CD Filing

[gmw]

What is the preferred method of arranging large collections of music? Do you file your CD's by composer or performer/ensemble? Why? I file first by composer because that is the way I generally choose what I want to listen to. That always leads to the problem where CD's by a single performer/ensemble and multiple composers are combined on the same disk - the majority of cases really. You then have to choose a preferred piece on the disk to represent the composer. Do you have a more sophisticated approach filing by class, all trios in one section, quartets, quintet's etc. etc. Or are you primarily concerned with the artist, in which cases works by composer are scattered throughout your collection. Then what do you do with jazz, rock etc.

[VodkaDilc]

My system is basically alphabetical by composer - but with exceptions. So, a recital disc by one artist is under his/her name. Using CDpedia (or similar) allows a search by composer, artist or whatever, so the system works very well (for me). Jazz and most popular artists fit in similarly - though I do file organ and world music separately by performer.

(I do not file jazz etc separately from the rest - how can you draw the line with such frequent overlaps?)

[Serial_Apologist]

My jazz/rock/improv CDs I file chronologically from left to right; my classical CDs by composer in alphabetical order from left to right. I also have a card index system by composer/band, and jazz recordings page indexed by year of recording, beginning in 1917, in both instances prefixing the recording in question R for vinyl, CD for... CD, and C for cassette, of which I retain quite a few. (Similarly my two respective LP collections, by the way).

[cloughie]

What is the preferred method of arranging large collections of music? Do you file your CD's by composer or performer/ensemble? Why? I file first by composer because that is the way I generally choose what I want to listen to. That always leads to the problem where CD's by a single performer/ensemble and multiple composers are combined on the same disk - the majority of cases really. You then have to choose a preferred piece on the disk to represent the composer. Do you have a more sophisticated approach filing by class, all trios in one section, quartets, quintet's etc. etc. Or are you primarily concerned with the artist, in which cases works by composer are scattered throughout your collection. Then what do you do with jazz, rock etc.

I use EXCEL which allows headings for COMPOSER/WORK/SOL3/SOL2/SOL1/ORCHESTRA/CONDUCTOR adding columns for catalogue number, unique no and track number to identify the CD. This then allows sorting by whichever headings are wanted.
I have a separate Index for non-classical using NUM/ALBUM TITLE/ARTIST/SONG TITLE/CAT.NO

[teamsaint]

my singles are in one large wooden chest. They are wonderful. and sort of vaguely A to Z, although the S section is a nightmare........
My albums are on the higher of two shelves in a fitted unit .(its quite a big unit).
my cassettes are in a wooden unit with small drawers in a corner .
My CDs are split between a book case in the kitchen, and another shelf in the fitted unit, (including most but not all big box sets, with a further overflow section in a wall cupboard with a yellow teapot painted on the door.)
There are two other overflow columns elsewhere, which require urgent attention before they fall and somebody gets hurt.

Other than that they are all completely jumbled up.

not really filed at all in fact.

I think a card index system as recommended by S-A sounds likely to work well. Tried and trusted technology, that.

[johnb]

My CDs are filed in two sections (a) alphabetically by composer where the CD is for one composer and (b) by main performer where there are more than one composer on the CD or boxed set.

As I use a Squeezebox Touch, all the CDs are also ripped to a hard drive. All the files are "tagged" with the works (one piece=one album), performers and the manufacturer's CD reference, etc, etc. As part of the Squeezebox system all that information is scanned and stored in a database which I periodically copy and import into Access, giving me a full catalogue of all my music collection. (Of course I can also search via the Squeezebox software, the Logitech Media Server).

By the way, in spite of the fact that the Squeezebox range hasn't been in production for a few years there is still development work on LMS and the latest version, 7.9, has introduced new browsing modes, etc and is the best version so far.

[jayne lee wilson]

I mean, I have tried... the Jap Specials are mostly over there and the HDCDs just up there... etc. The much neglected Chamber Music and "Unusual 20th Century Operas" are off on their own, best-organised because least-listened...

In the end there's only one principle chez moi - "look Darling, I really do know where everything is..."
Usually said to the pitying gaze of the Cat.

I've got all the right CDs. They're just in the wrong order.

[DublinJimbo]

My CD filing system is by composer alphabetically, sub-sorted by symphonies, concertos, other orchestral, choral, chamber, instrumental and song (in that shelf order).

CDs with more than one composer are filed under whichever composer I purchased the CD for, while a supporting computer database indicates c/w (coupled with) and/or f/u (filed under). This database is arranged at individual-work level, even down to individual entries for individual songs where appropriate.

Compilations have a separate shelf, and operatic recordings are filed on their own set of shelves, again alphabetically by composer by opera title.

iTunes keeps track of my download collection and does so superbly well. A must-do project is to produce a combined database for CDs and downloads, though I'll probably need to be bed-ridden for an extended period before I get down to tackling that.

In all cases, cataloguing is done immediately each CD or download is acquired.

[Petrushka]

I mean, I have tried... the Jap Specials are mostly over there and the HDCDs just up there... etc. The much neglected Chamber Music and "Unusual 20th Century Operas" are off on their own, best-organised because least-listened...

In the end there's only one principle chez moi - "look Darling, I really do know where everything is..."
Usually said to the pitying gaze of the Cat.

I've got all the right CDs. They're just in the wrong order.

I started out with the best of intentions but have ended up by proclaiming a state of anarchy in my listening room.

Filing LPs was simple enough: under composer order and any mixed pieces filed after Z. I followed the same procedure when I bought my first CDs in 1985 but gradually over time have hit upon two snags, to wit: space and boxed sets. It very quickly became a chore to move all of my CDs along the shelves in order to file under composer and soon became impossible. I purchased some cheap, ramshackle shelves courtesy of Argos and proceeded to fill them up any old how. However, boxes devoted to one composer eg Mahler, Wagner went into a cabinet of their own but that too quickly filled up. The huge boxes released in recent years have posed a particularly thorny storage problem. God knows where it will all end.

As things stand now, I have them all over the place including piled high on the floor. I really must get to grips with making some room by disposing of unwanted BBC MM CDs but other priorities prevail, at least at the moment.

Now books...

[johnb]

Petrushka, that (dis-) arrangement is very much how my books have ended up, including the piles stacked on the floor.

[Don Petter]

I started out with the best of intentions but have ended up by proclaiming a state of anarchy in my listening room.

As things stand now, I have them all over the place including piled high on the floor.

Now books...

All too familiar ...

[... and for 'listening' read 'every']

[EdgeleyRob]

For years I've been meaning to organise my cds.
They are all over the place,some even in a relative's spare room.
What's more annoying than not being able to find a cd that I know I own,is opening a box set only to find the contents aren't what it says on the tin.
It's my own fault.

[Nick Armstrong]

I file first by composer because that is the way I generally choose what I want to listen to. ...

Then what do you do with jazz, rock etc.?

My recently-rationalised and refreshingly-downsized CD collection can best be described by reference to a photo of same:



Top shelf: operas, by composer (Bernstein to Weill)

Next 8 shelves: classical by composer - with an overspill area at the end for various box-sets that annoyingly don't fit my shelves in the relevant place higher up: the EMI Jochum/Dresden Bruckner box, for example, or the Handley Bax Symphonies.

Last but one shelf: miscellaneous collections, not in any particular composer order but vaguely choral - instrumental - orchestral. Plus a space at the right hand end for the cases of CDs currently being listened to most (French choral music - Fauré, Alain, Roger-Ducasse/Les Eléments; Rachmaninov Chopin Variations/Sudbin, in case you're wondering )

Bottom row - jazz on the left, rock etc plus spoken word on the right.



It's been useful this: each shelf takes about 140 CDs in standard jewel cases, so I've been able to estimate the size of it now.

Not the whole story though: bottom left, you'll spot the Airport Express (connected to the HiFi which is in the cupboard underneath), so all recent purchases have been download only. I don't see the CD collection growing much from here on in.

You did ask!!

[richardfinegold]

My CD filing system is by composer alphabetically, sub-sorted by symphonies, concertos, other orchestral, choral, chamber, instrumental and song (in that shelf order).

CDs with more than one composer are filed under whichever composer I purchased the CD for, while a supporting computer database indicates c/w (coupled with) and/or f/u (filed under). This database is arranged at individual-work level, even down to individual entries for individual songs where appropriate.

Compilations have a separate shelf, and operatic recordings are filed on their own set of shelves, again alphabetically by composer by opera title.

iTunes keeps track of my download collection and does so superbly well. A must-do project is to produce a combined database for CDs and downloads, though I'll probably need to be bed-ridden for an extended period before I get down to tackling that.

In all cases, cataloguing is done immediately each CD or download is acquired.

Pretty much what I do, and my set up looks a lot like Calibans.
My ultimate goal is to burn all CDs to hard drive, and use the shelf space for the High Resolution SACDs, Blu Rays, and DVD Audios.
I am contemplating doing away with my lps and turntable, as I just don't find myself listening to it.

[Nick Armstrong]

sub-sorted by symphonies, concertos, other orchestral, choral, chamber, instrumental and song (in that shelf order).

Nice.... mine's not that organised! Well vaguely.... This morning (post-Rozhdestvensky introduction on the radio) I ordered my VW section along those lines, to remind myself which recordings of the symphonies I had apart from the Haitink EMI box...