How do you organize your music projects/audio/recordings files?

Hello everyone,

Earlier today, I was syncing my audio to my tablet, and I realized there was a lot of music organization that I can do better.  Thus, I want to start this discussion for us to share ideas regarding this topic.

Basically, what I want answered (you can include other ideas I didn’t come up in my list):

1) What metadata (album, track number, title, etc.) scheme do you use for your final recordings?

2) What is your file-folder hierarchy?  (E.g. all versions and editions of a composition in one folder, or one folder for each version/edition)

3) Where do you keep backups of your project files/folders?  (E.g. Google Drive, USB flash drive, external hard drive)

4) This one is slightly off-topic, but how do you distribute or publish your music recordings for others to listen, buy, or otherwise know about?  (E.g. Bandcamp, Patreon, physical CDs, YouTube [of course, but I wanted to include it anyway], official homepage, live performances)

——My take——

I’ll keep this relatively short as a jumping-off point: I add metadata with Audacity and cover all the default categories (Album Name, Genre, Comments, etc.), the details based on when I completed a certain edition of a composition or make a variant (e.g. violin and piano vs. string orchestra).

My hierarchy I put the album folders on top, then add subfolders based on work and variants, also having an “actives” folder for music I’m currently working on.

My backups I keep in Google Drive and a few external hard drives and flash drives.

And lastly, I publish on YouTube (of course), but have hopes of making pretty-looking audio CDs and performing live on an occasional basis.

Phew, I’m done!  Now you explain your music organization workflows.

Hi @Frank Normandy!

1 hour ago, Frank Normandy said:

3) Where do you keep backups of your project files/folders?  (E.g. Google Drive, USB flash drive, external hard drive)

Like you I use my iPad for composing and use Google Drive for backing up the files. I used to use USB too but now I have neither computers nor notebooks so I stop using it.

1 hour ago, Frank Normandy said:

1) What metadata (album, track number, title, etc.) scheme do you use for your final recordings?

I add dates and versions of each recordings/versions/drafts of each piece. I actually learn this from my bitch ex-boss.

1 hour ago, Frank Normandy said:

2) What is your file-folder hierarchy?  (E.g. all versions and editions of a composition in one folder, or one folder for each version/edition)

First under "Composition", then genre like "Piano Music" and "Chamber music", then each work, then each movement. I put all versions and edititons under the same folder.

1 hour ago, Frank Normandy said:

4) This one is slightly off-topic, but how do you distribute or publish your music recordings for others to listen, buy, or otherwise know about?  (E.g. Bandcamp, Patreon, physical CDs, YouTube [of course, but I wanted to include it anyway], official homepage, live performances)

Only publish here and on YT.

Henry