Convrt replaygain values Options

[auldyin]

I have a mixture of mp3, mp4 and m4a files as correctly tagged as I can manage (the mp3 tagging is ID3v1 and ID3v2.4).
I have used Foobar to replaygain all files.
These files are going to be used for two reasons, to listen to at home using Foobar and on the road using iPod (which I don't have as yet!!)

It is my understanding that iPods cannot read replaygain values but that MP3Tag can be used to convert the replaygain tags into a format which can be read by the iPod.

Can somebody please help me with this conversion process? It should be noted that I am not very comfortable with "scripts" or whatever and if these are required, assistance will be required.

Cheers.

[garym]

There is an easy way to convert the SOUNDCHECK values to replaygain values instead. This is particularly useful if you prefer ALBUM gain rather than TRACK gain (as I do). You'll need MP3TAG to do the job (a very nice program in general). The instructions below assume you have added album and track replaygain tags to your files (using either fb2k or dbpoweramp or some application, etc.).


1. First, you'll need a relatively recent (last year or so) build of mp3tag.
2. Second, you'll need the action that converts the replaygain album number to the soundcheck (Comment ITuneNorm). You should create a new action in MP3TAG. Do this by selecting "convert" from menu (must have a file loaded and selected I think). Then select "Actions". Then you'll see a popup box with a few "actions". Select the icon on upper right side of this box. This is create new action option. Give it a name that makes sense to you (e.g., replaygain action). Then select again the icon on upper right side of this new popup. In the dropdown menu select "format value" formatting the field "COMMENT ITUNENORM" (that is a space between COMMENT and ITUNNORM and you'll have to type this in the box) with the following format string you'll type into the next field below this: $rg2sc(%REPLAYGAIN_ALBUM_GAIN%)

If you want to use replaygain track level simply replace the "ALBUM_GAIN" above with "TRACK_GAIN" (although not worth the effort as track level replaygain and soundcheck values added by itunes are essentially the same). If you want to replace AAC (m4a) files' soundcheck values with the replaygain values all is the same but the field you are formatting is "ITUNNORM" rather than "COMMENT ITUNNORM"

I do this process before importing files into ITUNES. You'll notice that ITUNES no longer takes the time to calculate soundcheck values for each file as it thinks they already exist. If you already have songs in itunes and you want to convert to replaygain values, you can do this too in mp3tag in the same way. The only extra step will be to select (highlight) all songs within ITUNES and then select get info. You won't change anything in the tag boxes simply say OK. This will then cause ITUNES to reread the tags of every file and update its own internal library with the new soundcheck values. I've done this on over 50,000 mp3's in my itunes library and it works great. Obviously, you should set things up and run it on a few files just to confirm your formulas, but all-in-all, a very simple step.

[garym]

Then again, you can simply do this to save some time:

Save the attached files. 4 of these are separate actions that convert soundcheck values to either track or album gain for either aac or mp3 files. The 5th one is a combo version I use that covers all options for me. It converts soundcheck to replaygain album values whether aac or mp3. It also does a copying of the compilation value to itunescomplilation to be compatible with itunes. This may not be needed any longer as I think this is automatic now within mp3. but it doesn't hurt.

You need to copy these action files to a very specific location in order for mp3tag to see them automatically. And it is NOT the location of the basic program under program files in windows. instead put them in the following directory location:

documents and settings\yourwindowsusername\application data\mp3tag\data\actions

then close and reopen mp3tag. When you click on "convert" then "actions" you should see these new actions as options. Play with them a little and you'll get the idea.

Attached File(s)

 ReplayGain_and_ITUNES_Compilation_Combined_MP3___AAC.mta ( 281bytes ) Number of downloads: 266
 RG2SC___aac__AlbumGain_.mta ( 63bytes ) Number of downloads: 179
 RG2SC___aac__TrackGain_.mta ( 63bytes ) Number of downloads: 152
 RG2SC___mp3__AlbumGain_.mta ( 71bytes ) Number of downloads: 204
 RG2SC___mp3__TrackGain_.mta ( 71bytes ) Number of downloads: 193

 

[auldyin]

Many thanks garym.................where do you guys get your knowledge from?????

Being 65 years old, I am a fully paid up member of the "Boring Old Farts Club" and I have to admit that some of this stuff is an absolute mystery.

As far as I can make out, using your "attached files" works a treat for mp3 and m4a files but seems to avoid mp4's (I'm not sure what software produced them), as I inherited part of my library. (this avoidance took place with the Compilation file but was just fine with the single aac one)

Can you please advise?

Cheers

This post has been edited by auldyin: Mar 10 2009, 10:44

[garym]

As far as I can make out, using your "attached files" works a treat for mp3 and m4a files but seems to avoid mp4's (I'm not sure what software produced them), as I inherited part of my library. (this avoidance took place with the Compilation file but was just fine with the single aac one)

Can you please advise?

Cheers

This is because in the standalone aac version, there is no checking for file type. But in the combined version there is a checking of file type before doing action. Try this version I've attached instead. I added another item that looks for mp4 files. This should work. I can't check as I don't have any mp4 files.

By the way, I'm a member of the old farts club as well. I knew absolutely nothing about all of this stuff 2 years ago, but have learned a tremendous amount just from hanging out at this board (and people helping me out just like I answered your question) and the board over at hydrogenaudio.org and dbpoweramp and squeezebox:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/
http://forums.slimdevices.com/

I essentially use dbpoweramp (ripping to FLAC (home use & archive) and converting to mp3 (mobile use)) > mp3tag (tagging) > foobar2000 (playing/organizing/some utilities) > itunes (syncing with IPOD) or squeezecenter for playing through several squeezeboxes connected to home stereo system.

Just read a lot on these discussion boards and experiment. And always keep backups of your music files, just in case!

Attached File(s)

 ReplayGain_and_ITUNES_Compilation_Combined_MP3___AAC.mta ( 370bytes ) Number of downloads: 144

 

[auldyin]

Once again garym, thanks very much

This is because in the standalone aac version, there is no checking for file type. But in the combined version there is a checking of file type before doing action. Try this version I've attached instead. I added another item that looks for mp4 files. This should work. I can't check as I don't have any mp4 files.

And I figured out what you did

By the way, I'm a member of the old farts club as well. I knew absolutely nothing about all of this stuff 2 years ago, but have learned a tremendous amount just from hanging out at this board (and people helping me out just like I answered your question) and the board over at hydrogenaudio.org and dbpoweramp and squeezebox:
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/
http://forums.slimdevices.com/

You have been helping me out on the HA forum, for which, thanks

I essentially use dbpoweramp (ripping to FLAC (home use & archive) and converting to mp3 (mobile use)) > mp3tag (tagging) > foobar2000 (playing/organizing/some utilities) > itunes (syncing with IPOD) or squeezecenter for playing through several squeezeboxes connected to home stereo system.

I'm just trying to get my head round Foobar, MP3Tag and the whole album art, embedding, tagging process. These to be followed by iTunes.
If I get comfortable with this stuff the next thing will be classical music, and having looked at the tagging minefield it presents...............................????

Just read a lot on these discussion boards and experiment. And always keep backups of your music files, just in case!

My backup is backed up to an external drive.

Cheers

[garym]

I'm just trying to get my head round Foobar, MP3Tag and the whole album art, embedding, tagging process. These to be followed by iTunes.
If I get comfortable with this stuff the next thing will be classical music, and having looked at the tagging minefield it presents...............................????

I saw your post on the album art but don't have much to add. I personally keep all my album art embedded in each track. I know some think this is a waste of space (but frankly, we're talking extremely small here). I simply like having the artwork connected with each file no matter where I use the files (ipod, itunes, squeezebox, or some future distribution medium). I too use itunes/ipod for portable uses and the problem you may run into in converting all your art to "folder.jpg" is that itunes doesn't use this approach. So you'll end up having to deal with the itunes approach to art as well as other player's approach to art. But if you embed the art with each file, then you don't have to worry about this. Itunes reads it, foobar reads it, squeezecenter reads it, winamp reads it, windows media player reads it, etc. Anyhow, this is just my personal take on it.

I can't help you with classical tagging. Search around and you'll see lots of discussions on this. I'm a rock, blues, jazz sort of guy.

I have no connection to mp3tag other than being a happy user. I hope if you use this resource a lot, you'll contribute money to keep it going. I have in the past and I'm reminded that I haven't in a while.....so I'm off to do that right now.

[ilokoi]

I could use help troubleshooting my conversion of replaygain values to itunnorm tags. I can use the previously attached Action and am successful in having the Comment Itunnorm tag generated.

The problem is that when I run the action Mp3tag creates the COMMENT ITUNNORM tag and it changes the DATE tag into a YEAR tag. This causes me to have two YEAR tags and thus the year is displayed inaccurately in Mp3Tag/Foobar.

So how can I prevent Mp3Tag from changing the DATE tag? I have tried changing the newly created YEAR tag back into a DATE tag but Mp3Tag won't allow it.

Thanks for any help!

**EDIT**
Alright I figured out the problem and the solution.

Mp3Tag was deleting the Date tag (and moving it into the second year field) because I was using ID3v2.4 So I updated the tags to ID3v2.3

After switching to ID3v2.3 I was able to convert the replaygain value to soundcheck with no problem.


This post has been edited by ilokoi: Jul 28 2009, 19:00

[jets]

Convert ReplayGain Values to iTunes Format

This will use Album gain values if present and converts that value to iTunes format for use with 'Sound Check' enabled in iTunes. If it does not find an Album gain value it then uses the Track gain value and converts that to the iTunes format. If it finds neither Album or Track Gain values the COMMENT ITUNNORM gets erased.


Create a new action with a name like 'ReplayGain to ITUNNORM' and then create a new action type:

Action Type: Format Value
Field: COMMENT ITUNNORM
Format String: [$rg2sc($if2(%REPLAYGAIN_ALBUM_GAIN%,%REPLAYGAIN_TRACK_GAIN%))]

*Thanks to dano for the improved action.

This post has been edited by jets: Mar 10 2010, 20:06