I know people who organize their albums strictly alphabetically by title, or alphabetically by composer, and so on. My system is a touch more elaborate: I sort them alphabetically by composer; then, within each composer's section, I organize them by year of the film's release; then, within the year of the film's release, I THEN go alphabetical. (If I knew for certain which scores Goldsmith wrote exactly in which order -- because some were put off by a couple of years -- I'd certainly prefer to organize them that way. In some cases I DO know and thus sort them accordingly.)

I stay up too late and have too much time on my hands. I think I'll go to bed soon. One side benefit of being up: I was among the earlier visitors to the New Redesigned Board. Other Boards I can think of could stand to have a New Redesigned Board ...

SFT

I just back up any CD's I buy to my hard disk. It's more convenient that way; I don't have to change CD constantly.

Now it's an little different. I now have it Alphabetical by artist than title, however only when I have 2 or more scores from said composer. After that, it is my assorted soundtracks, again alphabetical by artist then title. After that the compilations then
Misc. CDs. BTW, composer compilations go under the composers section, unless it is in the assorted section, if that is the case, than it goes in the compilation section.

If that is not clear enough I apologize, just take an look at my collection list at the Moviemusic Profile "which hopefully should be up soon" site, that's the order of my CDs, both on list and on shelf.

Regards,
Sean Robert Abbey

I am about to move though, so getting more shelves is a must.
Right now I have my scores "organized" in an Excel file, which certain lucky fellows here have seen via the wonder of email.
It lists them all by composer, then alphabetically. I usually know what I'm in the mood to listen to, so sorting by year as Rocco does is a bit much for me.
If I have organized by composer, then alphabetically within that, I'm good.

..and I haven't even TOUCHED my classical collection yet.
Needless to say, too much music, not enough time and money.

The answer I gave then, (which was around January by Shaun, I think)was as follows:

Anyway, the way I organiz my, as I just found out today, pathetic collection is by Composer and then by the year the film came out. My collection starts (surprise, surprise) with John Williams continues on to Jerry Goldsmith. All other scores are seperated on a cd spinner or in a cd wallhanger.

Scott

NP:Return of the Jedi

All the James Bond CD's I have
Then a few odd ones, in no order at all.
My Star Trek collection
Dr Who collection
the Buffy TV CD
X-Files
Star Wars
My extensive Babylon 5 collection
And then ones I've burnt from mp3's I've downlaoded. ONly 2 at the moment - Dark City and The Avengers Albumn.

Yes complicated, but that is how I like it...can't do anything easy...

dave

Jeron

The LPs I organize by composer and then by year and release order.

I tried this with the CDs but I play them more often than I do the LPs and so there really isn't any order as they're all stacked up on top of each other in every room of the house.

As for the cassette tapes, I have all the studio stuff seperated from albums people have sent me copies of and they're all in wooden cassette crates. Because someone might send me, for instance, a tape of Nevada Smith on Side A and The Unforgiven on Side B, both by different composers, I don't try to organize the cassettes in any special fashion.

After that, I got alphabetical on scores, then follow soundtracks (again, alphabetical) and finally alphabetical listings of bands.

Another dozen CDs or so is regularly displayed on my stereo rack in a small CD stand, usually the ones I listen to/intend to listen to, or sometimes just those that have particularly appealing covers.

NP: Bela Bartok "The Wooden Prince"
Chicago Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pierre Boulez

I may start soon though, since I can never find anything!

-Jim Ware

1.Movie Scores&Soundtracks
2.Japanese Soundtracks
3.T.V. Soundtracks
4.Collections
5.Rock,R&B and Other

She is also puting together a computerized database sortable by title, composer, label and a couple of other things she cooked up.

No chance I would ever want to go back to being single.

N.P. The whole nine yards

quote:

---

Originally posted by starblade:
Mine are kept in the order that I purchase/get them. Then each one is given a serialized number. I have a master list that I update when I get a new cd. I have so many that having to put the new one(s) in alpha order every time would be so time consuming (Imagine getting the score to Mission to Mars and having to move every cd after Mi down a slot---it would take me forever). I have three bookcases full (floor to ceiling) of cds. So I always know roughly where everything is relative to when I purchased it. I do my LPs the same way.

NP-Dark City

---

I do the same thing to an extent. I pretty much have no problem organizing my collection, though because I have near 500 discs, It is too much trouble to do it each time I get an CD, which happens pretty darn frequent anymore as it is.

So what I do is, I keep the currently purchased CDs at the end of the collection,
than every 15-30 CDs or so, I re-organize them at that time.

However my best idea so far, at least IMO, Is to make sure to leave an little space
on each shelve. Since I can get up to 55-60 on most of them, while I can get up to 90 on an additional 3 shelves, I leave enough space per shelve for up to 5 CDs. That way, I don't have to re-organize the collection as often. The more spaces you leave the better.

Well I hope my last suggestion is of somewhat help to some of you.

But, judging from what I've read so far, I think I'll take the prize as the most anal-retentive collector of y'all (which is not necessarily something to be proud of) - I even use small white paper bits as separators (quite unneccessary, though, seeing as I only have about 450 CD's!!).

Here goes:

----------------- * ------------------

A) FILM MUSIC

I. COMPOSER SECTION

Arranged by volume of each composer (which goes to show my favourites, I guess). I have to own at least 5 scores of a single composer for that composer to have his/her own section.

First off is John Williams: All scores are arranged chronologically. Alphabetical within year. First title counts on coupled discs. Sequel scores are separated, except the STAR WARS CD's (led off by the 1977 score, followed by the others), INDIANA JONES CD's (led off by 1981 and RAIDERS) and the IRWIN ALLEN boxed set (put at the front of collection). Concert works follow (by label) and then finally compilations.

Followed by Williams is Elfman, then Goldsmith, Horner, Goldenthal, Silvestri and Newton Howard. All arranged as the John Williams section.

II. VARIOUS SCORES

Arranged alphabetically. This is the largest section. First title of coupled scores count (like ADV. OF MARK TWAIN / PRINCE AND PAUPER).

III. COMPILATIONS

1. TV SERIES/FILMS

Arranged alphabetically.

2. VARIOUS MOVIES

Arranged alphabetically.

3. COMPOSERS

Arranged alphabetically by last name of composer.

B) CLASSICAL

I. CLASSIKON SERIES

The entire 100 CD Deutsche Gramophone series, arranged by number (of course!).

II. VARIOUS

1. VARIOUS CLASSICAL

Arranged alphabetically.

2. VARIOUS COMPOSERS

Arranged alphabetically by composer's last name.

C) ELECTRONIC MUSIC

I. JEAN MICHEL JARRE

The entire discography, arranged chronologically. Compilations at the end.

II. VARIOUS

1. VARIOUS COMPILATIONS

Arranged alphabetically by album title.

2. COMPOSERS/ARTISTS

Arranged by last name of composer/artist.

D) ROCK / POP

I. SUPERTRAMP

See Jarre above.

II. THE ALAN PARSONS PROJECT

see Jarre above.

III. PINK FLOYD

see Jarre above.

IV. VARIOUS ARTISTS/GROUPS

Arranged alphabetical by artist's name. Chronological within groups. Compilations intermixed with artists here - inserted by title of album.

------------------ * -------------------

So, how's that for system, huh??

Then it goes into soundtrack "Albums", followed by my Telarc Digital cd's, which look very nice with all the white labels and the logos in the same place The end of my collection is miscellaneous compilation stuff like the varese and silva.

The Beatles is next priotority, followed by all my rock/pop/jazz/classical section which isn't half as big as my soundtracks. Those are just thrown into my cd shelf at random since i flip through them so much.