Song Running Times: to print or not to print ?

[GuitarGeek]

Do you do your radio show audio direct from CD? If your discs are loaded into a digital format on your computer, the tracks should show their time in your program. No?

Well, yes, I do the show using digital files, but I don't have everything on the computer just yet. I own literally thousands of CD's, so it takes time to rip everything onto the computer. In the meantime, for instance, there may be a certain song I feel like playing. If it's something that's not on the computer yet, it's nice to have that information at my fingertips immediately. Otherwise, one has to at least pop the CD in the CD-ROM player, to find out what the track length is. Yeah, it's a relatively minor inconvenience, but when you're trying to plan a show, it's helpful to have as few obstacles as possible.

[GuitarGeek]

You can't always trust running times, besides the "hidden track" issue sometimes they're just wrong. Phil Spector once had the time of "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" (I think) erroneously printed as between 2 and 3 minutes instead of the actual 4+ so radio stations would play it.

That's true. Also, with turntables, they don't always play at the correct speed (same thing with cassette players). With CD's, I've noticed something there's a certain amount of discrepancy between the track times and the actual time on some CD's. Usually it's just a few seconds, typically not more than a half minute or so. On the Grateful Dead Dick's Picks releases, the track times stated in the booklets seemed to factor in only the length of the actual song and not include the futzing around that would occur at the end of some of the songs (hence, the full track length might a minute or so longer than the actual song).

[Gruno]

Well, yes, I do the show using digital files, but I don't have everything on the computer just yet. I own literally thousands of CD's, so it takes time to rip everything onto the computer. In the meantime, for instance, there may be a certain song I feel like playing. If it's something that's not on the computer yet, it's nice to have that information at my fingertips immediately. Otherwise, one has to at least pop the CD in the CD-ROM player, to find out what the track length is. Yeah, it's a relatively minor inconvenience, but when you're trying to plan a show, it's helpful to have as few obstacles as possible.

I see where you are coming from. Looks like the remedy for your collection is to digitize it all. I did that years ago and am glad I did. It does take a bit of time and care, but it is worth it. I would pop in discs all day every day until it was done. It's all about multi-tasking.

[GuitarGeek]

I see where you are coming from. Looks like the remedy for your collection is to digitize it all.

Well, that is the eventual plan, more or less. The problem is, that takes time. Also, being that one of the reasons I'm doing this is to have material available for my so called "radio show", I can't just rip the CD onto the hard drive and be done with it. I also have to listen to a lot of things, because I don't remember what every single track sounds like.

There's a lot of records I have a vague memory of liking, but which tracks are the best ones to play, which ones would make good things to open a show with, good songs to start or end a set with, which ones are good close the show with, what the intros are like, which ones would be good for the "ballad" or "acoustic" part of the show, etc.

I actually have a text file I keep on the hard drive where I makes note of this stuff, eg "This one would be good for closing the show", "This one has a nice drum intro", "the intro on this was hovers at the threshold of inaudibility for about 20 seconds", etc. I don't know what it's like for anyone else who does a radio show (even a clapped out joke of a show like mine), but for me a lot of effort and thought goes into picking just the right combination of music for each show.

[2 Sheds]

For me, it's more important to know the total running time of an album, not necessarily the individual tracks. The amount of time I have to listen to an album varies from evening to evening. Some days, I have 75 to 80 minutes, in which case I'll listen to a longer album. Some days, I only have 45 minutes, while other days I have about an hour. To accommodate my schedule, I created a spreadsheet listing all albums and their respective running times. Problem solved.

I retired. That solves this problem. The other thing is when borrowing a CD if you can see the total run time you know if it will fit on a c90 cassette. If it won't fit, the individual track lengths tell you which song to leave off the tape. ;-)

[Zeuhlmate]

Of course all the info relevant to the music should be on the sleeve. For many practical reasons it can be nice to know how long a track is. For example when your wife asks you somewhat highpitched when the music is over.

Another thing sometimes irritatingly omitted, is the year of release/production. Some bands apparently believes/hope their music is timeless. On rereleases you sometimes just get the year of the rerelease.

[warrplayer]

I retired. That solves this problem. The other thing is when borrowing a CD if you can see the total run time you know if it will fit on a c90 cassette. If it won't fit, the individual track lengths tell you which song to leave off the tape. ;-)

Someone introduce this gentleman to mp3 players.

[2 Sheds]

Someone introduce this gentleman to mp3 players.

Hey, I live in Lincolnshire, England. We still put plastic tokens on the doorstep for the milkman here, grow our own veg and think phones are for making phone calls. It is a while since I listened to my collection of 78 rpm gramophone records though.

[Andre C]

While I feel ya, and understand the frustration even....with no ill will at all, just wry humor, may I say....this may be the ultimate FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS thread of all time....

[Mick]

Hey 2 sheds... didja do some train spottin' on the LMS?
I'm totally with you on the phone stuff until it's like a Dick Tracy.. small screen on my wrist, with the wire to earbuds running up my sleeve. THEN I'll upgrade to such a videophone AND a separate tablet for apps and all the other information a PC has.... like this forum.
I don't want to be texted (takes too long and ties up eyes) 'cos a phone should be PHONIC first.
I DON'T have an mp3 collection either... other than the massive Nektar archive, but most of that is also on CDs, cassettes or reels.... and most of 'em DO have running times on the sleeves.