Desert Island X: Rules and Signup Thread

[gump]

List submitted.

 

[LMP]

For the purposes of this contest, I'd recommend keeping it simple and submitting a .zip file with your tracks. Worry about alternative ways of hosting tracks via streaming... this audience knows how to download, sort, and listen. Some folks even burn discs to listen in their car. I know I do most DI listening while driving. Spotify/Bandcamp/etc... streaming over 3G is hella frustrating.

My two cents, at least.

 

[cobl04]

Yeah, I'll do that as well. Day off tomorrow so will do it then.

 

[bono_212]

3G

What is this ancient technology you speak of ?

 

[LMP]

what is this ancient technology you speak of ?

O.G. LTE

/cl

 

[phanan]

Depending on your definition of synthpop, we might come up with very similar lists.

I have a fairly liberal use of the term. There will be the blatantly obvious material, but then other artists that might be construed as more straightforward pop but with a distinct new wave flavor on certain songs, if that makes any sense.

I think our lists will be varied enough. Or so I hope.

 

[lazarus]

Fuck, I forgot how I put all this together last time. I don't want to change the album title for all the tracks because it will screw up my own personal iTunes catalog.

So I think I have to go into the iTunes folder under the Music section of my hard drive, find and duplicate all the mp3s I'm using, put them in a new folder, import all of them directly into a new playlist, and replicate what I previously set up. Then I can select all and change the album name to my playlist title(s).

Then I go back to the folder I created, export the playlist from iTunes to an .m3u file and put it in there, then zip up everything and upload to whatever site I'm using.

Does that make sense?

 

[iron yuppie]

I made copies of the files (AAC conversion to MP3) and then re-named the MP3 files and changed the track numbers to match the playlist, so that the entire list appears as a single album if imported into iTunes. I figured that would be the most convenient way for people to access it.

 

[PhilsFan]

I make copies of all the MP3 files and just dump them into a folder. I then order the titles of the files from 01 to (in my case) 34. I don't edit the album because it would screw it up in iTunes. Plus, honestly, you just need to put them all in a playlist, and wouldn't you rather know what album it was than have to read the silly title I made for my pretentious-ass playlist?

 

[iron yuppie]

I'd rather read your title 34 times, PFan. But absolutely no more than that.

 

[lazarus]

I make copies of all the MP3 files and just dump them into a folder. I then order the titles of the files from 01 to (in my case) 34. I don't edit the album because it would screw it up in iTunes. Plus, honestly, you just need to put them all in a playlist, and wouldn't you rather know what album it was than have to read the silly title I made for my pretentious-ass playlist?

Good point.

But if someone really wanted to research further they only need look at the written out track order that you're submitting with the list, which would have all the album titles.

 

[PhilsFan]

I almost used the working title of my album as the title for the playlist until I realized that would have been even more silly.

 

[PhilsFan]

Good point.

But if someone really wanted to research further they only need look at the written out track order that you're submitting with the list, which would have all the album titles.

I'll often happen upon songs in iTunes that were left in there from previous DI entries and will want to look into them again, and I find it annoying to have to go back and look up the album because the playlist title is in there. To each his own, of course.

 

[lazarus]

No, that makes sense.

Here's another question: what about tracks where there's too much dead air at the end? It affects the flow. You can edit the start/stop time of tracks in iTunes, but that won't transfer over unless you create an .m3u of the playlist and people import that instead of just dropping all the files in.

 

[PhilsFan]

I just sort of mentally respect what they were going for.

 

[gump]

I'm guilty of changing the album name/artwork in the files I share. I just find it annoying to get duplicate tracks on my iTunes library when I import them, and it's easier to sort a playlist by album name that way.

 

[namkcuR]

This conversation is a good example of why I decided to stream my list this time around. I've done it the traditional way every time I've played before this, but it's just easier to queue all your tracks up in a playlist if they're all available. Especially when you don't have half the songs you're using on your computer. I know people have reservations about listening to playlists via stream, but I'm using Grooveshark, which as far as I know doesn't require anyone to sign up for anything in order to listen.

 

[PhilsFan]

I actually will just not open files if I have the song already and will move my copy into the playlist.

 

[phanan]

The only thing about streaming and/or using your own files is making sure you have the exact same version of the song that is on someone's playlist. For example, if I have the single version of Cut Copy's Lights & Music with a nice fade out on a list, and you simply insert the regular album version, it gets cut off, and you really won't be able to judge the transition accurately. I personally nitpick about those things.

As for tagging the songs, yeah, I do that, and change the album title and artwork for each one. As noted, the original song, artist, and album info is included with each entry, so I don't consider it a big deal.

 

[LemonMelon]

I change the MP3 title so it has "01," "02," etc. in front of the name and then change the track number so it corresponds with the playlist. Other than that, I leave the track name/album title/artist name alone so it scrobbles right. A few times, I've changed the album title to the playlist for ease of sorting, maybe I will this time. I haven't decided. I always change the album artwork though.

 

[lazarus]

The only thing about streaming and/or using your own files is making sure you have the exact same version of the song that is on someone's playlist. For example, if I have the single version of Cut Copy's Lights & Music with a nice fade out on a list, and you simply insert the regular album version, it gets cut off, and you really won't be able to judge the transition accurately. I personally nitpick about those things.

Yeah, I have tracks with as much as 10 seconds of dead air after the end Of the song and I've edited the out time in iTunes to provide for smoother transitions. I'm making it a point to request that people import the .m3u or .xml files I exported to transfer the playlist properly.

 

[the tourist]

So streaming-only playlists are in then...? I thought they weren't.

 

[LMP]

Anything goes!

I'm with Peef earlier. If a transition between songs doesn't "work" cuz of something on my end, I look at what that person is going for.

I made a list a while back that depended on 6-second fades between tracks... not sure if it was listened to that way but whatever. Low stakes!

 

[bono_212]

Back in the early days, I thought that the crossfade on iTunes was a default, and everyone used it, so I made my first two DI lists thinking that was the case...not so, I learned...not so.

 

[IWasBored]

Back in the early days, I thought that the crossfade on iTunes was a default, and everyone used it, so I made my first two DI lists thinking that was the case...not so, I learned...not so.

I had to shut that off because it does horrible things to hardcore. Minor threat songs bleeding into each other, wtf?

 

[namkcuR]

So streaming-only playlists are in then...? I thought they weren't.

LeMel says they're allowed in the rules:

• Your track listing (see below for formatting details).
• Links the music contained in your playlist. You may either zip your music and upload it to a site like mediafire, divshare, rapidshare, etc. OR if you can create your playlist on a streaming service such as Spotify, Grooveshark or YouTube, send me the public link to it. Be aware that Spotify and YouTube have advertisements that will affect the transitions on your list. I would personally prefer if you send me both, as many posters do not wish to sign up for extra services just to hear one list, but one or the other is all that is required as long as either contains every track in the playlist.

 

[LemonMelon]

They're absolutely allowed, there's just no one option that has been endorsed so there's been some debate over which one is best.

 

[LMP]

Think of it this way: the harder you make it to listen to, the less likely folks are to listen to it.

 

[cobl04]

Officially submitted. You can either use the 8tracks playlists, just hit play, or you can download all the mediafire file. I've named all the tracks "01 01 ..." "01 02 ..." etc so hopefully they are in order. Looked to be in my finder and itunes.

 

[Cute Irish Bono]

Give her my slot.

I'll let you know in a day or two.

Hey, IWasBored, do you have a verdict? Please let me know but I'll be cool either way.