Organizing Audio samples and loops

[Alex222]

Hi,

 

I am aware that this isn't the usual thing for this forum, but I also know that many people on here use recording software, so will give my question a go.

 

What I am looking for is a form of organizational software that I can load all of my thousands of samples and loops into so that I can name them and easily find them (windows explorer isn't doing the job).

I know software like this does exist but I can't find it :unsure: but after having a google about nothing has stood out, and as I don't know what these programs that I am finding are like.

 

Software for Windows Vista, please.

 

Thanks.

[smalljoshua]

Windows Media Player?

 

I use it.

 

Josh

[Alex222]

Windows Media Player?

 

I use it.

 

Josh

not quite what I am wanting, there is a specific program that is designed for this for the media market, can't for the life of me thing what it is

 

thanks anyway.

[Gareth Owen]

I have a HUGE Excel Spreadsheet to keep track of my Sound Effects. It refferences each track by the original CD it came from and then the track number. So the files look like this :

 

EFX023 Trk 05

 

And the Excel entry looks like this :

 

EFX023 05 01 01:05:12 Horse Rides past and into the distance on gravel.

 

The tracks are then sorted in to folders with the appropriate CD name.

 

Now, I'm fully aware that this is a bit rubbish so if anyone does have a better solution, I'm all ears...

[MarkPAman]

Mine have this additon:

 

EFX023 - 05 - 01 - 01:05:12 - Horse Rides past and into the distance on gravel - link to track on drive *

 

(Drive * being very large external hard drive)

 

As you say though, there must be a better way.

[Kevin Ross]

If you are handy with access you could knock up something to allow each sample to be classified under multiple groups so in the example above the sample would be related to “horses, gravel, sound effects general” etc

 

 

 

The sample would then keep a link to the location on the users’ hard drive.

 

 

 

You could then search by category / length etc

 

 

 

If no one else has one of these kicking about then I will put a quick one together over this week and post it up for the benefit of everyone if people think it will be of some use

[Mr_Jules]

Mine have this additon:

 

EFX023 - 05 - 01 - 01:05:12 - Horse Rides past and into the distance on gravel - link to track on drive *

 

(Drive * being very large external hard drive)

 

As you say though, there must be a better way.

 

 

My spread sheet has a link to the folder rather than individual tracks so that I can then grab a track from the window than opens and drop it into my editor/playback software of choice.

 

I also use HALiion along side Cubase, which has an "Integrated browser with useful tools for searching, organizing, categorizing and archiving your samples"

[Alex222]

The use of excel is something that I would rather not do, as I know that there is a better way (internet still beating me although)

 

I also use HALiion along side Cubase, which has an "Integrated browser with useful tools for searching, organizing, categorizing and archiving your samples"

The software that I have seen / forgotten what it was was something similar to the software that is built into CuBase and ProTools for auditioning/organizing samples.

 

Thanks for the ideas so far.

[Oddball]

for mac users - http://www.icedaudio.com/

 

audiofinder is the business :D

[Malcolm Gordon]

If you can afford it, how about this? (Googled on "sound fx sample organising software")

[Dj Dunc]

is there an equivalent of MiniMiner for PC?

[tolley1466]

Could you not just organize them all into folders?

[Kevin Ross]

Could you not just organize them all into folders?

 

That would make it quite 1 dimensional in terms of searching i.e. a sample can only belong to one folder. Which is fine if your sample collection works like that but I’m guessing most peoples would fit into more than one category.

 

 

 

If I have time over the weekend (!) I will put something together in VBA/access and release it to the group as beerware (usage requires that the next time you see me you offer to buy me a drink)

[mervaka]

sounds like you could do with some software that uses keyword tags. it would be pretty piss easy to write a little bit of database software to do that :D

[Alex222]

If you can afford it, how about this? (Googled on "sound fx sample organising software")

Got it 100%, that is the exact software I was looking for, thanks.

 

 

Could you not just organize them all into folders?

That is simply impossible to do, nothing fits into 1 folder, and just takes ages to find anything, I have thousands and thousands of samples to organize. :)