Thank you Soundminer

[Richard Fairbanks]

I've had my ups and downs with Soundminer. I love using the software and was a very happy user of version 2. The upgrade to v3 was not smooth, and in fact I chose to downgrade to v2 after giving up last year. Recently it became time to make or break and I upgraded to v3.1, and ran dead into another killer problem. Steve and Justin listened to me, and rolled out a fix over the weekend! Unbelieveable! Clear proof that these guys actually care about making a better product more than making some quota for the month. I was considering jumping to another database, but not anymore. Some of the newer features (Rewire, sounddigger, better file management, more display options, etc.) are wonderful, and make the deal even sweeter.

Thank you, Soundminer.

[FajitaTone]

Yeah!!! Soundminer ROCKS!!!

Just don't search for a "Money Counting Machine" (bill counter) by the word "COUNT".

[Matt Stutter]

Hmm, good point - why doesn't that work? searching for "counte" finds it...

[crg]

[QUOTE]
Yeah!!! Soundminer ROCKS!!!

Just don't search for a "Money Counting Machine" (bill counter) by the word "COUNT".



I generally stay out of these forums, but I saw no harm in answering this one here:

The word 'count' in MySQL is reserved for its parser much like the boolean expressions 'not', 'or', 'and'. And this would also explain why entering 'counte' worked. The older SM2 engine did not use this convention, but in order ot stay compatible with MySQL, Soundminer had to adopt it. Nevertheless, the new dictionary solves this in Soundminer 3.1.2.

3.1.2 (LE and full version) also allows you to bypass the MySQL parsing commands to use the original SM2 parsing commands. This can be found in the preference window under 'use legacy parser' and allows you to use the older '=' for exact matches and '*' for search within.

Steve Pecile
Crunch Recording Group
(and also Soundminer inc.)

[Pietari Koskinen]

I am using mTools currently. I wish I could switch to Soundminer, but I can't benefit from its more accurate metadata if I don't choose to redigitize my entire library from the CDs. I can't get why it's necessary, when all the audio files are already in the hard drives. I was thinking that Soundminer could import its own more accurate metadata info someway into the sound files, but apparently it can't. Even if it would would mean duplicating the files in the metadata importing process, that would be much better alternative than the need to re-insert every CD (500-600 pieces) manually in the drive again. That would take weeks. Huh.

So for now, I guess I have to go with mTools.

[Stuart P.]

I am using mTools currently. I wish I could switch to Soundminer, but I can't benefit from its more accurate metadata if I don't choose to redigitize my entire library from the CDs. I can't get why it's necessary, when all the audio files are already in the hard drives. I was thinking that Soundminer could import its own more accurate metadata info someway into the sound files, but apparently it can't. Even if it would would mean duplicating the files in the metadata importing process, that would be much better alternative than the need to re-insert every CD (500-600 pieces) manually in the drive again. That would take weeks. Huh.

So for now, I guess I have to go with mTools.

Well, in fact you CAN switch to Soundminer, and with very little hassle at that. I don't know who told you that this process of metadata ingestion / transfer was difficult or impossible, but please know you have been misinformed. Perhaps I misread your post, but here goes...

If you're unhappy with the descriptions in the mTools database, then yes, you'd have to re-rip the CD's. It can't work miracles, despite the claims of some users.

Soundminer can be set to scan the finder comment fields that mTools uses (OSX or OS9 versions of the comment fields) and can extract the sound file description data from this field. It can also be set to scan the mTools resource ID, or it can be set to scan both. You can then re-embed the metadata into the files (using Soundminer's wrapper system) and the files can be moved around, placed on different drives, copied to servers, and they maintain their metadata and can be rescanned quickly. Lastly if you export a tab-delimited document from mTools, you can use this text document to import your data and relink your database fields to all of your audio files (as long as one field of the exported document contains a field with each respective audio file's name). It's really quite easy to do, there's nothing to fear.

Soundminer does sell a CD ripping program, and it's extremely good. But, if you're happy with the textual content of your current database, there's no reason to re-rip all of your CD's. You could be working with Soundminer the day you receive your authorization key, as the transfer process is a relatively fast one.

I do work with Soundminer doing demonstrations in the Los Angeles area, so you may consider my opinion biased. If so, note that there are many professional users of the program on this bulletin board, perhaps you could do a search and see what some of them think about the program. I think you'll find that most people, once they've worked with it, tend to consider it an essential aspect of their workflow. It really speeds up the creative process of sound editing and design.

Good luck,
S.

[Pietari Koskinen]

Well, in fact you CAN switch to Soundminer, and with very little hassle at that. I don't know who told you that this process of metadata ingestion / transfer was difficult or impossible, but please know you have been misinformed. Perhaps I misread your post, but here goes... If you're unhappy with the descriptions in the mTools database, then yes, you'd have to re-rip the CD's. It can't work miracles, despite the claims of some users.

It was mister Steve Pecile who told me that to take advantage of the Soundminers more accurate metadata (and I really would like to), I have to redigitize my entire library again from the CDs. There is no metadata in the CDs as far as I know, and because the exactly same ripped audio files are already on my hard drives, I can't understand why re-ripping is needed. I hope they will add a simple "convert existing mTools library to Soundminer format, including Soundminers own metadata" command. Such a command would make the transfer from mTools to Soundminer much more easy. If this is really impossible to do, please enlighten me why it's so.

I think you'll find that most people, once they've worked with it, tend to consider it an essential aspect of their workflow. It really speeds up the creative process of sound editing and design.

To be fair, these things are also true with mTools. I've just heard that Soundminer is even better product, and would like to upgrade.

Good luck,
S.

Thanks, and thank you your kind reply.

Pietari

[Stuart P.]

It was mister Steve Pecile who told me that to take advantage of the Soundminers more accurate metadata (and I really would like to), I have to redigitize my entire library again from the CDs. There is no metadata in the CDs as far as I know, and because the exactly same ripped audio files are already on my hard drives, I can't understand why re-ripping is needed. I hope they will add a simple "convert existing mTools library to Soundminer format, including Soundminers own metadata" command. Such a command would make the transfer from mTools to Soundminer much more easy. If this is really impossible to do, please enlighten me why it's so.

To be fair, these things are also true with mTools. I've just heard that Soundminer is even better product, and would like to upgrade.

Thanks, and thank you your kind reply.

Pietari

Hi again,

I think I understand now. I mistakenly thought you were asking a different question, sorry if my response wasn't helpful.

Well, if mTools is anything like Soundlog Pro and a lot of other programs out there (including Soundminer), then you probably have a choice of naming conventions when you rip your files from CD using "whatever company's" proprietary ripping software. The problem (from your perspective) with that is the fact that you could never expect every company to keep up with the naming conventions of everyone else's ripper software. It would be impossible, really, because programming techniques, aesthetics, and OS-level naming conventions and capabilities are in a relatively constant state of flux. The other reason is that these companies are in competition with one another and aren't about to play show and tell with their intellectual property (ergo source code and other trade secrets).

Perhaps, if we lived in a perfect world, MPEG and AES would specify a metadata standard that is robust and dynamic, thusly making all of these issues go away. And all the sound retrieval software companies could be free to concentrate their efforts on making the most brilliant interface in the universe, and we'd all live happily ever after... Maybe someday, at least on the happily ever after part.

In short, I think that it would be somewhat unreasonable to expect any company to keep up with their competition in this way, but I know that means you're out of luck on this one. I wish it wasn't so. But you can understand the reasoning behind the difficulties, I'm sure. It would divert resources from the product development and code streamlining that Soundminer user's have come to expect. This would occur largely because the SM programming team would be constantly busy figuring out what Sonomic, Mark Gilbert, and other developers are doing with their stuff rather than adding requested features and squashing bugs. Sometimes we have to bite the bullet and just move forward when change is needed, and if you're unhappy with mTools then don't let a few days worth of work dissuade you from pursuing a positive upgrade.

If your bottom line is creating high-end sound design on a tight budget with even tighter deadlines, then I would suggest you don't really have a choice but to move to another database platform (since you've stated you don't like mTools). Some might argue with that, but if you look at what the major players are using you'll find that SM is an established leader with an excellent track record and a very high rate of customer satisfaction.

In a nutshell, if you could find an assistant to do the work you may well find that it pays for itself in productivity returns and increased facility throughput. I work as a sound editor, not a salesman. I do perform occasional demonstrations of the software and earn a commission from sales that such events directly inspire, but it's not how I earn a living. I enjoy the evangalism of a superior product, really.

To cover my tail and shield others from undue criticism, let me say clearly that my statements are my own personal views and may or may not reflect the sentiments of Soundminer Inc. as a company.

I'm sure others have some input on this and I invite them to share,

S.