Comments on: Lesson Four in Using iTunes: Categorizing with Music Genres http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres The Blog of Christopher Billows Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:35:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Christopher Billows http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-839 Christopher Billows Sat, 23 Apr 2011 18:56:22 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-839 Grumpy Troll, Glad to hear that this works for you. I would think that genre-bending artists like Eva Cassidy would have particular themes with each album. She would do a Gospel album, then a Jazz album, etc. I would identify each album as seemed best. My problem is when I get a greatest hits album of an artist who does such different things. Neil Young stands out as an example of this. His two greatest hits albums have a flavor of Neil but the actual music ranges from folk to grunge rock to pub rock. Since I would find putting a genre on each individual song to be too tedious, I just label the album as Rock: Alternative which is so generic it does not really mean much. Grumpy Troll,

Glad to hear that this works for you. I would think that genre-bending artists like Eva Cassidy would have particular themes with each album. She would do a Gospel album, then a Jazz album, etc. I would identify each album as seemed best.

My problem is when I get a greatest hits album of an artist who does such different things. Neil Young stands out as an example of this. His two greatest hits albums have a flavor of Neil but the actual music ranges from folk to grunge rock to pub rock. Since I would find putting a genre on each individual song to be too tedious, I just label the album as Rock: Alternative which is so generic it does not really mean much.

]]> By: Grumpy Troll http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-836 Grumpy Troll Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:43:23 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-836 Nicely done. I have over 12000 songs in my library covering nearly every standard genre and many do not "fit" in the genre with which they are generally identified. I have done something similar but since this is MY library, I will decide where these artists and songs reside in Genre. I understand the conundrum. Where on earth does Eva Cassidy go? I appreciate the suggestions and recommend that artists and their music are easier to find and appreciate with a genre tag despite the unfairness of it all. The bigger the library, the greater the problem and the need to DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and is also generally representative of the genre presented by the artist or label. I really like the idea of the sub-genre. I have done some of this without knowing it but with this info in hand, I will adjust my library in a fashion that makes sense. Thanks. Nicely done. I have over 12000 songs in my library covering nearly every standard genre and many do not “fit” in the genre with which they are generally identified. I have done something similar but since this is MY library, I will decide where these artists and songs reside in Genre. I understand the conundrum. Where on earth does Eva Cassidy go? I appreciate the suggestions and recommend that artists and their music are easier to find and appreciate with a genre tag despite the unfairness of it all. The bigger the library, the greater the problem and the need to DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU and is also generally representative of the genre presented by the artist or label.
I really like the idea of the sub-genre. I have done some of this without knowing it but with this info in hand, I will adjust my library in a fashion that makes sense. Thanks.

]]> By: Christopher Billows http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-789 Christopher Billows Mon, 13 Dec 2010 20:30:16 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-789 @Sigrun. AllMusic changed their site up. Fixed the link. I am thinking that some artists and albums would be given their own Genre instead of trying to be fit into an existing one. Perhaps a 'Cross-Genre' or 'Unclassified' or 'Hybrid' label could be used to set aside those unique expressions. @Sigrun.
AllMusic changed their site up. Fixed the link.
I am thinking that some artists and albums would be given their own Genre instead of trying to be fit into an existing one. Perhaps a ‘Cross-Genre’ or ‘Unclassified’ or ‘Hybrid’ label could be used to set aside those unique expressions.

]]> By: sigrun http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-788 sigrun Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:47:22 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-788 Very interesting article. For the last few months I've been trying to sort my Genres. One issue I constantly have is really grasping the definitions of some genres. And also some artists/albums seem impossible to define with a genre; such as John Cale's "Paris 1919" Or a Tom Waits album that could be defined under many different genres of Pop/Rock, Jazz or Blues. Also the Allmusic link doesn't seem to show anything. Very interesting article. For the last few months I’ve been trying to sort my Genres.

One issue I constantly have is really grasping the definitions of some genres. And also some artists/albums seem impossible to define with a genre; such as John Cale’s “Paris 1919″ Or a Tom Waits album that could be defined under many different genres of Pop/Rock, Jazz or Blues.

Also the Allmusic link doesn’t seem to show anything.

]]> By: Christopher Billows http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-714 Christopher Billows Mon, 12 Jul 2010 02:51:47 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-714 You're welcome. It does help to think of Genre as 'world-view' while thinking of tempo/mood as being the flavor/hue of the world-view/genre. The struggle I have is that lots of my albums are Greatest Hit compilations so sometimes an Artist will spread across multiple Genres as they travel their musical journey. So far, I am treating these albums as representing the original Genre the artist started with. So U2 Greatest Hits would be Rock: Alternative even though lots of the songs on their 6th and 7th albums flirted with Electronica. My rationale is that they are a Alternative Rock band first, and whatever they experiment with will be influenced by those roots. It's still possible to Tag the songs in the Comments section with (Electronica) or (Dance) which will show up during searches, etc. This way I capture the distinct flavor of U2's Alternative Rock career during this period. You’re welcome. It does help to think of Genre as ‘world-view’ while thinking of tempo/mood as being the flavor/hue of the world-view/genre. The struggle I have is that lots of my albums are Greatest Hit compilations so sometimes an Artist will spread across multiple Genres as they travel their musical journey. So far, I am treating these albums as representing the original Genre the artist started with. So U2 Greatest Hits would be Rock: Alternative even though lots of the songs on their 6th and 7th albums flirted with Electronica. My rationale is that they are a Alternative Rock band first, and whatever they experiment with will be influenced by those roots.
It’s still possible to Tag the songs in the Comments section with (Electronica) or (Dance) which will show up during searches, etc. This way I capture the distinct flavor of U2′s Alternative Rock career during this period.

]]> By: Scott http://billogs.net/lesson-four-in-using-itunes-categorizing-with-music-genres#comment-713 Scott Sun, 11 Jul 2010 02:46:10 +0000 http://www.billogs.net/?p=687#comment-713 Hey, thanks. I have been planning on doing this kind of thing for a while now. I have been very hesitant though until after reading this. Now I know what I'll be doing all night. lol, but I always have had the problem of genres being too vague. Next though, I want to get all music sorted by dynamics, and tempo, as well as male or female singer, and by the mood the songs sets, like happy, sad. etc... But this is a good start, thanks for this post. Hey, thanks. I have been planning on doing this kind of thing for a while now. I have been very hesitant though until after reading this. Now I know what I’ll be doing all night. lol, but I always have had the problem of genres being too vague. Next though, I want to get all music sorted by dynamics, and tempo, as well as male or female singer, and by the mood the songs sets, like happy, sad. etc… But this is a good start, thanks for this post.

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