Match albums only to Naim files but split by Classical

[paultaylor]

Many Melco customers have previously used a Naim server, and sometimes you may prefer to just transfer your existing metadata from Naim rather than add the MusicBrainz data so that there is no recognizable change in how your data looks in your control point.

However if you have a combined Classical/PopRock combination you may want to split where your collection is stored on a Classical/Non-Classical basis to make use of genre specific profiles in MinimServer. The existing Naim data is probably not going to be enough to correctly identify all Classical albums so what we can do is match to MusicBrainz as well, but only add a minimal amount of information.

This requires Fix Songs to be run twice

This maybe done on your PC or directly your Melco, here are PC instructions

1. Some users prefer to store Classical albums by Composer rather than Album Artist, if so please look at this post about creating such a rename mask
2. Select Fix Songs, fix from Naim wav metadata files only profile
3. Select Fix Songs task
4. On Basic tab set Rename files based on metadata to Yes if has metadata,
5. On the File Naming tab set Rename Mask and Compilation Mask to preferred mask
6. Press Start, this will now import the Naim metadata into your files, and rename files using the existing Naim metadata to try and identify Classical from Non Classical
7. Select Fix Songs, add Artwork Only profile, and then select Clone
8. Enter name for Profile such as MusicBrainz add Classical and Genre only and select OK
9. Select Fix Songs task
10. On Basic tab set Rename files based on metadata to Yes if matched to a release
11. On Basic tab disable Update Artwork checkbox
12. On Basic tab enable Update Genres checkbox
13. On Format tab, remove Is Classical, Title and Composer from Never modify or add fields
14. Add Title to Only modify these fields if empty
15. On the File Naming tab set Rename Mask and Compilation Mask to same preferred mask as used in step 5
16. Press Start, this will now match your albums to MusicBrainz, but only add Composer, Genre and Is Classical fields, these will be used to identify Classical albums (that could not be identified in first Fix Songs task) and rename accordingly
17. It will also add Title if it is missing, this can occur if naim was unable to match the songs, but MusicBrainz was able to. It is important to have a value for title because this is typically used in the filename part of the filename mask.

Subsequent reruns

1. Select Fix Songs, fix from Naim wav metadata files only profile
2. Select Fix Songs task
3. Select MusicBrainz add Classical and Genre only profile
4. Select Fix Songs task