Rekordbox Missing File Manager Not Functioning As Expected

Hey Pioneer, just upgraded to your gear and want to know, I pretty much organize all my tunes in iTunes but should I keep "Copy files to iTunes Media folder when adding to library" checked on?

I sort my music mainly by download year/month Ex:

2015/04

2016/07

2016/12

2017/05

So I'll make identical playlists in iTunes. I plan on importing these playlists via iTunes Bridge (after analyzing with Mixed In Key) and then making my playlists for gigs within Rekordbox...

Is this a good way to do it? Or should I make my gig playlists in iTunes and just import those via iTunes Bridge? 

Any help is greatly appreciated thank you

Oh sweet roast beef - NO! Disable that management thing IMMEDIATELY! Any changes you make to the song metadata (song name / artist / album / etc) can result in the file being physically moved to a different folder, and if that song has already been imported to rekordbox, the link is broken because it will have a pointer to the old location.

Your folder management is fine, but having iTunes manage it for you will negate that work. You can certainly make those playlists and then use the Sync Manager in rekordbox to bring the playlists and songs into rekordbox.

Are you taking about the "Keep iTunes Media Folde organized"? I have that disabled but what I am talking about in my comment is the "Copy files to iTunes media Folder when adding to library"? Please confirm.
Thanks

Totally not necessary, I would prevent iTunes from doing everything!

Please be specific, when you say "disable that management thing" you are referring to the "Keep iTunes Media Folder organized" correct? I have that disabled.

I am talking about the "Copy files to iTunes media Folder when adding to library" function. Should I leave this checked?

This guide  --->  (http://djtechtools.com/2012/04/15/the-art-of-prep-5-principles-every-dj-should-know/)    recommends using the iTunes setting that copies tracks to the iTunes Music folder upon import. (So that it creates a consistent path for your DJ music that will never be moved or deleted.)

Your help is much appreciated thank you.

No, sweet Enola Gay, no! Disable that! Don't let iTunes do ANYTHING to your music! Don't let it copy it in, don't let it manage the location ... nothing! If you leave that thing checked, you'll wind up with duplicates on your drive, and then you'll make more of a mess at some point. Trust me, I've seen it happen more than once.

1) Okay I see what your saying. Instead, could I have the files copy to iTunes, and then delete them from my Beatport/music Downloads folder to avoid having duplicate files on my hard drive? Would this work?

2)  Is there another program you would recommend I use better than iTunes for organizing my music?

The main reason why I ask about iTunes is because I like that its a central manager for all my music, if I don't use iTunes then I'll have to navigate through many folders on my desktop to sort/listen to music.

Also, if I'm managing them with just folders on a desktop i fear they might be moved accidentally or otherwise.

Please let me know your thoughts/advice. Thank you

"Is there another program you would recommend I use better than iTunes for organizing my music?"

Yes - rekordbox!

Seriously, the best thing you can do is to create your own music management scheme; figure out how you want to organize and store your music files then maintain that system and don't move things around (or you'll be faced with missing files / find/replace tasks).

Don't put them in a desktop folder, dedicate a folder in the Music folder for that.

I will definitely consider this, another question - 

Instead, could I have the files copy to iTunes, and then delete them from my Beatport/music Downloads folder to avoid having duplicate files on my hard drive? Would this work? (with "Keep iTunes Media Folder organized" unchecked)

Yes, but then iTunes is still managing your music (which doesn't allow you to have any kind of organization of the files themselves; it will place everything in Artist\Album folders).

Again, I recommend DJs devise and stick with a sensible music management scheme and don't allow software to do it for you.

Pioneer question,

whichever route I choose (whether I choose to use iTunes and then Rekordbox OR just Rekordbox),

 whenever I import new songs purchased from beatport into either program, the metadata/ID3 tags are all correct (in iTunes or rekordbox they show as "Andromeda (Bonobo Remix)" with artist, genre, bpm, and artwork in their correct field as opposed to the downloaded file - "9195473_Andromeda__feat__D_R_A_M___Bonobo_Remix.aiff"

1) should I worry about changing the filename of the original file?

2) what about files that don't have artwork that I want to add, how can I add it to the file itself as opposed to using rekordbox?

thanks

It could well be the version of tags or something else with the file is preventing rekordbox from reading the tags on that file, as I know it can / does support AIFF metadata.

Could you email me one of the files so I can check it / pass it to our rekordbox team? My email is pulse (at) djpulse ...dot... ca

The filename wouldn't have any effect on the metadata.

You can add the album artwork using any 3rd-party utility if you don't want to do it through rekordbox.

Pioneer, question. You said that "but then iTunes is still managing your music (which doesn't allow you to have any kind of organization of the files themselves; it will place everything in Artist\Album folders)."

- If there was a new program (not iTunes) that allowed you to manage/organize the files themselves - and would just copy your playlist hierarchy within said program, would a program like that work?

And whenever you changed a playlist name within the program, or moved files between playlists, it would reflect those changes in the filesystem, would that be a suitable program for organizing your music and then use with rekordbox?

Thanks

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