(originally posted here∞)

Tracknumbers are ugly...and thankfully, totally unnecessary when you have ID3 tags and/or m3u files.

Most CDs:
R:\Sounds\Music\Releases\Genre\Artist - Year - Album\Song.ape

Genre is pretty general: Classical, Jazz, Electronica, Pop, Rock. The specifics go into the ID3 tags, e.g. "Classical - Brass" or "Electronica - Trance" or "Jazz - Cool" or "Rock - Progressive."

Various artist CDs (including most classical discs):
R:\Sounds\Music\Releases\Genre\[Album Artist - Year -] Album\Artist - Song.ape

Most pop mix CDs don't have a single album artists, of course, so the folder name is just the album title. When there is an album artist (eg a classical or jazz ensemble), the Artist tag belongs to the composer and the Album Artist is the ensemble. Symphonic/choral works also record the director in the tag -- "Robert Shaw & Atlanta SO" -- but not in the folder name, the latter being reserved for chamber groups.

My "special" way of organizing major classical works:
R:\Sounds\Music\Releases\Classical (major works by composer)\Composer\Year - Work Title - Conductor LN\Track name.ape

e.g. ...\Stravinsky, Igor\1912 - Le Sacre du Printemps - Mester\Adoration of the Earth.ape

If I didn't mention it already, composer names are always last name first, in both ID3 tags and folder (or in the various artist case, file) names. Album artist tag once again belongs to the conductor & ensemble. Year in the folder name is the year of composition, but the ID3 year is the CD release date. These (and all classical/jazz discs actually) are accompanied by copious liner notes with any soloists, recording engineers, recording date & place, and so on written; the file name is the same as the .m3u, .cue, and EAC .log files.


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