Music Database Codes Legend and Explanation My music database contains a number of symbols and shorthand intended to help me remember what each track is like, and when to play it and will also be useful (hopefully) to you in judging the style of each track in the database ------------- Track, Artist, Track #, CD/DAT Name, length - I hope these are self evident Flags - D =on DAT tape, not CD, M=Mixed with another track (usualy a mix CD) CD/DAT # - Psy Trance CD's presently number from 1 to 200, 200 and above are non-trance but related CD's in the other folder 500 and above are other styles of Techno music 1000 and above are DAT Tapes Remix - Fairly self obvious, but you will also find symbols in here indicating the status of a track % = I believe this track to be unreleased (if you know otherwise, let me know) ! = This track is unavailable for trading (unless you want to contact the artist/supplier with a special request) The codes are Case Sensitive (Unix alert !). Generally speaking, upper case = good, lower case = bad (or average) obviously it depends on context, but a collection of lower case letters in the comments field usually indicates a track I dont think much of, while all upper case is likely to be a good track for that type. In the playlist field a Clm for example means a good chill track, maybe playable at late morning, while a single uppercase N means no questions asked. this is a stomper night track. eN would be a night, maybe early night.. got it ? Class - How I would rate this track in terms of when it is appropriate to play it. M = Morning Track - usually slower BPM, Airy pleasant feel, often uplifitng N = Night Track - usually faster and harder tracks. Often dark feeling, energetic, stomping I = Intermediate Track - could probably be played at any time.. depending on the mood e & l = early and late. Modifiers to the above classes. If a track is very cruisy and mellow, I might list it as LM for late morning, or maybe an EN (Early night) track for a good build-up. you get the idea S = Starter - A good track to start a set, or a party with. Often starts in a slow or interesting way and builds C = Chill out. If a track is marked as Chill, it's generally very slow and cruisy, definite chill, or maybe very late in the morning (Clm) A = Ambient, about as slow as it gets.. often no beat at all, just soundscapes.. airy cruisy stuff.. ? = No Idea, I have no idea when I'd play this track.. ! it's either really weird, or really bad or something. B-) Playlist - Tracks that I often play at parties, unless I'm feeling in an experimental mood.. ** = a Guarranteed Stomper (in my opinion of course).. This is about as good as it gets.. * = still a damn good track, something I'd have no hesitation in playing *c = a minor classic, fairly often played, but not to the point where it is old. Use caution *C = a Major Classic. has been played a lot. Only play if the vibe calls for an old classic.. B-) Comments 1 - A fairly cryptic (and not always consistent) collection of codes that describe how a track sounds to me taken together, they can give me an overall feel for a track that I may not have listened to in a while and help jog my memory as to what this beast feels like, so I dont accidentally play a kicker in a chill session when I decide to experiment with some relatively unknown tracks in the collection.. No promises they'll be of any use to you.. some of the distinctions might seem meaningless to you, but they help me. F = Flat/Constant - a track that doesn't do much.. it may still be a good groovy track, but it doesnt vary much a good track when you want to hold the energy level constant for a while. a lowercase f - generally indicates a fairly boringly flat track that just doesn't seem to do much, or make me want to do much. J = Journey Track - sort of the opposite to F. This track builds up and may wind down, often breaks down only to build up again and so on. a lowercase j is still good, but not as pronounced a journey feeling. / = Build up track - generally indicates a slow-ish build up over a period of time. sometimes over the whole track length. a good track to play if you want to raise the energy on the floor somewhat. ^ = Builds to a peak. Most often found in israeli-style trance. Usually indicates a progression to a "peak" in track where everyone jumps about, screams, Woo-Hoo's and so on.. B-) ^! = Builds to a wicked peak. Major "Woo-Hoo" factor here.. if you can sit still during this one, you must be dead.. Guarranteed "Going off" track. Great for those crazy moments, but dont overuse them.. D = Deep Sounds - how to describe music in words ? You know what I mean.. those big fat warpy sounds usually basslines, but can be melodies as well.. think of Tuba's and Moogs and such noises. M = Melodic - applies to a lot of Psy/Goa-Trance. The track has a melodic progression structure which is sort of like classical music, rather than the usual techno style of contant riffs with filter sweeps IM = Israeli Melodic - The Astral Projection/MFG/Mystica sort of sound. Rapid tweeky melodies that remind me of someone "talking" very rapidly in musical notation. I'm sure you know the sound I mean Q = Quick Melodies - sort of different to the IM sound. Still fast note progrssions, but is different to the Israeli feel.. some japanese music falls in this spot. Green Nuns often as well.. G = Groove - hah, try to define this sound. Whatever it is, its that can't sit still factor.. a lot of doof tracks rate a g, some get a G, if you see any VG (Very Groovy)'s.. I challenge you not to tap your foot. # = Hard/Harsh sounds - Distorted guitars, crunchy synths, Overdistorted 303 Acid, Crashy Kicks, etc can be good at the right time and place, but often causes fingers-in-the-ears syndrome. S = Spooky, maybe Dark - Those tracks to be played on moonless nights, when the shadows are deep and the acid is good. Use sparingly & think of your dancers - dont leave them down there for too long U = Uplifting - good to spin after a darkness session. often makes one feel spiritually "Re-born" and flying on a cloud. Man with no Name knows all about it. Some Israeli tunes are good too. H = a happy smiling track. Different to U. Good to play in the sunlight or at dawn. Sometimes a bit cheesy to play during the parties peak. But great to get everyone on the dancefloor laughing and smiling. E = an Airy "E" Track. Often described as "Beautiful". One of those tracks that makes you feel.. Wow.. everything in the world is just great and you're flying high.. "What a wonderful world" is the go here. C = Cruisy - a track that has a mellowish feel to it. Uppercase generally means a liquid-ish flowing type of feel that makes you just bop along happily, lowercase can sometimes mean boringly slow or uninspiring P = Pumping - another hard one to describe. That sound that just makes you wanna stomp with energy. Often bouncy but still hard. Astral Projections "Mahadeva" is a good example of this sound. @ = a hard rockish sort of sound. Often uses distorted guitars. sort of the Psy Trance equivalent of AC/DC Some of Juno reactor, and tracks like "Acid Tester" by Ominus are what I mean by this.. BB = Break-Beat'ish. - not necessarily pure break-beat. could be a BB behind a Doof, which I quite like or maybe indicates a BB break in the middle of the track. lowercase generally indicates bad or average A = Squeaky 303 Acid - you know the sound. generally it's not a sound I like lots of, I prefer the 303 back in the mix adding groove, not in your face howling away. check the rest of the codes for overall track feel. it's OK to have some heavy acid, but "Higher state of Conciousness" for example goes too far T = Tribal Rhythmic feel.. Juno Reactor are generally best at this. Conga Fury sums it all up. often percussive drumming, sometimes mixed with chanting, and a fat groove.. when done well, I love it.. B = Blips'n'Blops - Paging Tsyoshi Suzuki ! he seems to be the main proponent of this sound. lots of strange not necesaarily melodic noises flying about in no clearly identifiable musical structure. can sometimes be good in an abstract sort of way, I like The Prana remix of Spirit, but generally I find it annoying. W = Weird noises. B-) OK, nearly ALL Psy-Trance could fit into this spot.. but to get a W, it has to have something fairly unusual - Heavily warped noises that remind you of your aunt blowing her nose etc.. v or V = a modifier to any other code. Basically, it means very. If its a VDVMVG, it'll be a killer. if its vfvcva, it probably already died.. a long time ago.. B-) Remember to take notice of the case of the codes, and try to put them all together to understand how the track "feels" - a lowercase f is not necessarily bad if it's surround by lots of good codes. A general feel for how the track will make you and dancers feel is the object here. Thats the hardest part of Trance DJ'ing, picking the perfect track for right now Comments 2 is my english language quick notes about the track to elaborate (or confuse) the code system even more. sometimes includes some brief mixing notes, if a track stops with a crunch, or has a long intro Rating - self explanatory (out of 10 of course), but a note about scores. a 5 is not a bad score in my scale. it indicates a pretty good track, but not one that stands out from the crowd. a 6 is above average, and a 7 is getting pretty good. 8's are all most tracks can hope for and a 9 is like. WOW. (There's only about two 9's in there so far Everyone will know when I find that elusive perfect 10.. I'll probably kill myself dancing to it.. and be happy to.. B-) NRG - a measurement of the energy of a track. not always directly connected to BPM. Some 140 BPM tracks go off, other 150 Bpm tracks can be cruisy morning tunes. Most doof falls between about 5-7, 4 is cruisy morning music 3 is chilled out late morning stuff, 2 and below is Ambient. If you play something 8 or over, watch out ! BPM - Umm.. I forget.. I think it's Bongs per Mix or something like that.. B-) ID - Something that identifies this track to me.. a sample, or a particular sound.. a memory jogger basically Mixing - Mixing notes.. Including FB, LB, L1S, L2S,L3S, Breaks, L3E,L2E,L1E. doesn't get used often.. it was an idea, that I couldnt really be bothered filling in.. mainly while I was learning the basics of mixing to help me out. If you must know they stand for First Beat, Last Beat, and Level 1,2,3 energy tart, and nd points Track # - a numerical record of when this track was added to the database. First 50 or so CD's it just means in what order I typed them in, since that was when I started my database - from then on, they can be used as an approximate guide to how new the track/CD is since I enter them as I get them now.. higher numbers = newer tracks Thats about it for the cryptic codes.. hope they help you in avoiding getting any unwanted surprises when trading with me.. Of course, not all the music in the database is cataloged yet.. have you any idea how LONG it takes to think about and fill in all this stuff for all those tracks ? They'll get there eventually.. One day, I dream to be caught up on all the older CD's so I only have to worry about keeping up with the new stuff I buy.. B-)