Need an application to delete a LOT of old music. I have 400+ GB of music o

[Ishanx]

Over the years, I have a collection of over 400gb of music and I don't listen to 80% of it. Outgrew most of what I used to listen five years back. Ripped music, purchased stuff and well, even a little pirated music and all. Heh.

 

Is there any software than scans the music library and can help me mass delete much of the music? Sucks that I can't use Fb2k to delete the file from the disk.

 

Thanks everyone.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Just a question before I can offer some ideas: how will this program know what you want to keep and what you want to remove?

[FiB3R]

I don't think any software is going to know what you don't like/want anymore.

 

I think your best bet would be to start copying the stuff that you do want to a new location, then manually delete what is left, and then rebuild your library in foobar.

 

Or rather than copying it (if space is an issue), just move it to a new folder on the same drive.

 

Your library will be screwed for a while, but such is life.

[Ishanx]

No, I don't want it to be automatic of course. That would be a silly thing to ask for. I just want an app that can display everything 'neatly' so that I can select whatever I don't need and delete.

[cacoe]

You could do it if you had been using iTunes all along. Just make a smart filter and order everything via playcounts, and maybe last play date too.

[BGM]

powershell, make it do what you like :D

[Dot Matrix]

Um. Save what you want, then format the drive?

[FiB3R]

Actually, in foobar...

 

Right click > File Operations > Delete file.

 

You can select multiple files by holding Ctrl as you click. Or hold Shift to select a range.

[Ishanx]

Actually, in foobar...

 

Right click > File Operations > Delete file.

 

You can select multiple files by holding Ctrl as you click. Or hold Shift to select a range.

 

Am I missing something?

[FiB3R]

Apparently...

 

[+BudMan MVC]

" I just want an app that can display everything 'neatly' so that I can select whatever I don't need and delete."

What like explorer? ;)

How do you have your music stored that you can not look at in explorer?

[Nick H. Supervisor]

You're each using different versions. ;) Must be a new(ish) feature.

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

" I just want an app that can display everything 'neatly' so that I can select whatever I don't need and delete."

What like explorer? ;)

explorermusic.png

How do you have your music stored that you can not look at in explorer?

 

That's what I was wondering as well. 

 

As an aside: Celine Dion? Really, BudMan? :P

[+BudMan MVC]

The wife has music there too ;)

So do the kids - from way back, they both had their rap phase, etc. etc..

Mine is mostly

[FiB3R]

Maybe it's just due to the different layouts we are using? I doubt that this would be a new feature.

 

BudMan, I think he is trying to avoid rebuilding his library.

[Ishanx]

" I just want an app that can display everything 'neatly' so that I can select whatever I don't need and delete."

What like explorer? ;)

explorermusic.png

How do you have your music stored that you can not look at in explorer?

 

I would use Explorer and that would have been the obvious choice but I have music all over the place. It isn't organised too well. iTunes created folder-ceptions. Empty folders, etc. Too much of a mess, really. 

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

I would use Explorer and that would have been the obvious choice but I have music all over the place. It isn't organised too well. iTunes created folder-ceptions. Empty folders, etc. Too much of a mess, really. 

 

Consider it an occasion to clean up the mess then. 

[+BudMan MVC]

Then I would start fresh.. And move your music to a structure you understand with simple folders.. Then have what ever app you use to play it index that as your library.

How do you backup up your music if its all over the place?

[FiB3R]

****ing itunes, how does it work!? :angry:

 

I would work on getting your stuff sorted manually in explorer.

 

Doing this mass deletion via foobar first isn't a bad idea though, it will probably make the rest of the clean-up easier.

[Ishanx]

Maybe it's just due to the different layouts we are using? I doubt that this would be a new feature.

 

BudMan, I think he is trying to avoid rebuilding his library.

 

Got it! Turns out, I had done the "Recommended" install when I needed to 'check' the "File Operations' options while installing fb2k. Thanks a ton! I didn't know this existed.

[xWhiplash]

That is weird.  I have been using iTunes exclusively for many many years and never had it put files all over the place or have empty folders.

[+BudMan MVC]

If you going to clean up, then I would suggest http://www.mp3tag.de/en/ and fix up all your music so tags make sense in the same version, details, etc. You mention your collection is from lots of different places, then most likely different sources have different tags, etc.

If your going to do cleanup - might as well clean up the tags too! This should help whatever app you use to play sort the music better.

[Ishanx]

Then I would start fresh.. And move your music to a structure you understand with simple folders.. Then have what ever app you use to play it index that as your library.

How do you backup up your music if its all over the place?

 

It's all in one folder but there are many sub-folders and duplicate folders and what-not. It's all saved in a separate partition. Time to clean up and organise!

 

Thanks everyone. A lot of Ctrl+clicking-on-artists-I-don't-want waiting for me.

[FiB3R]

Good luck. I have only properly tagged (to my exacting standards) 10 albums out of my little 450GB collection.

 

I just can't face the mission :/

[Louisifer]

I use Media Monkey to organise music, it even has a nice option to re-organise you music folders based off tags/filename.

 

It also allows you to mass re-tag from amazon which was helpful when I had to sort out my collection, I like my music with album art and consistent tags in different libraries/mp3 players! :p

[FiB3R]

I like helium music manager (just for tagging) It has some powerful tools if you dig deep.