Streamlining the browsing tree & multiple configs

[haggis999]

Hi David,
Your thoughts are most welcome. It is all too easy to get lost in all this stuff and my goal is the simplest solution that actually does the job. However, I'm struggling to fully understand your post as I'm not sure what you mean by "indexing". I suspect you mean the use of metadata tags.

If so, and if you are suggesting that well organised physical disk storage of your music files can be the equal of well organised metadata then I have my doubts. To my mind, only metadata can cope with CDs that contain a mixture of works by a mixture of composers. Even albums that contain only works by the same composer must be difficult to browse when it is impossible to list all the works in the album title. How would you know which album to look in for a specific work unless you have a photographic memory?

I'm all for a sensible and well organised disk folder structure but metadata allows you to directly target any work without caring where the music file is stored. You can also exploit more abstract concepts such as musical genres, which is impossible via the file storage structure unless you duplicate the files.

In other words, my approach is quite the opposite of having its "origins in some physical arrangement of media". Metadata lets you break free from the constraints of the file storage system. The power of metadata is such that I can't remember the last time I looked at a folder view of my music.

David