Sound effects library

[SPC]

Hi,

I have many folders of SFX libraries on my firewire drive that I need to organize and catalog. Many of the folders read as follows:
PE-46 > PE 46_01, 02, etc ...
There's HB series, SI series, etc ...
They are all Sound designer 2 files.

I need an inexpensive way to reference these as to some kind of description of the sound effect? Is there some software that will de-code these folders to make some kind of searchable sense (without finding every source CD they came from and starting over)?

My second problem is, with what software can I load in SFX from CD's to store as SD 2 files? Don't say use iTunes and save as mp3's! I need to rip the CD's to my Firewire drive with each cut's description as SD 2 (or .wav or Aiff). Preferebly not mp3s. If I solve these problems I wont have to bother with mTools or Sound Miner ... and I can use our be-loved new "Digi-Base"!

[MusicTrax]

Originally posted by SPC:
I need an inexpensive way to reference these as to some kind of description of the sound effect? Is there some software that will de-code these folders to make some kind of searchable sense (without finding every source CD they came from and starting over)?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">DigiBase is a start, but it won't give you the descriptions you need to do a quick massive search, especially across several different drives. (At least, judging by the demo I saw at AES, it won't do this.)

Soundminer does have a mode where you can have it automatically reference and rename audio files already ripped from CDs and stored on hard drives. After I evaluated four other effects-indexing programs out there (some costing thousands more), Soundminer was the only one that had all the features I was looking for, so that's what I'd suggest for you. An email to Soundminer's Steve Pecile <[email protected]> will get you the details.

--Marc W.

[shadowbox]

I don't know the answer but was going to suggest that whatever you do save as .bwf (wav). From what I understand, that will be the most compatible format for the future.

[Noiz2]

In OSX you can just drag the files off an audio CD and they come out as AIFF files. To use them in PT 5.1 you have to "convert" them with Sound App, though just re-typing them might work, otherwise digi says they are unreadable???
Sound Ideas and Hollywood edge both offer free databases that you can download that have descriptions and track #s. I use Sound Log Pro, but it's not X compatable yet, it includes a utility caller the ripper that will use descriptions to name files it rips from the CD and adds the record to it's database. I also have a very stripped down sound log Pro like DB that I made up that covers the basics (search, tap copy, audition, catalog) but it requires Sound App and so won't work fully in X (sound app isn't X compat yet.

[azah]

I don't know if Digibase supports Mac File Comments. But if it does, maybe an inexpensive way would be to purchase SampleSearch from Gallery Software. Then you could export the data from the free Filemaker archives (which Sound Ideas and Hollywood Edge has) and import it to file comments with Samplesearch.

[servo]

Itunes will proccess them as aiff or wav files also. Under Preferences choose wav or aif encoder. Then if your connected to the internet, the cd names will come up and descriptions of each track.Most are already registered with CDDB. Itunes rocks and its FREE!!!

[Daniel_Dettwiler]

I think of I tunes as a library organizer! A friend already does so in a radio layout studio. You have tree atributes for each file and good searchfunctions.

To rip files from CD's I use toast exctractor, however I think it can also be done in I tunes directly .

daniel

[SPC]

Okay. I knew about the Sound Ideas option. I use to use that a while back. So for the countless folders of SFX with generic catalog names (PE, HB, SI ...) I can search with the free Sound Ideas/filemaker thing, locate the file and import that file into my session. Some where in there I'll give it an intelligent name.

As far as the CD stuff, iTunes as aiff or .wav in the preferences sounds like a much better idea than mp3s. Plus it will rip those to my firewire drive, right? Of course.

Cool! I was really hoping for something that could pull the CDDB info from my SFX in the generic folders. That would answer my prayers!!!

Thanks folks

[friendlybunny]

The cddb ripping is the best option, but... I've had problems ripping my sfx cd's. Some of the cds will not show up in the cddb. It's weird because sometimes it will be a 8 cd set, and only 2 of the cds won't show up in the cddb.

Also... some sfx cd's will completely crash my computer if I try to rip them with itunes(!)

Has anyone else had this problem?

-fb

[iank]

I just found this out the other day...you can use Simple Text to rip from CD. Works great! I can't believe it took me this long to figure it out.