Strange behavior in playing multi-movement classical files

[MTVhike]

I've been a MB user for a long time, having installed and used it on several different computers. My Library seems to be a little scrambled.

I put the music files in a folder called C:\Music followed by several subfolders. For example, if I rip a CD, then MB creates a folder called "Ripped Files". I recently discovered that I have several multi-movement symphonies where each movement is a separate file. In the main page, only one movement shows up (sometimes, but not always, the first movement). However, if I use Windows Explorer and click on the first movement, they all play in the correct order (I have set MB as my default music player). I have been unable to make the main page of MB find and add those additional movements. I've tried "locate missing files", under the Tools menu; "Add Files to Library" and "Scan Folders for New Files", both under the files menu.

A related question, what is the best way to organize files. If I'm downloading a digital file, I create a folder or folder+subfolder with the album name, artist, and/or the composer and put all the files there. I then edit the main page entries to make sure all the metadata is correct, and that usually works. It can be a bit confusing, because maybe half of these files came from my old iTunes library, which has its own organization, which I don't feel like messing with, unnecessarily.

Thanks in advance for any pointers.

[hiccup]

I put the music files in a folder called C:\Music followed by several subfolders. For example, if I rip a CD, then MB creates a folder called "Ripped Files". I recently discovered that I have several multi-movement symphonies where each movement is a separate file.

Just a pointer based on a quick read of what you wrote in your post.
(I didn't digest it very thoroughly, so this reply of mine may be completely off-base)

You begin with explaining about your 'files' and 'folders'. And you are mentioning how Windows Explorer is doing things.

Are you trying to use MusicBee as a file/folder player, or do you have your files properly tagged and are using MusicBee to use those? (as is intended)

[MTVhike]

My files are properly tagged and I use MB to play the music. For most of the files there are no problems. However, I discovered that if, in Windows Explorer, I click on a single file, I can select MB as the default music player. And, if I do that, MB plays that file and all the following ones in the same folder with all the tags intact. I have about 1600 files, if that matters.

[hiccup]

I'm sorry.
It seems I am not able to make much sense of either your initial post and this reply to my question of yours.
Let's hope another forum member can do better than me.

[MTVhike]

Thanks, hiccup, let me explain with an example. I have the five movements of the Shostakovich Symphony #8 digitized as Flac files in a single folder. If I open MB, I can find this recording in its proper location, as indicated by the path field, but it only shows (and plays) one movement. I am trying to get MB to display all 5 movements in the main player. If I close MB, navigate to the same folder in Windows, select all five movements, the MB main player pops up and these five movements are listed and played in the "playing tracks" window.

[hiccup]

You keep mentioning 'files' and 'folders'.
Since MusicBee is not a file/folder player, I am not very interested in issues that may arise when somebody is trying to force to use MusicBee as such.
As soon as this topic (and your issue) is approached and described from a tagging point of view, I'll be happy to try to help.
If it continues to be referencing files, folders and how Windows Explorer is doing things, I am just not interested.

[MTVhike]

Using MB and clicking on Edit the Properties, the bottom line is Location :C:\Music\Symphony No.8\Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1973)\02 Symphony No. 8.flac
So file is 02 Symphony No. 8.flac, in the folder and subfolder structure Music\Symphony No.8\Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1973)

[hiccup]

Using MB and clicking on Edit the Properties, the bottom line is Location :C:\Music\Symphony No.8\Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1973)\02 Symphony No. 8.flac
So file is 02 Symphony No. 8.flac, in the folder and subfolder structure Music\Symphony No.8\Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1973)

That's great.

[vincent kars]

C:\Music\Symphony No.8\Shostakovich, Dmitri (1906-1973)\02 Symphony No. 8.flac

Perhaps stating the very obvious but if you select this file, only this file will be played and nothing else. That is inherent to selecting a single file.

All my classical is multiple files so for each track there is a corresponding file.
In Musicbee I use Album view.
This of course shows me the albums e.g.

 Shostakovich - Symphony No. 8

It also show the tracks (the individual files)

1-Adagio – Allegro non troppo (C minor)
2-Allegretto (D♭ major)
3-Allegro non troppo (E minor) –
4-Largo (G♯ minor) –
5-Allegretto (C major)

So if I select the album and select play, al tracks will be played.

[The Incredible Boom Boom]

I think the issue is the original poster is treating MusicBee like Windows Media Player, searching for tracks primarily through the File Explorer.
This is not how MusicBee is intended to be used and the ability to play music from files is more an add-on than a main feature.
Your music needs to be imported into MusicBee and sorted from there. MusicBee should be your primary point of reference when searching for tracks, not File Explorer.