Be Excellent To Each Other

I have recently ripped all my CD's to MP3 and tagged them. I have done them at 192 Kbps and I used Windows Media player for conveinence.

My main question is, what is the best nameing conventions for the file name?
Currently I have 'Track No - Artist - Track.mp3'

What do you guys and gals use?
Any tips for MP3s?

for the file name/folders i use just "Artist/Album/track number - song"

For the ripping, EAC + lame encoder suit my needs. And then VBR 192-320 Kbs with the maximum quality.

Er...
According to MP3 tag (which you really should try if you want to do a bunch of MP3s at once as it's ace), the filename is:
%track(number)% - %artist% - %title%

Artist - track name.mp3


Simple reason is that you can go to your song directory, type the first few letters of the artist and bingo, there are all the songs. No need to faff around with a search function. Track number can be recorded in the ID tag part if you really feel the need.

I also like Chinny's method, but my phone didn't pick up track numbers.

I tried that method, but the MP3 player in the car sulks if it does not have track number.

My MP3 player an PC are ok with either method, as I tagged each track/album properly.

Loose songs get Artist - Title.mp3.
Album tracks get put into Artist\Album\Track# - Title.mp3

My preference is Track# - Title - Artist, since I tend to remember song titles or where a song is in an album before I remember who actually performed it.

What I'd really like is to be able to find a track or sound I'm looking for as easily as I find songs in my record box or cd collection. Since I've a mass/mess of one-off artists and white-labelled stuff I never remember the name of I tend to recognise things I like by cover art, handwriting, creases in the sleeve or the colour of the sleeve or the label on the disc. It's the one thing I hate about digital music, it's easier than ever to get but it's fucking boring to look at/through

Does the iPhone / iPodTouch's flippy-coverart-thing not improve that?

That. I'm almost tempted to buy stuff on vinyl only in future, then download it as well.

Yeah it does, but I'm someone who thinks that CD covers are too small to make out decent cover art. Sometimes I just get my LPs out just to have a look at them, rather than listening to them.

The other reason being that I don't have a turntable at the moment.

I do exactly that.

Genre/Artist/Year Made - Album/Track num - Title.mp3

I started using Media Monkey at the weekend which is quite cool. For those who havent used it, its good for updating tags and album covers (albeit using Amazon.com and not co.uk so there may be some discrepancies).

One of the best features I like about it is that it can automatically update all your file names on your hard drive based on the ID tag.

Im not sure if this is the same as MP3 tag that Grim is talking about as I am a bit of a noob when it comes to this sort of stuff, but I just thought Id post this in case it came in useful for anyone else thats equally crap.

I don't have either of these infernal machines you speak of, just a good old fashioned video iPod. I am intrigued though, I'll have a squint at my friends iPhone next time I see him.What about one of those USB turntable things? Best of both worlds.

My folders go:
Artist / [Year*]Album

Track naming goes:
Track# TrackName Artist** Album**

* Optional i.e. If I can be arsed to add it
** Optional, for the time you have to be sure what your listening to.

I tried that, but it makes it unread able in the car. as you can see is the artist and album. I can't see anythign else after that.

FWIW, Cover Flow and 'Now Playing' look like this at full-size:

I rip lossless files on iTunes. Takes care of naming and numbering for me.

Sounds good too.

I did this last night, I found a useful free tool that did it. some thing like mp3 tag and rename.

It has made it easier to seach mp3 cd's in the car

While I was up in Glesga yesterday I had a walk round the Apple shop to have a go of the iPhone and see what you lot were talking about. That flippy album cover thingamy is awesome, it's the perfect compromise for me. Tempted!