Genre / Style

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

That's what I'm saying, yes. Any CD needing an "Easy Listening" Genre tag and an "Easy Listening" Style tag should be classified as a narcotic.

The first example is what I was getting at. You're saying the music is in the Latin genre, but is not in the raucous style of some Latin music. Style is a refinement of Genre, sort of like a sub-Genre. The other example works in much the same way.

If you're dead-set on not using "Easy Listening" in your tags, you might consider "Chill" instead. I see some Electronic and EDM music tagged that way, or as "Chill Out." It wouldn't hurt anything if you borrowed "Chill" for your own use.

Or how about "Mellow"?

JH,

Finding 'Easy Listening', on the same CD, in both both Genre and Style is the kinda thing you would expect within a pre-completed tag.

So you see nothing wrong/problematic in having 'Easy Listening' as a Genre on some CD's, and as a Style on others?

Yes, Mellow and Chill are good possibilities, thanks.

Paul

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

Yes, for a simple search. However, typing in "pop" will bring up both "Pop" and "Popular," which might not be desired.

(foobar does have query syntax that lets one find tags with specific content like "Pop" without also finding "Popular", or find anything containing "pop" as in the simple search.)

Hi JH,

Yes, that's what I kinda thought. I noticed this when typing in artists names such as:

James, Jameson; John, Johnson; etc.

In any event - without meaning to split hairs - is 'Pop' not an abbreviation for 'Popular'?

Paul

[Jailhouse]

Re: Genre / Style

So you mean DON'T have (say):

"The Carpenter's Hits" (GENRE = 'Easy Listening'; STYLE = 'Easy Listening').

That's what I'm saying, yes. Any CD needing an "Easy Listening" Genre tag and an "Easy Listening" Style tag should be classified as a narcotic.

But what about mix&matching across one's entire CD collection? For example:

"Barry Manilow's Hits" (GENRE = 'Latin'; STYLE = 'Easy Listening').

"Carol King's Hits" (GENRE = 'Easy Listening'; STYLE = 'Ballads').

So that the dreaded 'Easy Listening' appears under two separate tags (albeit not on the same CD)!

The first example is what I was getting at. You're saying the music is in the Latin genre, but is not in the raucous style of some Latin music. Style is a refinement of Genre, sort of like a sub-Genre. The other example works in much the same way.

If you're dead-set on not using "Easy Listening" in your tags, you might consider "Chill" instead. I see some Electronic and EDM music tagged that way, or as "Chill Out." It wouldn't hurt anything if you borrowed "Chill" for your own use.

Or how about "Mellow"?

[Jailhouse]

Re: Genre / Style

I'm not very familiar with Foobar, but when you type the u of Popular, wouldn't Pop stop showing?

Yes, for a simple search. However, typing in "pop" will bring up both "Pop" and "Popular," which might not be desired.

(foobar does have query syntax that lets one find tags with specific content like "Pop" without also finding "Popular", or find anything containing "pop" as in the simple search.)

[Oggy]

Re: Genre / Style

Oggy,

That's probably what I will end up doing I think. I have exhausted all other possible naming naming schemes (all the ones that I am aware of, at least).

But, if I search for POPULAR in Foobar, then will the results also show all of the POPs as well? I mean, POP is the first syllable in POPULAR!

Paul

Paul,

I'm not very familiar with Foobar, but when you type the u of Popular, wouldn't Pop stop showing?

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

Yes, keep Pop for your Madonna etc. and Popular for the more "easy listening" and "middle of the road" type artist. Just a suggestion that's maybe not too clumsy and hopefully not too far off the mark. Ultimately these are simply names which need to make sense to you.

Oggy,

That's probably what I will end up doing I think. I have exhausted all other possible naming naming schemes (all the ones that I am aware of, at least).

But, if I search for POPULAR in Foobar, then will the results also show all of the POPs as well? I mean, POP is the first syllable in POPULAR!

Paul

[Oggy]

Re: Genre / Style

Hi Oggy,

I am not quite sure what you mean?

You mean have one Genre POP, and another Genre as POPULAR?

Paul

Yes, keep Pop for your Madonna etc. and Popular for the more "easy listening" and "middle of the road" type artist. Just a suggestion that's maybe not too clumsy and hopefully not too far off the mark. Ultimately these are simply names which need to make sense to you.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

I don't see why "Easy Listening" can't be used both ways. As a Style tag it's a refinement of the associated Genre. (Just don't use "Easy Listening" for both Genre and Style, unless the release in question is downright soporific. )

Thanks JH,

So you mean DON'T have (say):

"The Carpenter's Hits" (GENRE = 'Easy Listening'; STYLE = 'Easy Listening').

But what about mix&matching across one's entire CD collection? For example:

"Barry Manilow's Hits" (GENRE = 'Latin'; STYLE = 'Easy Listening').

"Carol King's Hits" (GENRE = 'Easy Listening'; STYLE = 'Ballads').

So that the dreaded 'Easy Listening' appears under two separate tags (albeit not on the same CD)!

Cheers,

Paul

[Jailhouse]

Re: Genre / Style

I suppose I could use 'Easy Listening' as a GENRE, but then I would be left with looking for an alternative name for all STYLE tags which currently have an 'Easy Listening' label. So same difference!

I don't see why "Easy Listening" can't be used both ways. As a Style tag it's a refinement of the associated Genre. (Just don't use "Easy Listening" for both Genre and Style, unless the release in question is downright soporific. )

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

Back in the 1960's before (possibly) anyone (certainly me and others involved) heard of the term "easy listening" we started cataloging a college radio station's record library (on IBM cards, remember or google them!). Anyway we had four genres (and therefore sections of the library, which was sorted by genre) to make up pretty much what you'd now call Easy Listening. They were Male Vocal, Female Vocal, Group Vocal and Instrumental. These were not for Rock, Jazz, Blues, Classical, etc. which had their own genres.

Thanks schmidj,

No, I was not aware of that history, thanks.

I dare say it's a case of the more we get, the more we want. There are so many categories and sub-categories nowadays that we are spoilt for choice. Half of them I have never even heard of!

Paul

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

Hi Paul,

Just read this post, you could use Popular as a genre, together with Pop.

Hi Oggy,

I am not quite sure what you mean?

You mean have one Genre POP, and another Genre as POPULAR?

Paul

[Oggy]

Re: Genre / Style

Thanks for your input evasv,

To shed a little more light upon my way of thinking, I am already using 'Easy Listening' as a STYLE tag for around 20 CDs. I find it quite suffice as a STYLE (ie. sub-genre), but not as a main-genre. Others may disagree I am sure!

I do not have a massive amount of POP music and so I do not need as many genres as others on here possibly do. My collection amounts to circa 600 CD's (400 Jazz, 100 Classical, 50 Pop, 50 Other - as a very rough estimate). Therefore, I can see your reasons for tagging Carol King under Pop/Rock and Soft Rock, but for me that would not really work. I just really want to bundle all of the previous mentioned (James Taylor, Carol King, The Carpenters, Perry Como, Matt Monroe, Johnny Mathis) together under an alternative name for 'Easy Listening' or 'Middle Of The Road'.

Paul

EDIT: I suppose I could use 'Easy Listening' as a GENRE, but then I would be left with looking for an alternative name for all STYLE tags which currently have an 'Easy Listening' label. So same difference!

Hi Paul,

Just read this post, you could use Popular as a genre, together with Pop.

[schmidj]

Re: Genre / Style

Back in the 1960's before (possibly) anyone (certainly me and others involved) heard of the term "easy listening" we started cataloging a college radio station's record library (on IBM cards, remember or google them!). Anyway we had four genres (and therefore sections of the library, which was sorted by genre) to make up pretty much what you'd now call Easy Listening. They were Male Vocal, Female Vocal, Group Vocal and Instrumental. These were not for Rock, Jazz, Blues, Classical, etc. which had their own genres.

[monsterjazzlick]

Re: Genre / Style

There are a few genre tags I didn't like when first tagging my collection, Pop / Rock and Easy Listening, were two of them. As I went through my collection, I now realise that they are actually useful, and haven't come up with anything better.

Depending on the balance of a collection, Carole King, falls into classic Singer / Songwriter territory, along with artists like Cat Stevens and James Taylor.

Carpenters I used Pop, but this could have been Soft Rock.

The only person whose opinion counts for your collection, is yourself, and the most obvious genre to use, is the one that first comes to mind.

Hi Oggy,

I may have to look in a thesaurus to see if I can find any suitable substitute terms!

I don't use Singer/Songwriter Genre/Style because I always included (in brackets after the name of the artists) if the band has vocals. For instance:

Blood, Sweat & Tears (Vocals)

Manhattan Transfer (Vocals)

Getz/Gilberto (Vocals)

This is something I never did with my rips of 10 years ago and I am very pleased with the results.

I envisage ALL of my Pop music to go inside one folder (ie. Pop) and then - as per required - each albums STYLE tag to be compiled accordingly (eg. Sixties, Funk, Soul, Mowtown, Electric, etc).

Paul

[Oggy]

Re: Genre / Style

Easy Listening is what I use, didn't like it either from the start but have learned to accept it for lack of a better term.

For what it's worth, I tagged Carole King's "Tapestry" as Genre=Pop/Rock and Style=Soft Rock; Singer/Songwriter

There are a few genre tags I didn't like when first tagging my collection, Pop / Rock and Easy Listening, were two of them. As I went through my collection, I now realise that they are actually useful, and haven't come up with anything better.

Depending on the balance of a collection, Carole King, falls into classic Singer / Songwriter territory, along with artists like Cat Stevens and James Taylor.

Carpenters I used Pop, but this could have been Soft Rock.

The only person whose opinion counts for your collection, is yourself, and the most obvious genre to use, is the one that first comes to mind.