Number 1: Here's how I do it, a write up I did for a Reddit user:
MusicBee – My Setup
I have my music stored on my home server, it could as well be on a NAS or on a portable drive.
I run the portable installation of MusicBee, downloaded from here :
https://getmusicbee.com/downloads/The portable version can be installed as a stand-alone installation and run from any drive.
My MusicBee program is installed in \\server\tunes\$_Musicbee
I have my MusicBee library stored in \\server\tunes\$_musicbee library
I have a folder for libarary backup stored in \\server\$_musicbee library backup
(The $ is just to keep it at the top of the folder list when sorted by name)
My Music, also stored on my server.
I store my music in the following format:
\\server\tunes\Artist\Album\Filename
Single tracks are stored in:
\\server\tunes\Artist\filename
My files are named as such:
Artist_Album_discnumber_tracknumber_Trackname
This way if a file goes rogue, moved or copied, tags lost etc. I know where it belongs.
MusicBee has an Inbox folder. I use this folder to import all my tunes into which is where they stay until I’ve corrected the MP3 tags. The inbox can be selected and pinned to the top bar in MusicBee, click the + on the top bar and select Inbox on the left. Right click Inbox on the top bar and Pin Tab [Icon and Text].
Let’s add some music to MusicBee, adding it to the library, tagging it correctly and copying it to the folder where I’ve chosen to store my tunes:
With the Inbox tab selected press INS, to insert some files.
MusicBee will open the ‘Scan folders for new files’ box.
Click choose folders and select a folder where you have some music files stored, in my case c:\downloads, select the option ‘destination for new files – add to inbox’ and then click proceed.
You now have some music files in your inbox, these may or not be tagged correctly, here’s where you correct any mistakes.
Here you can right click on a music track in your inbox and use MusicBee’s tagging tools; auto tag by track, auto tag by album etc. Or, right click (or shift + return) and edit. Or edit the track details right on the music track line in the inbox by pressing F2 or slow 2 clicking each field. Either way, get your music tags correct here.
Now we have a correctly tagged music file we want to put it into our final destination music folder where we will store all our music files.
We highlight/select the tracks that we want to move in the Inbox, then ‘right click – Send to – Folder (move) – Move files to organised folder’ or CTRL + ALT + M.
In the new file Organiser window:
Make sure ‘to folder:’ box is checked.
Under that click the … and select the path to your chosen music files destination folder, in my case \\server\Tunes.
Next to that make sure ‘naming template:’ box is checked.
Under that click the … and use the Template Editor to select your chosen file and path naming convention, in my case : <Album Artist>\<Album>\<Artist>_<Album>_<Disc-Track#>-<Title>
On the next line you can add an exception, I use this for single tracks:
Tick the ‘Except when:’ box.
Next to that click the … and setup and exception, in my case:
match ALL of the following rules: Album has no value (I use this for SINGLE TRACKS)
Next to that exception I use another naming convention, click the … and add:
<Artist>\<Artist>-<Title>
Then below that I click the button to Add Exception:
Match ALL of the following rules: Album Artist is Various Artists (I use this for COMPILATION ALBUMS)
Next to that exception I use another naming convention, click the … and add:
<Album Artist>\<Album>\<Album>_<Disc-Track#>_<Artist>-<Title>
In the File Organiser window you can now see a preview of how the file will be stored and renamed.
At the bottom of the window select the ‘add to library’ box.
When you now click the Reorganise button the file will be renamed and copied to as we’ve setup above and will be removed from the Inbox.
Well that’s handy, we’ll use that a lot, lets pin a Command Button:
Right click on the top panel to right of the tabs and select ‘Configure Toolbar’
Add a toolbar button, number 1, and enter the Button Text ‘Move to Org’ or whatever you like or even click the … and add an icon if you have one.
In the command line click the drop down arrow and find the command ‘Send To: Move to Organised Folder’
You now have a button to click once you’ve tagged those inbox files.
We’re getting there now.
I use a playlist to send files to an external drive or laptop via my network.
To create a playlist for this purpose:
Right click on a music track in your library, under the music tab in the top panel.
Select ‘add to playlist’ and create a new playlist, in my case Serato.
I’d also like to be able to send files to my Laptop that I use for Serato DJ. (Or a portable drive, or another PC, or anywhere etc).
We can do this by adding a virtual device:
Select MusicBee menu – Edit – Edit Preferences (or CTRL + O)
Click ‘Devices’ and click the button ‘Add Virtual Device’
Select the folder you would like as a virtual device, in my case \\laptop\Serato Music
I use a playlist to send the music I want to DJ with to the Serato laptop:
I check the ‘synchronise playlists’ box and the ‘selected playlists only’ option.
I check the box next to ‘Serato’
Under the Settings menu in this window you can change naming conventions for the files and folder locations, much the same as we did for our inbox. In my case:
I select ‘use naming template’ and for music files I add ‘Music\<Artist>-<Title>-(<Bitrate>)’ this copys the files to my laptop into the Music folder and renames them to something more simple, I don’t need album info but I do need Bitrate info.
Great, when I play tunes in MusicBee that I’d like to use to DJ with I audition them and right click on them and add them to the Serato playlist.
I want a quick way to throw these files to the Serato laptop:
On the top panel click the + icon to add a folder to this panel.
MusicBee will show it’s folder, to the bottom of the list under ‘devices’ you should see your new created virtual device. Click it.
On the top panel, right click the new virtual device tab and ‘Pin Tab [icon and text]
When you now click this button MusicBee will show you your virtual device window, and clicking the ‘synchronise’ button MusicBee will proceed to copy the files to your virtual device as we’ve set up above.
Using virtual devices in the same way I also have a USB stick I use for the car, same deal as above just choose the path to your stick.
Change any of these options to suit you, that’s just how I do mine. There’s tons of configurable settings in MusicBee, have fun.
And back up your library, MusicBee – File – Library – Backup Library, send it to your chosen backup folder. And backup that folder to another drive.