Learn something new every day here!Don't have to re-rip the CDs ... just convert the "library" in jRiver. Open AUDIO - ALBUMS ... that shows all your music. Select one album to point at the list, then hit [CTRL]A to select everything, then use the CONVERT tool.
Probably not a bad idea to empty your Recycle Bin first. With the options selected, jRiver converts each file, then automatically sends the original version to the Recycle Bin. I'd also recommend having a good backup of your WAV files, just in case something goes horribly wrong. Your call there, as jRiver has a pretty trusty conversion process - I did the same thing for all my WMA lossless files way back in the day.
Once all your files are converted, you can do the same thing to select all files for the ANALYZE tool.
Man, I figured it out at the time, and I had quite a few of the Unknown single tracks, but I honestly don't remember what I did. I do have some "albums" now with only a song or two in them, I must have uploaded the artwork and created an "album" for the loners. I just don't remember.
eljr
Koyaanisqatsi
this is one of the few things I have been able to learn in JRiver......
Be sure all the default tags are exactly the same, album, artist, date and Genre. it's that simple
If these are all the same, then it will merge with the album in track order (be sure it has the correct track number and the others songs do to.
eljr
Koyaanisqatsi
the problem is, we learn by trial and error but if you make an error in JRiver it's often catastrophic.
Too many options, it's not end user friendly.
Problem with user friendly in software is there is always an inverse relationship between function, versatility, and ease of use. Or in other words, it's the bell learning curve of JRiver (or similar) v iTunes (or similar). You can't have powerful software without the learning curve, at least I have never seen it. Start out never having used a spreadsheet and see the steep learning curve there, but without it you get a dumbed down sheet that won't meet your needs at some point fairly quickly. I've been messing with JRiver to some degree since v19 and probably still don't know 90% of it, but oh that 10%!!
If somebody just wants to clean up a pile of cd's, and doesn't need all the categorization and database /tagging or networking tools, doesn't care about tweaking the best output pathway and especially doesn't have time or the inclination to learn sophisticated software, there are better options than JRiver, many that are free.
eljr
Koyaanisqatsi
which would be in excess of 99% of the population
JRiver would be fine as is if there were any teaching tutorials or customer supports.
Frankly, I'd rather pay considerably more and have something I can use with confidence and get support.
Well I cannot disagree with that and therein lies the problem for JRiver and the like. I would pay a lot more as well, but as you say most people (99%) simply don't require this level of software, or they don't think they do anyway. All the documentation they would have to write and update costs a lot of money I would imagine and with all the competition for free music "apps" out there, few will pay the price and they would go broke. Over the last 20 years I have learned a bit on CAD software, starting out with Autocad and then switching to Turbocad. Both are powerful software packages, with high customization abilities and tools galore, but Autocad costs are out there in the many thousands of dollars, and Turbocad is inching up there as well. They can write documentation, tutorials and training videos and whatnot because businesses require it and will pay for it. But along comes "media software", most of it just very simple in nature (Groove, ITunes etc) and free. JRiver offers a different approach, with its sophisticated software package, possibly rivaling some of the CAD programs I have used, but no support from business, just home use. They I suspect were forced to take a different approach by using their forums and wiki to get questions answered.
JRiver and the like are in a different league from the free apps. Comparing it to those is apples to bananas. People contemplating getting into setting up their music library on computer should carefully weigh their options. Most will be served well enough by one of the free apps, while others are heading towards streaming anyway so likely don't need it. Those with a terabyte(s) of music who really want full blown media server capabilities, possibly throughout their house, and with cutting edge tools to do anything that is possible with today's tech probably have to decide on a software package, and then commit to learning that package.
No, it's not easy, and for many a waste of time when all they want to do is play some music.
eljr
Koyaanisqatsi
To me it's not a wise choice for any end user unless they are schooled in computer software and, or have the time and personality required to learn it .
Most folks have no clue it has such a steep learning curve.
How easy would this be, since JRiver can do about anything you want.
Pay them to set it up or offer packages that organize your music without the billion options.
I'd pay decent money to get the damned thing to do what I know it can do and what I want.
Frankly, what I want I gotta think would be offered as the
"Classical Audio Package."
I simply want composer,, date, artists. genre and sub genre
I want multi disc releases entered as separate discs within the group. Art for each, the same or different ,as appropriate. Now I have some that are and some that are not. And I don't dare screw with the program.
I want to sort by date, composer, artist or year and genre, sub genre.
I have spent 100's of hours with this and what did I learn? The owner is not helpful and don't screw with it.
I appreciate the comments and the advice, I have jumped in, but I don't have a lot of programing experience, so I am not sure how this will go. I agree with you that I would be willing to pay a great deal more for a system that was easier to use, and I imagine I am like most, they simply want a good catalogue of their music, be able to stream, and download music with confidence that it is all going to show up. My hobby is collecting and searching out music I want to hear and listening to it at a reference level, not programing a computer. But to my knowledge, the more expensive alternative does not exist. Let me know if it does. thanks
My advice to anyone who wants to eventually run an extensive library of music with the most controls and tweaks for SQ and playback features I would try downloading JRiver on a trial basis and just see if it is really all that difficult to use. While it is amazing all the controls and settings there is to play with, in reality it is quite easy for anyone capable of turning on a computer to run it "out of the box". Let the tweaking come later, and just a little at a time. Make note of any settings you change so that if it did something undesirable, that you know right where to go to change it back. Don't start flipping settings in multitude. Can't stress this point enough. This is where it can become dificult to backtrack. In all the experimentation I have done, it has never accidentally deleted any music file, or corrupted anything. If I wanted to switch to groove or Itunes the music tomorrow my entire music library is still there to play. The thing is, knowing what I know now I wouldn't want to go back to that.
Everyone has a different need however. If you just have some old mp3's or whatever and your main listening is from different sources, vinyl, streaming, whatever, JRiver may be a bit much. However if you are moving towards having your music all reside on drives and you understand the differences in capabilities there are among the different media software and want to take playing your musics eriously enough it may be beneficial to get started with something that you wont outgrow in a year..
Everyone has a different need however. If you just have some old mp3's or whatever and your main listening is from different sources, vinyl, streaming, whatever, JRiver may be a bit much. However if you are moving towards having your music all reside on drives and you understand the differences in capabilities there are among the different media software and want to take playing your musics eriously enough it may be beneficial to get started with something that you wont outgrow in a year..
Are you still fighting with JRiver or have you moved onto something else yet?
No I have not moved on yet, I will continue for a while and see what happens, I will take it a little bit at a time, I am sure you will see a lot more of me as I journey through this, I appreciate your advice, and I appreciate everyone's patience. I am going to put it away for some business travel, will be back to it in a couple of weeks, thanks
I do hope it works out for you, and here are people here on AK that can help. I struggle with it still a bit, but have learned enough to know some of its capabilities and that I am still scratching its surface. There are people of course on the JRiver forum that are very capable of answering questions as well but you need to get very specific in your problem there and be sure it hasn't already been covered many times already. IOW search first.
