ReplayGain - Replacing iTunes Album Normalization WIth iTunes Track Normalization?

[RetroBurner]

I have - unfortunately - ripped a substantial number of CD tracks with iTunes Album Normalization on instead of iTunes Track Normalization in my ReplayGain tagging settings. How can I replace all of the iTunes Album Normalization ReplayGain tags with iTunes Track Normalization ReplayGain tags without 1) having to re-rip all of these tracks and 2) without wiping out the "regular" Track and Album ReplayGain data already attached to these tracks?

[Spoon]

Batch Converter >> Select whole music base folder

Click Convert, set the Encoder at the Top to [ReplayGain] and choose the options you want.

[RetroBurner]

TYVM, that is immensely helpful!

A follow-up question: does having an iTunes Album or Track normalization tag on a FLAC or Opus file cause music players to ignore the actual "normal" Album and Track normalization tags? Should I take care to always make sure that iTunes tags are never on non-m4a/AAC files, or is it ok to just load all of my files up and slap all the various ReplayGain tags on them in one huge batch process?

Thanks again for your help with this!

[Spoon]

It would depend on the player, in a m4a file players would likely look first for the apple normalization values, as that would be more common than replaygain tags.

[GBrown]

A follow-up question: does having an iTunes Album or Track normalization tag on a FLAC or Opus file cause music players to ignore the actual "normal" Album and Track normalization tags? Should I take care to always make sure that iTunes tags are never on non-m4a/AAC files, or is it ok to just load all of my files up and slap all the various ReplayGain tags on them in one huge batch process?

I can answer from experience. I use Replaygain Album and Track normalization as well as iTunesd Album normalization on every file I have. MOst are in lossless m4a ALAC format. But I also have a mix of FLAC and mp3 files as well. Every player on PC, Android, and even iOS that is not from Apple uses the Replaygain tags. Only iTunes and Apple Music pay any attention to the iTunes normalization info.

[RetroBurner]

I can answer from experience. I use Replaygain Album and Track normalization as well as iTunesd Album normalization on every file I have. MOst are in lossless m4a ALAC format. But I also have a mix of FLAC and mp3 files as well. Every player on PC, Android, and even iOS that is not from Apple uses the Replaygain tags. Only iTunes and Apple Music pay any attention to the iTunes normalization info.

TYVM for this info! I think I’ll use the Batch Converter to remove the iTunes Normalization tags from the non-m4a files I already have. And then I’ll remove them from my FLAC and Opus extractor ReplayGain settings going forward.

[garym]

I have the same experience as GBrown. And as RetroBurner plans, I also only add ITunes Normalization tags (in addition to replaygain) to my m4a or mp3 files. I don't add iTunes normalization to my FLAC files. My main system and players use ReplayGain (and not iTunes normalization). Only my iPods use itunes normalization (i.e. "Soundcheck") information, and I rarely use these old iPods. On my iPhone/iPad music playback, I'm no longer using apple app to play music, Instead, I transfer music to those devices and use foobar2000 mobile. This app uses ReplayGain properly. And I never use iTunes on my computer to play music. For my computer I use regular foobar2000.

Said another way, in my case, I really don't need to add iTunes Normalization (soundcheck) values to any of my files any longer. I'm just in the habit of adding it to mp3/m4a files "just in case" I'm transferring to an iPod, which in reality I will NEVER do again. Old habits are hard to break, but it is just an extra metadata tag, so no big deal. ;-)

[RetroBurner]

I have the same experience as GBrown. And as RetroBurner plans, I also only add ITunes Normalization tags (in addition to replaygain) to my m4a or mp3 files. I don't add iTunes normalization to my FLAC files. My main system and players use ReplayGain (and not iTunes normalization). Only my iPods use itunes normalization (i.e. "Soundcheck") information, and I rarely use these old iPods. On my iPhone/iPad music playback, I'm no longer using apple app to play music, Instead, I transfer music to those devices and use foobar2000 mobile. This app uses ReplayGain properly. And I never use iTunes on my computer to play music. For my computer I use regular foobar2000.

Said another way, in my case, I really don't need to add iTunes Normalization (soundcheck) values to any of my files any longer. I'm just in the habit of adding it to mp3/m4a files "just in case" I'm transferring to an iPod, which in reality I will NEVER do again. Old habits are hard to break, but it is just an extra metadata tag, so no big deal. ;-)

garym GBrown Spoon Ok, a few more follow-up questions: -

1) if an AAC track doesn't have an iTunes Normalization tag, will iTunes/Apple Music fall back and use the "regular" track and album ReplayGain values, or just play the file without any ReplayGain tag modification at all?

2) Does VLC (both regular and portable version) honor ReplayGain tags like foobar2000 mobile?

3) What is considered to be the "best" software to manage digital music and play music files on Windows and Linux these days?

Thanks to everyone for all of their help and guidance so far!

[garym]

1) if an AAC track doesn't have an iTunes Normalization tag, will iTunes/Apple Music fall back and use the "regular" track and album ReplayGain values, or just play the file without any ReplayGain tag modification at all?

No. ITunes/Apple Music does not use or recognize ReplayGain tags.

2) Does VLC (both regular and portable version) honor ReplayGain tags like foobar2000 mobile?

Yes, under PREFERENCES > AUDIO SETTINGS you can select the option to use ReplayGain tags. TRACK or ALBUM values.

3) What is considered to be the "best" software to manage digital music and play music files on Windows and Linux these days?

Not sure there is a "best". But I'd say that I don't see anyone recommending iTunes or Apple Music. And I wouldn't let Windows Media Player anywhere near my digital music library.

edit: that said, I used iTunes on Windows for many years prior to changing to foobar2000. First, iTunes wouldn't play FLAC files, and I started using FLAC for my home music streaming system.* Second, iTunes became way to bloated with functions other than playing local music files.

*Lyrion Music Server (LMS), which runs on windows, mac, linux, and other (rPi). It is mainly for being a music library/streamer for other players in your system, but can also play to a software player on your computer (windows, mac, or linux). Helpful forum at: https://forums.lyrion.org/

[GBrown]

garym GBrown Spoon Ok, a few more follow-up questions: -

1) if an AAC track doesn't have an iTunes Normalization tag, will iTunes/Apple Music fall back and use the "regular" track and album ReplayGain values, or just play the file without any ReplayGain tag modification at all?

2) Does VLC (both regular and portable version) honor ReplayGain tags like foobar2000 mobile?

3) What is considered to be the "best" software to manage digital music and play music files on Windows and Linux these days?

Thanks to everyone for all of their help and guidance so far!

Confirming what garym says about iTunes, it does not support Replaygain tags. The normalization tag is their proprietary alternative.

I have shifted away from iTunes myself for everything except serving music and movies to my AppleTV's. I don't use it for any ripping or editing at all.

A player I have been using recently for Windows is MusicBee. But I am not convinced it is any better or worse than Foobar2000 at this point. Sorry I have nothing to suggest for Linux.