TuneUp music identifier in SF Chronicle
A few months ago, I posted about the launch of TuneUp Media, my pal Gabe Adiv's company that offers a product to clean iTunes metadata. People seem to like the PC version and a Mac beta version is expected at the end of the month (finally). Today's San Francisco Chronicle has a tech page cover story on TuneUp Media and also mentions MusicBrainz Picard, a free metadata tagger that's been around for a few years. I haven't used Picard but friends tell me it doesn't work as well as TuneUp. TuneUp offers a free trial version--you be the judge! From the SF Chronicle:
Previously on BB:
• TuneUp cleans iTunes library
TuneUp identifies the music you are hearing (SF Chronicle)(TuneUp) works by taking "acoustic fingerprints" of tracks in a playlist and referencing them against a database of 70 million songs.
TuneUp's software opens up along with iTunes, and users can drag songs from their playlists over to TuneUp's "Clean" tab to fix the metadata associated with a track. Other tabs allow users to find missing cover art or buy tickets to upcoming concerts...
Picard does not work within iTunes. Instead, Kaye suggests that iTunes users run their new music through Picard to clean up the metadata and then import the tracks into iTunes.
TuneUp's Adiv said a beta version of his software for Macs should be released later this month. Then, early next year, the company hopes to introduce similar plug-ins for Winamp and Windows Media Player.
Previously on BB:
• TuneUp cleans iTunes library
the latest
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I'll try it. Where's a link for the Linux version?
I liked it. Turns out that it wasn't real vista friendly YMMV. Also the different sections of the UI were not very integrated. You could analyze what needed to be identified but then move someplace else to identify them. Also, it would have been nice to have them tagged once "identified" so they don't get lumped back in during analysis.
I've used beattunes to add metadata also and boy oh boy that caused problems. The mac version was slick but bot mac/pc would double triple quadruple your library size by making copies each time it was updated.
TuneUP is better.
MusicBrainz Picard just didn't do anything for me.
Overall I prefer MediaMonkey for metadata management which is also a player.
Media Monkey is the way to go. It takes some time, but from my experience the automated stuff doesn't really save you any in the first place. Better to start with rough tags and let MediaMonkey fix'em up, including album art.
Not perfect, but the best I've found. Only media player I've found that is built to handle giant libraries.
I tried it, it was slow to work and it didn't identify a lot of my music. Given iTunes' ability to lose the ID3 tags from my ripped-from-CD music, I thought that maybe I might be able to magically restore them. Deep disappointment.
Actually it works great save for 2 caveats.
1) it doesnt work with itunes 8
2) DO NOT try using it with networked hard drives. It takes forever and or crashes.
Word is a patch for itunes 8 is coming soon. I normally dont throw in my testimonials but,I'm loving this product.
Disclosure - isn't CD on the MusicBrainz board or something?
Musicman @6, I just searched and it turns out you're right -- Cory is on the MusicBrainz board. But I'm the one who made the post and I'm not on the board of either MusicBrainz or TuneUp.
Gabe Adiv here, CEO of TuneUp.
First off, thanks for the coverage!
@Rodney - Linux version not on the roadmap, but we've been getting quite a few requests. Will definitely revisit it.
@DrStrange32 - Thanks for the positive feedback. The integration enhancements you mentioned will be coming out soon. Also, a bunch of the Vista bugs have been worked out. Check out the latest version when you get a chance.
@Jmullan - Would be happy to personally address your issues. You can reach me at gabeATtuneupmediaDOTcom
@Straylight - TuneUp definitely works on iTunes 8 although there were some Vista issues. Probably need to make sure that iTunes 7.? is uninstalled.
Thanks again for the post and look forward to answering any questions BB readers may have.
Anyone else using the same clip art to build their logo? Mine from 1995 is at www.bstock.com.
this program was a disaster for me, identified very few of my files, did things like label J Dilla as Blink 182 and the cover art was very rarely accurate. The only concerts it suggests are Kenny Rogers, despite the complete lack of similar music in my library... except the inaccurate cover art it stuck me with! much of that is similar to kenny Rogers. Try before you buy!
@ Osten - I'm sorry you had such a negative experience with TuneUp. The examples you cited are way outside the norm of the feedback we have been getting from users and press. Would be happy to speak with you about them at your convenience.
gabeATtuneupmediaDOTcom