CD Filing

[Roslynmuse]

Re the BBCMMCDs - you'll save a metre of shelf space at a stroke by putting the discs in paper CD envelopes, storing your booklets etc separately and getting rid of the jewel cases.

I (physically) file the CDs alphabetically and have my own Word document catalogue for them, or most of them. I'm fairly confident that most purchases post-2003 are listed, but that leaves another fifteen years' worth... Those fifteen years were slower though, so some (small) comfort there. I've shaken myself out of the sort of OCD alphabeticism that led to the Tortelier Dutilleux box being filed for a long time under 'Alain' because there was a short orchestration of Jehan Alain's Priere pour nous autres charnels included, but within composers I don't divide by genre. As I have a lot of mixed song recitals, I file according to the first composer (alphabetically) on the disc - if I'm looking for a song by (for example) Ravel, it's the work of a moment to find that I have three performances filed under Berlioz, one under Caplet, one under Chabrier and one under Poulenc (as well as a couple of complete mélodie sets under Ravel!). It may well be better with Excel or other systems, but I know my way round this one by now.

[amateur51]

Ams,

Have you ever visited the Ian Edwards workshop? We go up to the Lakes fairly often, and on one occasion travelled up by way of Harrogate taking the measurements of a couple of alcoves we wanted to fill. It's not a huge place, but very friendly in welcoming customers, and they built some units for us that fit the spaces perfectly.

There simply isn't room for any more CDs ( I have over 6000) so I've started pruning, but it's so hard to part with things, even where I have several versions of the same work competing for attention, and there are masses of LPs as well, I still enjoy vinyl.

Great report Ferret - they sound to be as lovely firm and clearly they're prepared to make whatever it is the customer wants. I'll hasten Gideon along

[teamsaint]

Here is a possible shelving solution, which looks like it could work well for CDs.

http://www.jali.co.uk/products/flexi-shelving/flexi-shelving.cfm

We bought and installed one of their units years ago for a corner of our Living room/lounge/whatever, and very good it is too. you need basic DIY skills, and cost is hundreds rather than thousands.

Basically you design the unit to your own spec( within certain limits) online, and they deliver it in Kit form.
anybody else used a similar system?

I am thinking about one of the flexi shelving units, with 10 shelves( which is the maximum, mostly 15 CM deep and 15 cm high, but with maybe some shelves a little bigger for box sets, or for things other than CDs.

Its quite fun, ( in an odd way) designing a unit . The design tool gives you a running total on costs.

[vinteuil]

... thanks for that, teamsman - we're currently in discussion with our friendly local Polish carpenter to see if he can produce the CD shelves we need - but if he fails, this looks an excellent Plan B

[pastoralguy]

Re the BBCMMCDs - you'll save a metre of shelf space at a stroke by putting the discs in paper CD envelopes, storing your booklets etc separately and getting rid of the jewel cases.

I'm having a special shelf built for the recent BBCMM Ida Haendel cd, complete with spotlight and glass case...

[BBMmk2]

Apologies, if I have already posted by contribution, in advance!

I do mine, whatever genre they are in, with alphabetically composer/artist format. With composers, I have a lot of, eg JSB, Beethoven, I section and sub-section(aka the way BBC Music magazine does the reviews): Orchestral, Choral(opera, if any), Chamber and instrumental. in the case of other genres, they are mixed in, also in alphabetical sequence, so say Beethoven, Black Dyke Band etc(of which there a huge number!). These are done by year of publication.