Still can't understand how metadata works

[macaumetal (Gustavo Girves)]

Maybe it’s just me or maybe it’s not THAT important, but since we have the option to “identify an album” we should be able to get the version we have, right?

Well, I’m a little obsessive with these things so I get focused on this and I try to understand and contribute with the community to “get the right version”, but it’s beyond my comprehention how things work with information on Roon.

For example I have an argentinean version of Alma - Almah (2006, NEMS Enterprises), and it didn’t show on the “Identify” section, so I added it to Musicbrainz (https://musicbrainz.org/release/4bf723f3-991e-49f7-b9f2-ecd1c8cc1704) as complete as I could (CD id and scans included) because I read that one of the sources was that site.
I also know it takes some time to fetch the data.

I added it in 2020…still 2 AFM and 1 JVC options but no sight of the one I uploaded.
On the other hand I’ve added other releases to Musicbrainz that were updated.
Why is that? How does the system select?

I’m willing to upload to Musicbrainz my 2000+ CD collection but I don’t want to do it if nothing’s going to change (already have my collection on Discogs and it took a while…)

Again, maybe this only bothers me, but I’d love to understand how it works

[mjw]

After creating a release / release group in MusicBrainz, did you follow this up by running your local album through MusicBrainz Picard to grab the MusicBrainz tracks and release IDs?

[macaumetal (Gustavo Girves)]

Hi @mjw
No I didn’t, but I didn’t do it for other albums and they show up when identifying them.

Thanks for the suggestion I’ll try that and see if it works

[mjw]

Please note that MusicBrainz will overwrite existing tags, and remove any additional tags you may have. It may also rename the files. So, check the options before proceeding, and make a backup copy of the album first.

You can tell MusicBrainz to only add the IDs using this script (Options → Scripting):

$unset(album)
$unset(albumartist)
$unset(albumartistsort)
$unset(albumsort)
$unset(arranger)
$unset(artist)
$unset(artistsort)
$unset(artists)
$unset(bpm)
$unset(comment:*)
$unset(compilation)
$unset(composer)
$unset(composersort)
$unset(conductor)
$unset(copyright)
$unset(originaldate)
$unset(originalyear)
$unset(date)
$unset(discnumber)
$unset(director)
$unset(totaldiscs)
$unset(encodedby)
$unset(encodersettings)
$unset(engineer)
$unset(genre)
$unset(grouping)
$unset(key)
$unset(isrc)
$unset(label)
$unset(language)
$unset(lyricist)
$unset(lyrics:*)
$unset(media)
$unset(mixer)
$unset(djmixer)
$unset(remixer)
$unset(mood)
$unset(originalalbum)
$unset(originalartist)
$unset(performer:*)
$unset(podcast)
$unset(podcasturl)
$unset(producer)
$unset(discsubtitle)
$unset(subtitle)
$unset(title)
$unset(titlesort)
$unset(tracknumber)
$unset(totaltracks)
$unset(work)
$unset(website)
$unset(license)
$unset(acoustid_id)
$unset(acoustid_fingerprint)
$unset(asin)
$unset(barcode)
$unset(catalognumber)
$unset(discid)
$unset(gapless)
$unset(musicip_puid)
$unset(musicip_fingerprint)
$unset(releasecountry)
$unset(releasestatus)
$unset(releasetype)
$unset(script)
$unset(show)
$unset(showsort)
$unset(writer)

Also check Options → Tags and Options → File Naming to preserve any tags / file names etc.

[macaumetal (Gustavo Girves)]

Wow, thanks!!

I used Mp3tag to add a field with the Musicbrainz album ID property, is this the same or do I have to go through Piccard?

I mean I don’t mind going album by album pasting the MBID in order to keep control of all my tags which I specifically added patiently through time

Again thanks for the script

[mjw]

MP3tag should work, as ling as it uses Vorbis (FLAC) tags and not ID3V2.

However, MusicBrainz Picard can automate this, and will process many albums in one go. Indeed, if the IDs are there, this will be evident very quicky, as these are probably the ones you’re having problems with in Roon.

[paultaylor]

@macaumetal

I used Mp3tag to add a field with the Musicbrainz album ID property, is this the same or do I have to go through Piccard?

Have you specified it correctly because the recognized value is different for different formats unless you have it exactly right it will be ignored by Roon.

So for Mp3s the name is MusicBrainz Album Id (stored in a TXXX frame)
And for Flac the name is MUSICBRAINZ_ALBUMID

You can see full list of recognized MusicBrainz fields here

ID3 Mappings
Vorbis Comment/Flac Mappings

You could run the free Status Report that comes with SongKong and that will show you exactly what has been matched to MusicBrainz

[macaumetal (Gustavo Girves)]

First of all thank you very much for your reccomendation, I’m going to investigate more about SongKong.
I did what you suggested with one of the albums, and it shows that it has the correct MusicBrainz ID :

Here are the options I get on Roon:
1-Import as label

2- Transmission Records

3- and another Transmission Records

On musicBrainz there are 4 releases (different disc ids):

And here is the version I added from NEMS on aug 11, 2020, from Piccard becuase it has the ID:

What I don’t understand is why I don’t get the option of THAT release. I know it’s not a big deal, I’m just trying to understand how Roon works…or maybe I shouldn’t and go on, I don’t know.

Anyway, thanks again.

[paultaylor]

@macaumetal

I did what you suggested with one of the albums, and it shows that it has the correct MusicBrainz ID :

Hi, that screenshot does show the songs all have the correct MusicBrainz Release id, but does each song have a MusicBrainz Track Id and MusicBrainz Recording Id, Im not sure if that is necessary for Roon to recognize the Musicbrainz match. You can see full details of the metadata for a song by simply selecting the name hyperlink.

[macaumetal (Gustavo Girves)]

I did what you siggested, and nothing happened. I re scanned, and re analyzed the album. Maybe it’s too soon and Roon needs to update its database. I’ll wait for a couple of days and check back again.

On the other hand when we started talking, I didn’t realize you wrote SongKong. I’ve explored the Lite version and wanted to ask you what are the Roon Album and Track tags? Are those generated by Roon or SongKong?

Thanks

[mjw]

@macaumetal

… what are the Roon Album and Track tags?

Roon recognizes ROONALBUMTAG and ROONTRACKTAG, and their values in the metadata fields. These are displayed in Roon.

[paultaylor]

@macaumetal

I’ve explored the Lite version and wanted to ask you what are the Roon Album and Track tags? Are those generated by Roon or SongKong?

Yes, so these tags are recognized by Roon. I added support for them in SongKong so you have an easy way to modify them outside of Roon, they would not be useful if not using Roon.