Best way to remove embedded album art

[Dougr33]

What is the best program for removing the embedded album art from thousands of flac files? I now see how to NOT have DBPA embed (wished I'd known before). Thanks!

[Northman]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Hi Dougr33,

if have the same problem. I tried using MP3Tag but it only overwrite the image inside the flac so the filesize is not reduced.
The other way: "recode" with the batch converter. As FLAC is lossless a recode will not affect the quality.
Set FLAC as "Convertig to:" and add two DSP-Effects:
1. Preserve Source Attributes: It will copy artist, album, title,... to the new FLAC
2. ID Tag Processing: add under "Deletions" a "Single Tag" and choose "[Album Artwork]"
It's also a good chance to add "ReplayGain" ;-)

The only problem is, that you might have a different folder structure and that you need to define the output structure.

I use this string as "Dynamic"
[IFCOMP][IFVALUE]album artist,[album artist],_Sampler[]\[album]\[track] - [artist][][IF!COMP][IFVALUE]album artist,[album artist],[artist][]\[album]\[track][] - [title]

It creates a folder structure like this:
For normal albums: After Forever\Remagine\08 - Only Everything.flac
For compilations: _Sampler\More Greatest Hits of the 80's, Disc 1\01 - Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax.flac


If you manage to get the same folder structure and you want to copy all "folder.jpg" to the new folders: Start - run - cmd.exe
xcopy e:\flac\*.jpg d:\flac /S
You must change the paths to your need.

kind regards,
Northman

[Dougr33]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I'll try this once I figure out what MediaMonkey is doing to me!

[LtData]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Or just use the [ID Tag Update] utility codec, go to the delete tab and select "Album Art", no converting required.

[MitchSchaft]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Or just use the [ID Tag Update] utility codec, go to the delete tab and select "Album Art", no converting required.

But that can only delete one at a time :(. I have to go through each individual file and delete it. Is there a way to do them all at once?

[Wayne]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

But that can only delete one at a time :(. I have to go through each individual file and delete it. Is there a way to do them all at once?

Use the Batch Converter to select all your files and update the files using the ID Tag Update Utility codec as suggested by Lt.Data

[MitchSchaft]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Awesome, thanks!

[Xjax]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

I know this is a very old thread but it was very helpful with a problem I'm trying to overcome right now. I want to remove album art from my archive of FLAC files. I prefer to simply keep the artwork in the folder alongside the audio files and then embed the Folder.jpg when I export to MP3.

The suggestion to use the batch converter with the utility codec for tag modifications is a great solution. However, I don't think it actually addresses the file size concern that an earlier poster raised.
i.e. "I tried using MP3Tag but it only overwrite the image inside the flac so the filesize is not reduced."
It seems that if you really want to remove the image from the files and you want the files to shrink as a result, then you have to actually do a re-encode.

Re-encoding the files seems okay as long as I can keep the files in their current location and I don't lose any other meta data in the file.

Can someone confirm that only the album artwork would be removed if do the following:
- use batch converter
- select FLAC codec
- output location set to "Original Folder"
- add DSP Effects/Actions for "ID Tag Processing" configured for Deletions/SingleTag/[Album Artwork]

Thanks in advance.

[Spoon]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Instead visit codec central >> Utility codecs >> and install [ID Tag Update]

Then convert your flac files to this codec (only the tags are changed) you can set the options to export the album art and remove the album art.

[Xjax]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Thanks for the reply. I have used the ID Tage Update utility coded. It does remove the artwork from the files. However, the file sizes remain the same. A file diff basically shows that the bytes in the file where the jpeg used to be embedded are (mostly) replaced with null values.

If I desire to actually remove the bytes and free the space used by an embedded image I assume that a re-encode is required.
Can you tell me whether all tags and data not added to the deletion list are copied over if a file is re-ecoded using the FLAC codec?

Thanks.

[Spoon]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

If convert FLAC to FLAC then the audio will be identical.

[Venerable]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

Is this still the case that the file must be recoded to reduce the file size. There is currently an issue with the FIIO x5 III and embedded album art, that in some cases, must be removed. For large number of files dbPoweramp is perfect but it will require two steps and time. It this can be done in one step I would like to know.

[Spoon]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

You can convert FLAC to FLAC, include the DSP effect ID Tag Processing set to reduce or remove the art.

[Dat Ei]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

A different but fast method without re-encoding is to use mp3tag.


Dat Ei

[Spoon]

Re: Best way to remove embedded album art

You can use ID Tag Update dsp effect, but it might have the same effect as mp3tag, that is to fill the art section with padding, and not rewrite the whole file.