Mass tagging with Mp3tag

If you know how mass tagging works see: mass tagging expert.

This mass tagging procedure labels ("tags") the files of your computer-based music library with track info from tango.info, operating on many files (e.g. your entire library) in one go. It is compatible with all major audio file formats.

To label just a one or two albums, you will find solo tagging quicker.

Mass tagging identifies albums by the barcode number. It supplies the following label fields:

• Album (title), Album Artist, Side (a.k.a. Disc Number, Set)
• (of track:) Title, Track (number), Artist, Genre, Year*

* MediaMonkey users - see MediaMonkey Problems "V3.0.3.1148 Fails to show WMA Year tag values having non-digits".

Note: Artist is a comma-separated list of primary artist name(s) (e.g. orchestra leader), followed by secondary artist name(s), e.g. Osvaldo Pugliese, Roberto Chanel, Alberto Morán (improvement planned).

Requirements

Track files and their parent folders must be named as follows:

• Each track file name starts with the track number.
• Each track's folder path name contains somewhere:
  • for a single-side album, the album number - either the barcode number or TINP;
  • for each side in a multi-side album, the album barcode number or TINP, followed by - or \ , followed by the side number. (For CD albums, side corresponds to disc.)
• Options
  • Leading zeros are allowed on track and side numbers, and on album barcodes provided the result does not exceed 14 characters.
  • The album number may be followed by ] (allowing the album number to be within [...]).
• Examples:
  • My Music\El rey del compas (1941-1943) 828766933420\1 El rey del compás.flac
  • My Music\40 Grandes Exitos 8427328146067\1\01 Patotero sentimental.flac
  • My Music\40 Grandes Exitos 8427328146067\2\01 Porteño y bailarín.flac
  • My Music\40 Grandes Exitos [8427328146067]\1\01 Patotero sentimental.flac
  • My Music\40 Grandes Exitos [8427328146067]\2\01 Porteño y bailarín.flac
  • My Music\08427328146067\2\1.flac (TINT\ - see TINT-based filing)
  • My Music\08427328146067-002\1.flac

Setup

1. If you do not already have Mp3tag installed, go to [1] to download, install and launch. NOTE: V2.54 is the latest verified version - some past Mp3tag changes broke script compatibility so use a later version only after verification.
2. In Mp3tag, click Tools | Options | Export.
3. Click the starred page icon, type ti mass tagging and click OK (you'll get a Notepad window).
4. Open this in a new window, and to the clipboard copy the lines in the text edit box.
5. In the Notepad window, click Edit | Select All and then Edit | Paste (all lines are replaced by the lines you copied).
6. Click File | Save, and then File | Exit.
7. In the Mp3tag Options dialog box, untick Show selection dialog.
8. Click OK (the dialog box will close).

Step 1 - Retrieve tag data

1. Launch Mp3tag.
2. Click File | Change directory... and select the folder containing your album folders. To add further folders, use File | Add directory....
3. Click File | Export, wait until you see a Yes button, and click it (you'll get a Notepad window showing a list of track references).
4. Look for any lines reporting Error: track and/or album number missing.... For any you find, either:
   • correct/add the track and album numbers: in Windows Explorer adjust the reported file/folder names, then go back to 2. above, or;
   • exclude the reported tracks: in Mp3Tag, click Path (for helpful grouping), select each reported track and press Delete, then click Edit | Unselect All and go back to 3. above.
5. In the Notepad window click Edit | Select All and then Edit | Copy.
6. In a new browser window open https://tango.info/tracktagger/1.4.0 .
7. Click in the Track references text box, and click Edit | Paste
8. Click Submit.

You've retrieved the tag data for your tracks.

Step 2 - Save the tag data

1. Click on in the Tag list text box and then click Edit | Copy.
2. Switch back to the Notepad window (containing the track references, still selected) and click Edit | Paste (the track references will be replaced by the tag list).
3. Inspect the tag list for any line starting Error::
   • Error: track not found... means tango.info has no data for this track - the track will simply be skipped.
   • Error: followed by anything else signifies a serious problem - do not proceed.
4. Click File | Save.

You've saved the tag list for your tracks.

Step 3 - Put the tag data into your track files

1. Switch back to Mp3tag.
2. Click Edit | Select all files.
3. Click Convert | Text file - Tag (you'll get a dialog box).
4. In Filename enter c:\mp3tag.txt .
5. In Format string enter the string found here.
   • Note: if you use the preview function and have many tracks (e.g. found on 7597), then the preview can be too large to be shown.
6. Click OK and wait until you see the completion dialog box saying e.g. Tag extracted from text file 'c:\mp3tag.txt' and saved in 2024 of 2024 files.
7. Verify the two numbers are the same. If not, you probably made a mistake in copying or pasting - click Edit | Undo and try again from Step 1.

You've put the tag data into your track files. Mp3tag shows you the result.

Please consider donating to Mp3tag here.