4

2

Regardless of how you organize your library in databases like SoundMiner, Basehead, etc., how do you sanely file your recordings on your hard drive, especially between initial ingestion of the raw recordings and where the edited and mastered recordings go? Do you store them by date, by event/project, by sound type? Or do you store them "flat," in a less organized way, and let your sound library sort it all out?

To kick things off, I name all my raw recording sessions by date and event/subject (if for a project, with a 3-letter project code instead of an event or subject), and I never erase or over-write my raw originals. I then do have many separate subfolders for edited sounds by type, and I leverage my SFX library software/database for searching and cross-referencing sounds via metadata. While this feels pretty redundant, having an organizational system in the file system in addition to all the metadata entry, at least I know that I've got some sensible hard-drive-level organization if my database ever becomes corrupted.

But, I'm always assuming there's a better way, though. What methods do you use?

(Note: Related to this earlier question, but focused on file-system-level organization, not the librarian software!)

flag
Glad you asked this. Right this instant, I'm trying to figure out a good system too... Looking forward to reading answers. – Andrew Spitz♦ Mar 31 2010 at 15:46

3 Answers

4

I had a chance to collaborate with a librarian that worked for Soundelux for almost almost 15 years. He suggested the best way to organize a library was to be very specific and blunt in the folder structure, such as:

Vehicles: Aircraft, Automobiles, Locomotives, Spacecraft, Water Craft

Then using sub-folders to list each type of vehicle in its suggested master. The glue that holds the entire system together is the meta-data. His goal was to be able to find any sound effect he wanted without having to use Soundminer. So if wanted a laser blaster it would be filed such as: Weapons/Guns/Sci_Fi/Laser

As far as mastering is concerned I label every recording in my 702 before I record it and save the files to my "To Be Mastered" folder that is within my SFX library structure. This gives me access to the files even if I have not had a chance to master yet. I too save the originals to a separate folder outside of my database using the method used above.

link|flag
Thanks for this, Nick. Encouraging that pro's also use the file system as a backup to whatever librarian software they're using. Thanks for the insight! – NoiseJockey Apr 1 2010 at 15:01
Wow, Nick. I think I've worked with the same man: PP. I can attest to this structure working. I interned beside him for a semester in the library of a relatively new sound editorial company, and the method was highly effective. The biggest issue there is it is a LOT of work to conform large libraries. But if you start your library this way it's awesome. – Peter Srinivasan Apr 7 2010 at 14:48
2

Everyone has different searching habits and based on these its easier to create your own system.

My system for my folder maintenance is purely based on project coding. I have created a legend and started labeling them according to the legend which made my life easier.

When I am in the folder Project ClientName, I have sub-folders like 100221_FR_Pr which stands for the Processed Fields Recorings made in 21st of February. I also have codes for the studio recordings, raw files, mixed and mastered files, etc.

The funny thing is it gets some time to get used to your own system but it really works after a while. For me this really helped when I had to pick up a specific audio when talking to a client.

link|flag
1

mmm...this is a digital library problem....

people with a computer science background organize files with the following structure:

root / project / sources OR deploy / libraries / soundA / ...

where: root is the name first level directory; project the name of the project you are working for; sources OR deploy, two directories at the same level containing raw material or finalized one; libraries is the name of a sounds library; soundA is the name of a sound of yours.

examples: //nike_commercial/sources/voices/male.aiff is a male voice used for the project of your nike commercial and you want to use it only for that project

//special_effects/sources/explosions/boom_03132010.aiff

is the boom effect of an explosion you created at 13th march 2010, it is part of a general directory called special_effects, in which you archive all these kind of sounds, created not for a specific project, but you can use it freely anywhere.

anyway all this structure could be more searchable if you use metadata, such as tags, in which you add information about the natutre of the sound.

examples: boom_03132010.aiff some tags: loud, synthetized, recorded, london, stereo, ...

but to achieve this you have to use a specified software to manage metadata, you can't do that using directories

link|flag

Your Answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.