in as Miscellanos.

check out my post right above yours. this was my one complaint. it doesn't seem to populate the album field with date/venue/city/state info, which, IMO, it should.

[T.J.]

so i just used the foobar live show tagger for the first time tonight. it definitely beats typing out all the song titles.

however, i don't like the fact that the date/venue/city/state don't populate to the 'album' field. i typically put all that info into the album field.

i'll probably start using this in conjunction with Tag & Rename for tagging my shows from now on. it will definitely save me a bunch of time (typing out song titles). appreciate the walkthrough!

that's exactly what do. the only thing i populate in tag&rename is date/venue for album. works like a charm

[Gordon]

not sure what y'all are doing but the venue info shows in the "album" field for me.  the date doesn't but it has it's own field.  you can right click in foobar and choose what you want to show on playback.  example here

[T.J.]

not sure what y'all are doing but the venue info shows in the "album" field for me.  the date doesn't but it has it's own field.  you can right click in foobar and choose what you want to show on playback.  example here

that's how it looks for me too gordon. which is fine with me b/c i use foobar. however if you play the flac tagged by the "live show tagger" in winamp the venue tag never shows. the other tags are visible (i.e. artist, song name, etc...) it takes two seconds in tag&rename to add an addition album field like: 2008-04-30 - World Cafe Live so it will be displayed in other players.

redundant: absolutely 

[Gordon]

ah.  I haven't used in winamp in years.

[T.J.]

ah.  I haven't used in winamp in years.

it *may* just be winamp the venue tag doesn't display. but since tag&Rename seems to be compatible with every playback software, i do the extra step. i will alway use the "live show tagger' first for song names, artist, notes, etc. THAT aspect of it can't be beat.

[Gordon]

I use a iriver for flac playback in the car and just checked and sure enough the album doesn't show.  it shows the actual file name instead.  threw it in tag and rename and fixed one, checked the iriver and it shows it.  damn time to re tag all my shows   in foobar I removed the date from showing on playback since it's now in the album field with the venue etc.

[T.J.]

I use a iriver for flac playback in the car and just checked and sure enough the album doesn't show.  it shows the actual file name instead.  threw it in tag and rename and fixed one, checked the iriver and it shows it.  damn time to re tag all my shows   in foobar I removed the date from showing on playback since it's now in the album field with the venue etc.

good to know. that was my concern: when i get a mp3 player to play flacs the album tag is pretty necessary. otherwise all your shows will just be lumped together by artist, right? that could get difficult to keep track of

[Gordon]

I use a iriver for flac playback in the car and just checked and sure enough the album doesn't show.  it shows the actual file name instead.  threw it in tag and rename and fixed one, checked the iriver and it shows it.  damn time to re tag all my shows   in foobar I removed the date from showing on playback since it's now in the album field with the venue etc.

good to know. that was my concern: when i get a mp3 player to play flacs the album tag is pretty necessary. otherwise all your shows will just be lumped together by artist, right? that could get difficult to keep track of

using a rockboxed Iriver it's not too big of a deal.  all the shows are listed under files by the folder name.  not sure how to group by artist but since it's only 20gigs of flacs it's not that many shows anyway.

[3-Fan]

No albumn shown in Itunes or Musicmatch.

[jerryfreak]

flacify is a unix script thats been around for years to parse from text files. that should run under mac, right?

'the godfather' is a great freeware app for cleaning up tags

Do any of these fancy automated ones run on a Mac?

[morst]

flacify is a unix script thats been around for years to parse from text files. that should run under mac, right?

'the godfather' is a great freeware app for cleaning up tags

Do any of these fancy automated ones run on a Mac?

I'll check into that (edit- Godfather appears to be windows only, and flacify is a commandline script. It might work but I prefer a GUI, since i've been using a mac for the past 23 years! If I can't get MAX to work maybe i'll see if flacify would help)

Last night I just discovered MAX 0.8.1 on Apple's website. Have not tried it yet, but I'll check it out soon and report back.
http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/audio/max.html

An application for creating high-quality audio files in various formats, from compact discs or files.

When extracting audio from compact discs, Max offers the maximum in flexibility to ensure the true sound of your CD is faithfully extracted. For pristine discs, Max offers a high-speed ripper with no error correction. For damaged discs, Max can either use its built-in comparison ripper (for drives that cache audio) or the error-correcting power of cdparanoia.

Once the audio is extracted, Max can generate audio in over 20 compressed and uncompressed formats including MP3, Ogg (Vorbis), FLAC, AAC, Apple Lossless, Monkey’s Audio, WavPack, Speex, AIFF, and WAVE.
Max is free software released under the GNU General Public License (GPL).

Edit- MAX sucks. Outputs files with generic names, and doesn't seem to be able to tag files except when converting. I'll stick with xACT unless I can figure out how to get flacify to work. That would seem to be what Archive.org uses, right?

[Gordon]

how do I add pictures to live show tags?  I know how if it's a mp3 album using tag and rename but not sure how to enter a picture myself.

[OFOTD]

how do I add pictures to live show tags?  I know how if it's a mp3 album using tag and rename but not sure how to enter a picture myself.

You can use Tag & Rename as well.  I actually just did it for several years of the Dead HD project. 

In T&R you click on the edit all supported fields tab.  There on the right you see the option for adding a picture.

[Gordon]

how do I add pictures to live show tags?  I know how if it's a mp3 album using tag and rename but not sure how to enter a picture myself.

You can use Tag & Rename as well.  I actually just did it for several years of the Dead HD project. 

In T&R you click on the edit all supported fields tab.  There on the right you see the option for adding a picture.

nice!  I'm flacing and taging multiple jerry and forgot there are pics/posters form the shows on the jerry site.

[OFOTD]

forgot there are pics/posters form the shows on the jerry site.

+T

I have been known to waste a work day looking through all the posters/stubs/artwork on the Jerry Site

[F.O.Bean]

How can you get the track number to show once tagged w/ flac frontends tagger when encoding? There is no window for a track number for tagging them.

[T.J.]

How can you get the track number to show once tagged w/ flac frontends tagger when encoding? There is no window for a track number for tagging them.

when you tag them using the live show tagger it adds track numbers based on how the text file is set up. so if you break it down by disc/track it will tag 1/01 1/02 >>>>>

i don't think by default the track number is displayed in foobar. you can change this in the settings somewhere so it's displayed, i just don't remember where.

[F.O.Bean]

How can you get the track number to show once tagged w/ flac frontends tagger when encoding? There is no window for a track number for tagging them.

when you tag them using the live show tagger it adds track numbers based on how the text file is set up. so if you break it down by disc/track it will tag 1/01 1/02 >>>>>

i don't think by default the track number is displayed in foobar. you can change this in the settings somewhere so it's displayed, i just don't remember where.

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,104633.0.html

Thanks for the info TJ, but like the above link I posted says, I am not interested AT ALL in learning yet another program, nor opening another program when processing my files. WaveLab/CD Wave/FLAC Frontend is plenty of steps for processing my recordings, and Im just not interested AT ALL in learning/opening yet another one But thanks anyway!

[T.J.]

How can you get the track number to show once tagged w/ flac frontends tagger when encoding? There is no window for a track number for tagging them.

when you tag them using the live show tagger it adds track numbers based on how the text file is set up. so if you break it down by disc/track it will tag 1/01 1/02 >>>>>

i don't think by default the track number is displayed in foobar. you can change this in the settings somewhere so it's displayed, i just don't remember where.

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,104633.0.html

Thanks for the info TJ, but like the above link I posted says, I am not interested AT ALL in learning yet another program, nor opening another program when processing my files. WaveLab/CD Wave/FLAC Frontend is plenty of steps for processing my recordings, and Im just not interested AT ALL in learning/opening yet another one But thanks anyway!

doh! i saw flac frontends tagger and read it as live show tagger i know it's unappealing to add another program to the mix but like everyone has already said: it really is the easiest way to go! try it once and i guarantee you won't want to stop using it. its designed for our purpose. i tried to use the tagging option in frontend and remember not liking it much, but that was a long while ago.

sorry i can't help ya bud

[F.O.Bean]

How can you get the track number to show once tagged w/ flac frontends tagger when encoding? There is no window for a track number for tagging them.

when you tag them using the live show tagger it adds track numbers based on how the text file is set up. so if you break it down by disc/track it will tag 1/01 1/02 >>>>>

i don't think by default the track number is displayed in foobar. you can change this in the settings somewhere so it's displayed, i just don't remember where.

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,104633.0.html

Thanks for the info TJ, but like the above link I posted says, I am not interested AT ALL in learning yet another program, nor opening another program when processing my files. WaveLab/CD Wave/FLAC Frontend is plenty of steps for processing my recordings, and Im just not interested AT ALL in learning/opening yet another one But thanks anyway!

doh! i saw flac frontends tagger and read it as live show tagger i know it's unappealing to add another program to the mix but like everyone has already said: it really is the easiest way to go! try it once and i guarantee you won't want to stop using it. its designed for our purpose. i tried to use the tagging option in frontend and remember not liking it much, but that was a long while ago.

sorry i can't help ya bud

Well, tahts the problem bud. EVERYTIME I d/l and unzip the trafersfriend.dll plugin for fb2k, and then move/copy it to fb2k's components folder where the rest of the plugins are, and then when I try and open fb2k after I do that, I get an error and it says it cant find the appropiate .dll file, the tradersfriend.dll plugin file I dunno, I'm stumped

I'll try retarting my PC and trying again tho since the fb2k live show tagger seems to be the way to go

[T.J.]

i was having a similar problem. this is taken from another thread:

Make sure just the .dll file is in the components folder within foobar's program folder ie...don't put the new component folder that the live show tagger .dll comes in, in foobar's component folder, just the .dll, but you definitely want it in foobar's own component folder. Chances are, you have some other .dll files in there, and thats good since thats where they live ..if all that makes any sense.
And by the way thanks for the link there, I wasn't aware of that add on. I just grabbed it and it works great, that will certainly save me some time.

after doing this i still couldn't get it to work. so i did a complete uninstall of fb2k. i then reinstalled it, unzipped the live show tagger and followed the directions above and i finally got it to work. i think the simple uninstall/reinstall was all it needed. mark my words; once you use it you won't want to use anything else 


fwiw i dl'ed it from here (probably the same place you got it): http://foosion.foobar2000.org/components/?id=tradersfriend&version=0.6.1

[twoodruff]

ok I installed it, had the files in the live show tagger, hit update files and got Could not load info (Unsupported file format) from:
"D:\oldd\wsp1991-02-09\wsp1991-02-09.sbd.flac16\wsp1991-02-09.txt"


huh?

[kskreider]

Sometimes I find that if files already have generic tags you have to strip them of their tags before starting.  Hightlight fileset|Right-Click|Tagging|Remove Tags from file.  Then delete the files from FooBar and reload them before tagging with the tagger.

[twoodruff]

Sometimes I find that if files already have generic tags you have to strip them of their tags before starting.  Hightlight fileset|Right-Click|Tagging|Remove Tags from file.  Then delete the files from FooBar and reload them before tagging with the tagger.

when I click tagging all I see is live show tagger, no remove tags from files

[kskreider]

Most certainly version differences.  I am using 0.9.4.5

[twoodruff]

Most certainly version differences.  I am using 0.9.4.5

I am using 0.9.5.4

[busterr]

ok I installed it, had the files in the live show tagger, hit update files and got Could not load info (Unsupported file format) from:
"D:\oldd\wsp1991-02-09\wsp1991-02-09.sbd.flac16\wsp1991-02-09.txt"


huh?

If this is an older show where the txt file and flac naming aren't really to etree standards there could be a couple things going on. However I would simply start by renaming the .txt file as wsp1991-02-09.info, as that can be a hangup for it.

Also to strip any old metadata/tag info you should be able to : highlight files - right click - choose "properties", that will bring up the manual meta/tag editing page where you can delete (or add) older information.

[tgakidis]

foobars live show tagger can be found here for now

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mt32u5



it is simple and fast.  right click > tagging > live show tagger.  it pulls everything from the textfile.

Wow, how easy!

[davepeck]

foobars live show tagger can be found here for now

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mt32u5



it is simple and fast.  right click > tagging > live show tagger.  it pulls everything from the textfile.

Wow, how easy!

it really is. the only thing you might want to do after that is go in and update the 'album' info, which LST doesn't do. i use Tag & Rename for that.

this is a good topic to keep at the top. i'm surprised at how many people still aren't tagging their FLACs.

[manitouman]

I can't seem to get either Foobar or Tag&Rename to work right. Foobar worked once or twice but that's about it. I've been trying to follow the same format but nothing still. What gives? Reinstall maybe? 

[T.J.]

I can't seem to get either Foobar or Tag&Rename to work right. Foobar worked once or twice but that's about it. I've been trying to follow the same format but nothing still. What gives? Reinstall maybe? 

i was having problems getting it to work correctly until i uninstalled. check out this thread/link. hopefully it'll help:

http://taperssection.com/index.php/topic,102941.msg1396570.html#msg1396570

[manitouman]

Working so far...Thanks for the tip! 

[rigpimp]

OK, I am having problems all of a sudden.  It is taking only the first three songs and naming all of the songs from each of three sets with the same name.  My text file is arranged the exact same way that I have been doing it for years.  I am stumped.  To top it off I think that one can only strip the tags off of mp3s and not off of FLAC files using FOOBAR.  UGH!

Edit to strike out an incorrect statement.
Edit #2: fuckin-a.  It did not want to tag properly because I named the files phish2009-10-31Set1t01!  I had to change it to phish2009-10-31S1t01

[Gordon]

foobars live show tagger can be found here for now

http://www.sendspace.com/file/mt32u5



it is simple and fast.  right click > tagging > live show tagger.  it pulls everything from the textfile.

Wow, how easy!

it really is. the only thing you might want to do after that is go in and update the 'album' info, which LST doesn't do. i use Tag & Rename for that.

this is a good topic to keep at the top. i'm surprised at how many people still aren't tagging their FLACs.

I was using tag and rename for that portion to then someone pointed out you can do it in foobar.  highlight all tracks > right click > properties.  you can then add and change all the info you want.